B.A.R. Memories & the EAC Viper

[mike_bar]

As a confirmed born-again rocketeer (B.A.R.), I have lusted after the Estes Aerospace Club Viper model rocket.

Recently, I was able to score a vintage Estes Aerospace Club kit from eBay for about $17. I have been watching these items sell for $30 to $48. I have been patient and biding my time reading the eBay saved search results in my email.

Vintage Estes Aerospace Club Membership Kit #1447
Item number: 190213012820


My budget is limited these days but I have to say this is money well spent. The kit I purchased is a ‘new’ unopened vintage kit.

I had one of these kits in the mid nineteen seventies and it epitomizes my model rocketry experience. As a teenager at that time, I did not know of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). I thought that Estes was the premier provider of rocketry education. I loved reading the Estes catalogs and building Estes model rockets. The Estes Aerospace Club seemed like ‘the’ rocket club to join, as I knew of no NAR clubs at that time. I built a few Centuri models as well. I ordered Estes kits via mail order or walked in to my local hobby shop to examine the shelves, and drool at the bigger models that I could not afford. Hey, my budget was limited then too. Life is a circle. How about that!

Whenever I smell burnt black powder from Estes motors, I travel back to fond times in the nineteen seventies, launching rockets in my friend’s back yard and field. Good times with good friends. That is the rocket experience for me. Everyone admiring each other’s models and modeling skills. We built Estes models and a few Centuri kits as well. We made some scratch built paper-towel-roll rockets and some odd payload models with the L’eggs pantyhose egg packaging. We had payloads of insects and small mice. Most of the mice survived. I did not know about the Model Rocketry Safety Code at that time. I regret any harm to a few furry passengers.

Another modeling aroma I remember is from the Testors Acrylic Paint brushed on the models. I used a violet color acrylic paint on the Estes Viper model rocket. I remember the shiny finish on the hand-painted nosecone and balsa wood fins and the distinct acrylic smell.

It seems odd for a full-grown adult to be thinking of the childhood memories and trying to relive them, but those were happy times. I would like to experience those same warm feelings. I cannot wait to get this kit in the mail, just like the old days. More later.

Regards,
Mike


Estes Aerospace Club, Ninfinger Productions: 1975 Estes catalog

EAC Viper - JimZ Rocket Plans, Estes Industries Rocket Kit #0820

Website: JimZ Rocket Plans

L’eggs pantyhose: egg package

Testors Plastic Model Paint Set: Acrylic Paint Plastic Finishing Kit (tes9163)




Related Message Thread at TRF: EAC Viper Advice by BobCox



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View attachment 5467_1.JPG

View attachment Vintage Estes AEROSPACE CLUB MEMBERSHIP Kit #1447 - eBay (ite...pdf

 

[Indiana]

It seems odd for a full-grown adult to be thinking of the childhood memories and trying to relive them

Sounds normal to me.

Congratulations on finding the kit!

 

[Handeman]

Mike,

Good luck with the kit.

I know how you feel about those old kits from days gone by. I recreated the Astron Avenger I had build about 1973. I didn't buy a vintage kit, but I did get the instructions and recreated it with new materials. Painted it the same colors, but it isn't the same without the "dope" paint. I'm happy to report that it flew successfully, it staged correctly. Back in the day, the sustainer never fired and I had a lawn dart. It was the last rocket I flew for 30 years.

 

[mike_bar]

Thanks Indiana,

Sometimes I take myself too seriously. I am getting over that, finally.

I know people like to bash eBay, but I believe one can find a good deal of they are patient.

Regards,
Mike

 

[mike_bar]

Thanks Handeman,

I love all the Astron models and would like to kit-bash or clone any number of them.

I guess one good aspect of being a B.A.R. is the second time around we have more knowledge and can build better models. I am truly amazed about the amount of rocketry information on the web. I felt so isolated 30 years ago and now there is so much rocketry information to absorb.

Regards,
Mike

 

[Handeman]

You're right about the web. It has made things amazing.

I remember when I found two other guys in school that were launching rockets. It was the greatest thing to get together and launch rockets. I still have a B&W print one friend developed and printed from his Astrocam. It took the single exposures on the round piece of film.

We did go to a launch in Green Bay once, at a park. Seemed like there were hundreds of kids launching. The rods were set up at home plate on the ball diamond.

I wish I had known about clubs and such, I would have liked to join, but the thought that there were adults that could run something like this as a club event, just never occurred to me.

Times have sure changed, of course, so have we!

 

[rokitflite]

I miss those stupid eggs too! They were GREAT for modelling stuff!

 

[DaveCombs]

I'm really lucky to have got my EAC Viper from Thrustline before John had to shut down. I had the original but of course it's lost to the sands of time.

 

[harsas]

When I was a kid, the one kit I wanted more than anything else was the Saturn V. Unfortunately, on a paperboy's budget, it wasn't happening. So, I would drool over it in the catalog, and order a couple of small kits. Now that I am almost an adult, I have six of them, from 18 inches to 8 feet tall. That's the best part of the old kits. Its not the rocket, its the memories that come with it in the bag.

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Mike

I think Im gonna have to plan a trip to the Winternats. If for no other reason than to see you in those pantyhose...



A

 

[Starcommander]

Mike

I think Im gonna have to plan a trip to the Winternats. If for no other reason than to see you in those pantyhose...



A

:surprised::rotflol::rotflol::rotflol:

 

[mike_bar]

I think Im gonna have to plan a trip to the Winternats. If for no other reason than to see you in those pantyhose... [snip]

Be careful what you wish for Al...

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[mike_bar]

When I was a kid... [Snip]

Gosh Harold, that was eons ago...

The one kit I wanted more than anything else was the Saturn V... [Snip]

The Saturn V is an awesome launch vehicle with lots of history for our generation.
I am drawn to the Mercury-Redstone, as it was the first launch vehicle for manned flight in the USA.

That's the best part of the old kits. It’s not the rocket, it’s the memories that come with it in the bag. [Snip]

Harold,
I agree 100-percent. I do not want to get sappy, but these models bring back fond memories. It would be great to share this enthusiasm with kids today. Maybe the TARC program or just at a local club launch. I would like to do that locally.

Regards,
Mike

 

[mike_bar]

You're right about the web. It has made things amazing.

I remember when I found two other guys in school that were launching rockets. It was the greatest thing to get together and launch rockets. I still have a B&W print one friend developed and printed from his Astrocam. It took the single exposures on the round piece of film. [Snip]

I longed for the Astrocam while paging through the Estes catalogs of old.

Cool stuff…

 

[mike_bar]

I had the original but of course it's lost to the sands of time. [Snip]

Same for me Dave. I have moved too many times and those models are long gone. It is amazing to see friends bring out those 30-year old models.

 

[BobH48]

Same for me Dave. I have moved too many times and those models are long gone. It is amazing to see friends bring out those 30-year old models.

Hi Mike,
I've only moved twice but I still lost models in the moves. When I moved into my first house, I still had model stuff at my parents house. I eventually went and got it but a good portion was gone. I later found out that my younger brother had launched and lost a few.

But I still do have the first model rocket I ever made, an Astron Sprite. Since becoming a BAR, I have launched it 4 times and it brings back memories each time. I still have 6 of the short motors left so I will launch it again this year a couple times.\

EDIT: Yes, it's as ugly in person as it it in the picture but I would never consider re-finishing it.

 

[eugenefl]

Harold,
I agree 100-percent. I do not want to get sappy, but these models bring back fond memories. It would be great to share this enthusiasm with kids today. Maybe the TARC program or just at a local club launch. I would like to do that locally.

Regards,
Mike

Just be careful not to get your feelings hurt if these kids do not receive your enthusiasm as well as you would like them to. The spark rocketry created for you as a kit might never even register with the kids of today. Just think if the things your parents used to do as kids and tried to share with you. For my sister it was my grandmother's paper dolls. My sister could have cared less. She had Barbies so who needed paper dolls? Of course, you talk about it with my grandmother and she gets in that daze reflecting on the days of her youth. Unfortunately, for the "techno" kids of today, they will someday wax nostalgic about the headshot count in Halo or chatting online via Instant Messenger. I am just as much a hypocrite though and am guilty of talking about high scores from the days of Atari or the first days of MTV.

I think one of the greatest aspects of this hobby is how awestruck BAR's are and the possibility for the hobby to continue to drawn in new kids. Part of the reason BAR's possibly become re-enamoured is due to the fact that so many of the good things any of us can remember having as kids are gone. Rocketry of course, is not. For other things that are still around, sometimes they are not even recognizable because the manufacturer has updated their logo or been bought out by some other company under a new name or maybe their stuff is cheaply made in some foreign factory. I loved it when Coca Cola decided to bring back the classic glass bottle and even the plastic bottle with the classic shape. The tiny 8oz glass bottle costs more per ounce than a plastic 20oz, but for the nostalgia and perceived better taste I'd prefer the more expensive glass bottle. It's an instant trip down memory lane that is worth every cent and reminds me of my first trips to the barber shop where they had a Coca Cola machine with an attached bottle opener. I guess this is why some BAR's would rather expense the original kit rather than scratch build.

I wish in life there were more opportunities to reflect on nostalgia and have it come with such a high price (i.e. cars). I guess that's what part of having kids is all about. You get to watch them and experience deja vu as you witness them live out the best times of your own childhood. I wouldn't know. I don't have any kids and am not yet willing to find out.

Mike, thanks for sharing. War stories are always welcome as are the giggles that come with rediscovering rocketry. Just please - no rocketry in pantyhose.

 

[mike_bar]

I've only moved twice but I still lost models in the moves. [Snip]

Hello Bob,
My B.A.R. experience started in 2004. You were one of the first people I met at CMASS. I marveled at your vintage models. Looking at your models even brought back memories for me.

But I still do have the first model rocket I ever made, an Astron Sprite. Since becoming a BAR, I have launched it 4 times and it brings back memories each time. [Snip] Yes, it's as ugly in person as it is in the picture but I would never consider re-finishing it.

The charm of the model is that you built it, you finished it. For better or worse, it is your creation from that time. Today, looking at it, holding it, flying it brings you back to that fond place. Very cool indeed...

 

[mike_bar]

Hello Eugene,
Thanks for sharing, and I do agree with you.

There may be differences between kid's activities today and of days past, but the success of TARC reveals a growing interest in model rocketry. Many kids may be focused elsewhere, but some are being sucked in. This is a good thing.

By the way… during "the first days of MTV" you were still a toddler.

MTV (Music Television) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Mike

 

[mike_bar]

I miss those stupid eggs too! They were GREAT for modelling stuff!

Hi Scott,
I am sure you made some creative designs with those big egg capsules.
Come to think of it, one could make a rather cool looking Mars Lander type of design!


Mike

 

[BobCox]

Mike,
Congrats on scoring the EAC Membership kit, and at a great price too. That's as much as I paid for just the EAC Viper kit, and it did not come with any decals.

I also have fond memories of the EAC in my youth, especially the iron-on thrust bars. It was actually a really good marketing tool for Estes. I bought a lot of the higher skill level (and more expensive) kits mainly to qualify for the next level in the EAC.

It was my fond recollection of the EAC Viper that inspired me to build an upscale of it. Having built a few QModeling kits and being very impressed with their quality, I approached QModeling about buying some parts that I could bash into a Viper and maybe cutting me some custom fins. By the time we were done, QModeling had added the MegaViper to their product line.

Here are some side-by-side comparisons of the EAC Viper and the MegaViper. They look like they are the same size in the first photo because the little one is a lot closer to the camera. The second shot shows their actual size difference.

 

[Peartree]

Hello Eugene,
Thanks for sharing, and I do agree with you.

There may be differences between kid's activities today and of days past, but the success of TARC reveals a growing interest in model rocketry. Many kids may be focused elsewhere, but some are being sucked in. This is a good thing.

By the way… during "the first days of MTV" you were still a toddler.

MTV (Music Television) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Mike

I never connected with MTV, but of course our family never had cable. It came out when I was in high school. On those occasions when I saw it at someone else's house I never thought much of it.


Still don't. I prefer to LISTEN to music. I prefer to READ books (as opposed to watching them). Imagination is good for the human spirit.

 

[eugenefl]

Hello Eugene,
Thanks for sharing, and I do agree with you.

There may be differences between kid's activities today and of days past, but the success of TARC reveals a growing interest in model rocketry. Many kids may be focused elsewhere, but some are being sucked in. This is a good thing.

By the way… during "the first days of MTV" you were still a toddler.

MTV (Music Television) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Mike

I didn't think of TARC - very true indeed.

From wikipedia: "Before 1987, MTV featured almost exclusively music videos, but as time passed they introduced a variety of other shows, including some that were originally intended for other channels."

I was near being a preteen worshipping everything my already teenage older brother and sister used to be into so I guess I should have said "early years."

 

[STRMan]

Hey, I had one of those EAC kits! I even joined up. I ironed the transfer right onto a T-shirt myself. I loved that little Viper. Now there is another model I have to clone when I get a chance. Thank you for bringing back that memory.

 

[mike_bar]

I also have fond memories of the EAC in my youth, especially the iron-on thrust bars. [Snip] It was my fond recollection of the EAC Viper that inspired me to build an upscale of it.

Hello Bob,

I am glad you stopped by here to add photos of your fine models. This will be an inspiration to me was I build my EAC Viper.

I love your Mega Viper, great job on the upscale. Actually, the two models look identical in the first photo. The second picture, with the actual size comparison, is impressive. Again, great job building the two models.

I posted a link to your EAC Viper thread in my original posting above. Here is another link for those that missed it.

Related Message Thread at TRF: EAC Viper Advice by BobCox



I like the concept of the Estes Aerospace Club and I look forward to the iron-on transfer for a new t-shirt. As a side note, I think the NARTREK program is a newer version of the same concept.

National Association of Rocketry Training Rocketeers for Experience and Knowledge




Regards,
Mike

 

[mike_bar]

I was near being a preteen worshipping everything my already teenage older brother and sister used to be into so I guess I should have said "early years."

Point taken... I am the oldest child and had no one to 'look up to.'

MTV did revolutionize television programming, for better or worse. I hope kids get some more active 'activities.' All I can do is set an example and get outside more often. I will use rocketry as my out-of-doors activity. Cool stuff...

Regards,
Mike

 

[STRMan]

Mike,
Congrats on scoring the EAC Membership kit, and at a great price too. That's as much as I paid for just the EAC Viper kit, and it did not come with any decals.

I also have fond memories of the EAC in my youth, especially the iron-on thrust bars. It was actually a really good marketing tool for Estes. I bought a lot of the higher skill level (and more expensive) kits mainly to qualify for the next level in the EAC.

It was my fond recollection of the EAC Viper that inspired me to build an upscale of it. Having built a few QModeling kits and being very impressed with their quality, I approached QModeling about buying some parts that I could bash into a Viper and maybe cutting me some custom fins. By the time we were done, QModeling had added the MegaViper to their product line.

Here are some side-by-side comparisons of the EAC Viper and the MegaViper. They look like they are the same size in the first photo because the little one is a lot closer to the camera. The second shot shows their actual size difference.

Holy cow! That Mega-Viper is beautiful. I've been wanting to get into mid-power rocketry and I also love cloning old kits from my youth. I think by building this baby I may be getting a two for one deal. Very cool.

 

[mike_bar]

[Snip] I prefer to LISTEN to music. I prefer to READ books (as opposed to watching them). Imagination is good for the human spirit.

Oh John, This may be a litmus test for the generational divide. I can say this since I am older, and I agree with the sentiment. As Eugene alluded to, times are a different today, then as for us as teenagers. I have no children but I watch the younger kids and read the messages at TRF about the poor modeling skills some kids have.


By the way, are you a card modeler? I thought I saw your posting on another forum.

Regards,
Mike

 

[mike_bar]

Hey, I had one of those EAC kits! I even joined up. I ironed the transfer right onto a T-shirt myself. I loved that little Viper. Now there is another model I have to clone when I get a chance. Thank you for bringing back that memory.

You are welcome STRMan. I have such a list of models to clone. Too many ideas and not enough time. Nevertheless, it is all fun...

I see you live in Florida. Where do you fly rockets?

Regards
Mike

 

[Mikus_Superfly]

When I was a kid, the one kit I wanted more than anything else was the Saturn V. Unfortunately, on a paperboy's budget, it wasn't happening. So, I would drool over it in the catalog, and order a couple of small kits. Now that I am almost an adult, I have six of them, from 18 inches to 8 feet tall.

"See honey, I'm not crazy!"

Well, not the only one at least.

Same story here but I only have 2 of the Estes Saturn V kits. For now....