Alpha III Nose Cone Alternative?

[mh9162013]

I love the shape of the Estes Alpha III nose cone. I'd like to build more BT-50 rockets with it, but I hate buying an Alpha III just to get the nose cone.

Looks like Custom Rockets might be an alternative soure for nose cones that are roughly the same shape as the Alpha III? Can anyone comment on how similar the Alpha III nose cone is to the nose cones from Custom Rockets models like the:

Game Over
Galaxy Rescue
Galaxy Taxi
Galaxy Patrol
Bits n' Bits
Fiesta

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[BEC]

I love the shape of the Estes Alpha III nose cone. I'd like to build more BT-50 rockets with it, but I hate buying an Alpha III just to get the nose cone.

Looks like Custom Rockets might be an alternative soure for nose cones that are roughly the same shape as the Alpha III? Can anyone comment on how similar the Alpha III nose cone is to the nose cones from Custom Rockets models like the:

Game Over
Galaxy Rescue
Galaxy Taxi
Galaxy Patrol
Bits n' Bits
Fiesta

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Interesting question. I was able to find a dozen-year-old Custom Fiesta in my fleet pretty readily and it turns out it’s pretty close:



The BNC-50K as sold by Balsa Machining is also quite close to the elliptical Alpha III nose cone shape. It’s actually closer to the Alpha III shape than it is to a real BNC-50K (the original Alpha nose cone). Other Estes users of that nose cone are Alpha IV (black) and VI (metallic red) , the current Rocket Science Starter Set (black) and Phantom (clear). But it could be a way to go if it’s “close enough” for your purpose.

Interesting that they are now black: https://www.customrocketcompany.com/products/pc-50b

They get $8.95 for shipping a small order, though…

 

[mh9162013]

Thank you so much!

Yes, they are very similar, but based on your pics, the Custom Rockets' (CR) nose cone doesn't quite have the parabolic/curved shape that the Alpha III has. But the CR nose cone does come in two pieces, which makes it a bit easier to use the empty space inside the nose cone for payloads...

And it looks like CR sells this (and other) BT-50 plastic nose cones. I will take a look at those.

Thanks again!

 

[BEC]

Of course the Alpha III nose cone is easy to put stuff inside of (and is kind of unique that way), especially since the screw eye attachment is on the side. I stuff an altimeter in a fleece pouch up inside the nose cone on Alpha III (VI, Rocket Science Starter set rocket) flights pretty much every time I fly one.

The Custom one looks more like an ogive with a rounded tip than an elliptical, true. That would probably describe the BMS “BNC-50K” as well. But they’re both pretty close.