A positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

K'Tesh

.....OpenRocket's ..... "Chuck Norris"
TRF Supporter
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
Messages
22,448
Reaction score
14,747
John Boren (JumpJet) wrote
Maybe someone can start a positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce, and no, the B14 motor isn't going to happen. Lets see if you can get 20 people to agree on the exact same thing, and I'm not talking about 20 people wanting the same discontinued kit being brought back. Think new and exciting stuff that more than .1 percent of the fliers out there might be interested in. I'll read the thread and maybe I'll "Learn Something" as stated on the NCIS New Orleans TV show.

Hi John, et al,

I accept your challenge.

As a BAR, I'm a fairly capable builder. I like builder's kits. I've now got more disposable income than I did when I was getting an allowance, I want BIGGER. I have a sense of history. I want to recapture the youthful excitement of my teen years when I first discovered Estes rockets. I want nostalgia.

I want a PSII 2.5" Cherokee D. Please call it a Cherokee D, and in addition to a D Power decal (which should also be an option) I'd like to see a 29mm Power decal (38mm Power would also be acceptable).

I want parts. Sure, I could cut centering rings, but I'd rather just buy laser cut. Btw: What good is selling 29mm motor tubes a person can't center them in a 4" PSII body tube?

I'd like to see you reinvest in your nosecones. Those wonderful classic old Estes nosecones, but bring them back bigger too. You have a start already, the Mega Mosquito, the Mega Der Red Max. Keep going... The PNC-55AC needs to be redone as a PNC-60AC. The PNC-50Y blowmolded should be brought back too, along with larger versions.

Imagine an Ultimate Sizzler (1906) Pro Series II 2" diameter. I know I am.

I'm cloning my old kits. I'm upscaling my old kits. Please kit more of your old kits (I'm talking about decals too (e.g. Estes Wizard)).

Thanks for all the fun you've helped me have over the years!

Pointy Side Up!
Jim
 
Last edited:
Once upon a time you could purchase every part used in every Estes’ kit sold.

Just bring that back and I’d be satisfied.
 
Estes was one of the first (if not the first) to get into rocket photography and video.

Maybe something like that "21st Century" style, in keeping with the Estes altimeter. Maybe an external video pod or and integral video bay.

Greg
 
Once upon a time you could purchase every part used in every Estes’ kit sold.

Just bring that back and I’d be satisfied.

I could put a +1 on that.

I'd like to see a replica of the Cineroc with a digital video camera. I would be awesome atop an Omega clone,

I could put a +2K on that (but it'd still only count as a +1).

That integral camera pod idea mentioned above could be made with the Cineroc's dimensions in mind. The body tube would have the same OD as the D-Region Tomahawk, and could perhaps be mounted inside larger body tubes using adapters.
 
Last edited:
Shipping kits to other countries (not motors, just kits) would probably be well received by a lot of people (e.g. Canadians).
 
I'd also like to see more parts available. Something like the "Estes Parts Catalog," where everything and anything is available, would be very nice. Estes wouldn't have to make the expanded and diversified parts selection part of their product line. Even if the parts were only available for purchase via the Estes website would be acceptable.
 
Thicker walled body tubing would be nice...

Especially in BT-20 and BT-50 sizes, more like the old Centuri ST tubing.
There are just too many crimps above the engine mount and fins.

From the original "New Estes Catalog thread:
Quote Originally Posted by ThirstyBarbarian
How about some builder kits for the E16 and F15 motors? The PSII builder kits are too big, and the E2X kits don't inspire builders. Maybe more upscales of classic LPR for larger motors?
Why not a more sophisticated altimeter?

Ditto on the Thirsty Barbarian's post. (I left in the stuff I was most interested in!)
 
Last edited:
Nose cones (now that Semroc is in the crapper) and parts sold separately, like in the past, would enable builders to make rockets from their past.

This would be great!
 
I like the idea of more upscaled classic kits for the Pro Series II - I love my BT-70 NASA Pegasus and will build a 4" version once my workshed is expanded.
I'd also like to see an RC rocket glider (now that R&R went defunct before I could get the Delta Star or Gamma Star...) I seem to remember that John was involved in those... :wink:

Chris
 
The B-14 is not going to happen (Do you want to hand-drill those BP grains?).
What I WOULD like to see is a 24 mm B motor. Make this sucker 1.75 inches long, like the old "S" motors. this should come out to a B-10 or B-11. would be great for low altitude heavy-lift situations, not to mention great for staging options.
 
Here's part of my post from the other thread about the 2015 catalog that prompted the creation of this thread:

How about some builder kits for the E16 and F15 motors? The PSII builder kits are too big, and the E2X kits don't inspire builders. I also like BT80 kits or heavy walled 2" airframe for 24mm motors. How about more in that space? Maybe more upscales of classic LPR for larger motors?

My thought about E2X and RTF is that if you are going to make rockets out of molded plastic, then go all in and do some interesting plastic models that would be really hard to build otherwise, not 3FNC out of molded plastic. How about RTF Sci-Fi ships or military jets? I like the Trajector --- interesting molded NC and fin pods that would be hard to build without molded plastic. Speaking of plastic, more nosecones, please!

I also don't see why there aren't more cool electronics. People are taping keychain cameras to their rockets! Why not an easy to use camera module for HD video? Why not a more sophisticated altimeter? Why not beepers? How about a "science payload" with all of these things built in?​

And here is JumpJet's response:

I agree with most everything you mentioned and you just might see some of it this year or the next.

John Boren​

Cool! I'd be every pleased to see any one of these things developed in the next year or two!
 
I would like to see the PSII series expand. The PSII E2X rockets are good for beginners and kids. How about a 4" MPR kit, a la Aerotech?
 
Upscale.
I'd take the most popular 6 rockets (or wherever there's a distinct "knee" in the popularity curve) and do 4X versions.
 
I don't fly RC planes, but would an off-the-shelf RC rocket boost glider make sense?

It would certainly be cool. I still have to start building/ modifying my Mega Baron for RC but an off-the-shelf RC glider would be great for those F15 motors. However, it's hard to make RC that is both easy enough a beginner can fly and actually flyable (a lot of "toy" RC planes really don't fly well compared to larger RC planes, and it's hard to fly a rocket powered RC plane without a lot of experience flying conventional electric/nitro RC planes), so it may not be practical.
 
Also, although I'm not sure Estes would go into this market, some kits with 38mm mounts would be awesome. A 4" big bertha (or practically any other classic kit) with a 38-29 adapter and the 4" tubing used in the MDRM would be great. It's be cool to see a heavy-duty kit from estes that could fly H-I, and considering how light the MDRM is, it could definitely be light enough to fly G's too.
 
I'd love to see them bring back older kits, maybe just in limited production runs. I'm thinking about things like the mini-brute line. My first rocket was a Screamer, so I have a fond place in my heart for those!

Say a limited run of a couple hundred. Keep it old school - here's your paper template and a piece of balsa. That would keep the costs down. A lot of those use off-the-shelf parts, so it would just be a matter of perhaps updating the directions (remember when you made two slits in the body tube and glued the shock cord in?).

Call them Limited Editions or something like that...
 
Bring back Maxi Brute like rockets flying on one or maybe two 29mm motors, short delay. Keep the focus on the core business but don't forget us BARs and old dudes. I see a lot of expensive F15-0 and D12 -0 motors hanging on the Hobby Lobby rack with out much to fly them in. HL pricing on 29 mm is quite silly (OOPS stay positive!). Rehashing old classics is always good.
 
I could put a +1 on that.



I could put a +2K on that (but it'd still only count as a +1).

That integral camera pod idea mentioned above could be made with the Cineroc's dimensions in mind. The body tube would have the same OD as the D-Region Tomahawk, and could perhaps be mounted inside larger body tubes using adapters.

I like both those suggestions... +1...

OL JR :)
 
I like the idea of more high-drag rockets for E9, E16 and F15 rockets. A lot of the rockets built around these longer burning motors seem to be built for performance and altitude, which is great if that is what you want. But I usually do not want to go very high, and I like longer burns. Heavy rockets can run into trouble with low-thrust longer burns, so drag is the way to go, I think. The Mega Mosquito is great on E9 motors, and the Mega Der Red Max is cool on G40's. Some more rockets in this style, with big fins or other ways to slow them down once stable and straight would be great! Maybe something in this kind of design in a 3" airframe for the F15 would work.
 
It may not be in line with the intent of this thread, but I personally think the inclusion of recovery wadding along with starters/ignitors and motors, all in the same blister pack is a tremendous step in the right direction! Why make a new convert continue to buy additional items just to get in the air (as well as pay sales tax time and time again) when they could just as easily be bundled. Bravo Estes!
 
Shipping kits to other countries (not motors, just kits) would probably be well received by a lot of people (e.g. Canadians).
I can see where shipping rocket kits but not motors to other countries could produce a serious disconnect... Unless you only meant to make trophy rockets for the shelf... How would you fly them?
 
Nose cones (now that Semroc is in the crapper) and parts sold separately, like in the past, would enable builders to make rockets from their past.

This would be great!

Sheryl from Semroc announced today that Semroc has been sold to eRockets and that Randy from eRockets is planning on continuing Semroc's kits, and parts production.

I will agree on the Nose Cones though.
 
please bring back orbital transport and scissor wing kits , I would buy both for grand kids also :)
 
As a BAR, I'm a fairly capable builder. I like builder's kits. I've now got more disposable income than I did when I was getting an allowance, I want BIGGER. I have a sense of history. I want to recapture the youthful excitement of my teen years when I first discovered Estes rockets. I want nostalgia.

I want a PSII 2.5" Cherokee D. Please call it a Cherokee D, and in addition to a D Power decal (which should also be an option) I'd like to see a 29mm Power decal (38mm Power would also be acceptable).

I want parts. Sure, I could cut centering rings, but I'd rather just buy laser cut. Btw: What good is selling 29mm motor tubes a person can't center them in a 4" PSII body tube?

Imagine an Ultimate Sizzler (1906) Pro Series II 2" diameter. I know I am.

I'm cloning my old kits. I'm upscaling my old kits. Please kit more of your old kits (I'm talking about decals too (e.g. Estes Wizard)).

This...imagining an upscaled Cherokee-D, I'm drooling already.

Just like Toyota has Lexus and Honda has Acura, I'm imagining, what if Estes did a spin-off of their PSII line and developed a "luxury line"? For the "kids" who grew up and now can blow larger amounts of $$$ on the stuff they wanted when they were a kid?

In many ways, a lot of other companies are filling in a lot of the gaps, and I don't want their business to dry up. But their seem to be some interesting gaps in what Estes offers, that it wouldn't seem like too much of a stretch for them to just start selling.
 
I can see where shipping rocket kits but not motors to other countries could produce a serious disconnect... Unless you only meant to make trophy rockets for the shelf... How would you fly them?

Well motors in Canada would not be an issue (As Estes imports to Canada, so all you would need to find is an online retailer there.) As for other countries (Especially Europe,) there are possibly superior motor options such as Kilma.
 
Back
Top