Another TV Commercial Mystery Rocket

[Gary Byrum]

Well, here we go again. I did look at the Estes web site for this because the launch pad looks like theirs. I couldn't read the text on the rocket even though I enhanced the pic as much as I could. Kinda curious if this is even an Estes rocket at all. Anybody wanna take a shot at this?

[video]https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AtOI/td-ameritrade-invest-in-this[/video]

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AtOI/td-ameritrade-invest-in-this

 

[Mugs914]

Can't ID the rocket by shape.

The writing on the side says "space" though. That oughta clear it up!

 

[noffie79]

That doesn't look like an Estes pad. Don't recognize the rocket either, but whatever it is, it has the same paint scheme as a Patriot.

 

[dhbarr]

This prop was designed by someone with some knowledge:
- a launch rod, but only 2ft long or so
- a pad with three rods for legs but no blast deflector
- two leads ( blue? ) which appear to be clipped to the fins
- 4fnc, but a strange scalloped rear
- finally, an up arrow above the word space. This end up? Up aerospace?

 

[Gary Byrum]

This prop was designed by someone with some knowledge:
- a launch rod, but only 2ft long or so
- a pad with three rods for legs but no blast deflector

The pad looks like the Mini Engine Pad Estes sells, but then there's the blast deflector issue. Kinda looks like there's one of those curved deflectors bending over the back and somewhat out of sight. Granted, the pics of the pad online are in yellow instead of orange, but I wouldn't call that unusual. "contents inside may not match the actual picture displayed" Maybe it's a German Model Racket....LEO!!!!!

 

[BuiltFromTrash]

Can you post the video?

 

[Gary Byrum]

Can you post the video?

I tried in the opening post. All it left was a link....2 of them. Apparently TRF doesn't support ispot.tv

 

[dhbarr]

I can click through it just fine. I agree it's probably the Estes Mini pad w/ a 30in rod.

Deflector can be seen as his hand passes behind it.

Three wire leads, or else one of the leads is coiled a bit behind the fin can.

 

[Incongruent]

The pad looks like the Mini Engine Pad Estes sells, but then there's the blast deflector issue. Kinda looks like there's one of those curved deflectors bending over the back and somewhat out of sight. Granted, the pics of the pad online are in yellow instead of orange, but I wouldn't call that unusual. "contents inside may not match the actual picture displayed" Maybe it's a German Model Racket....LEO!!!!!

Orange might be because they adjusted the film to have more reds, makes skin look better (less pale).
My mini pad is yellow-orange.
The base looks exactly like a mini pad.

Perhaps the rocket was made with enlisted help from model rocketeers, by scratch, or from different company. It could also be a kit but with a different paint scheme.

The clips look like they're clipped to an igniter behind the rocket.

 

[Incongruent]

The mini pad has a 15 or so inch rod.

Or at least mine does.

 

[rcktnut]

Wonder what that "puff" of smoke floating in the air is all about.

 

[hcmbanjo]

That looks to be the Estes Mini Pad -



The Rocket looks like the Estes EX-200 with some variation on paint and other decals:

 

[EXPjawa]

Looks to me like it says "SPACE" with an up arrow (as if space is thatta way ^)...

 

[Cabernut]

If that end is pointed towards the ground, you're not going to space today.

 

[samb]

TD Ameritrade, "Moments That Matter"

[video=youtube;9Feo-UFvI48]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Feo-UFvI48[/video]


This one is not new. I agree with Chris that the model appears to be a Estes EX200

 

[EXPjawa]

If that end is pointed towards the ground, you're not going to space today.

Exactly, LOL...

 

[Gary Byrum]

That looks to be the Estes Mini Pad - looks like the Estes EX-200 with some variation on paint and other decals:

And the EX 200 uses mini engines. I'm sold. Now, here's what bugged me. The fins in the video looked like dhbarr said, scalloped. Then ( here's the real kicker ) I couldn't read the text on the rocket with my head turned sideways. Looked like gibberish. NOW I can see it because...well...go figure. I suppose TD America was too cheap to pay ole Vern a little royalty money to use the original decals on the rocket. Hence, the alternate paint job. I do believe this mystery has been solved. Touche Chris.

 

[K'Tesh]

That looks to be the Estes Mini Pad -

View attachment 307403

The Rocket looks like the Estes EX-200 with some variation on paint and other decals:

View attachment 307404 View attachment 307405

I dunno about the rocket... the angle of the ad's fins looks sharper than the image from Estes, and while the rotation of the rocket could explain the points that appear to be on the trailing edge of the fins, they look to be closer to parallel to the ground, and not at the angle from the Estes kit.

 

[Nytrunner]

I think it's the EX-200.

Both the scalloping effect, and what K thinks is a flat trailing edge can be explained by parallax and tv-image blur. The position of the rod means it's turned and we're looking in between the fins. Add the camera angle, and you see portions of the other side fins underneath getting blurred into the image.

That was a nice flight though.

TRF: TV Rocket Forensics........

 

[Gary Byrum]

I dunno about the rocket... the angle of the ad's fins looks sharper than the image from Estes, and while the rotation of the rocket could explain the points that appear to be on the trailing edge of the fins, they look to be closer to parallel to the ground, and not at the angle from the Estes kit.

Then I suggest YOU buy one of these kits, stick it on a pad with the fins tweaked exactly as the ad rocket, at the same level. Don't forget to dull the focus a bit. Gotta get that matched up appearance thing going on. Just a little rotation on the rocket is likely to make the leading edges appear a little sharper. Unless, you're just throwing in the life preserver to keep the thread from dying. I'm satisfied with Chris's analogy. If you' are not, then happy hunting. :smile:

 

[K'Tesh]

Then I suggest YOU buy one of these kits, stick it on a pad with the fins tweaked exactly as the ad rocket, at the same level. Don't forget to dull the focus a bit. Gotta get that matched up appearance thing going on. Just a little rotation on the rocket is likely to make the leading edges appear a little sharper. Unless, you're just throwing in the life preserver to keep the thread from dying. I'm satisfied with Chris's analogy. If you' are not, then happy hunting. :smile:

I'd love to be able to buy kits... Trust me. However, I'm not able to at this time. Hell the kits I have managed to buy this year are still at the US destinations that they were sent to. This one would be pretty low on the priority list though. I usually don't like RTF/ARTF kits.

 

[Gary Byrum]

This one would be pretty low on the priority list though. I usually don't like RTF/ARTF kits.

Ooooh! Helluva typo. ARTF = FART. FART Rockets. Is that a kind of Dr. Nefario creation?