Big Daddy discontinued?

[cydermaster]

I've just been looking at Hobbylinc's site, and they've got the Big Daddy listed as 'To be discontinued!'
link:https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/est/est2162.htm

Hope it doesn't get axed - its a classic kit!

 

[shreadvector]

Call Estes and ask if it's Estes that's dicontinuing it or just that retailer. Michael's dumped them to make shelf space for newer products.

 

[rokitflite]

I've heard the E motors are going bye bye as well.

 

[cydermaster]

Originally posted by rokitflite
I've heard the E motors are going bye bye as well.

... and after they've only jut become legal, over here ....

 

[North Star]

Originally posted by cydermaster

Hope it doesn't get axed - its a classic kit!

I bought a length of that TT 3" from Apo11o at K-Lob just to clone Big Daddies - might have been a good move

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by rokitflite
I've heard the E motors are going bye bye as well.

SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO!!!!!!!!

Love the E motor.

 

[rokitflite]

Well,
If it is true I would guess its because 12-15 year old boys are not buying E motors as much as As, Bs and Cs. And as much as I hate to say it Estes will make WAY more money selling little Wizard and Yankee type rockets to this age group than the types of kits most of us here on the forum would like to see. The average purchaser of model rockets are boys in that age group that buy a starter outfit and maybe another kit or two and then get out of it after a year or so. The primary rocket consumer for Estes and Quest never really stays with the hobby long enough to get into the larger, more advanced kits.... darn video games. I just finished a model that takes 3 E9-6s for flight, now I gotta buy up a bunch of them to be safe!!!

 

[stevem]

ya gotta be kiddin me! is Estes really going to drop the E's?!

if so, we need to start a letter/email writing campaign to see if we can get them to keep the E's.

or do you think it would fall on deaf ears?

 

[shreadvector]

Has anyone actually CALLED them to confirm or deny this rumor?????

Originally posted by stevem
ya gotta be kiddin me! is Estes really going to drop the E's?!

if so, we need to start a letter/email writing campaign to see if we can get them to keep the E's.

or do you think it would fall on deaf ears?

 

[Elapid]

i guess it' s areal good thing i got the Sleeter book!

 

[stevem]

I just sent an email to thier customer service asking about this.

 

[vjp]

We need a "rumor FAQ", kind of like a "snopes.com" for rocketry, to keep up with all the rumors related to this hobby.

 

[sandman]

I just recieved a phone call from Mary Roberts at Estes Industries.

I am terribly sorry to confirm that the Big Daddy is indeed now discontinued and they are now "out of stock".

The E9 motor will continue long into the future!!! There are NO plans to discontinue the E9!!

There is a back-order on the E9-6 currently due to a "cure" problem but that is being rectified.

The Big Daddy is no more.

But the E9 motor is alive and well!

Let's nip this rumor NOW!!!

 

[rstaff3]

I like the Big Daddy, but if one of the two items had to go....

 

[GL-P]

Time to clone the Big Daddy!!!

I'm glad though that the E9 didn't go. Great for 2 stagers

 

[Rocketmaniac]

WOW, that's some bad news!!!!

To clone the Big Daddy doesn't look too hard, or at least the body tube and fins.... What about the nosecone? Is that nosecone used for any other kits?

Ok cloners...... you have your work cut out for you..........

 

[TheRadiator]

The Big Daddy is getting discontinued eh? That is a shame. Of all of the 4FNC rockets Estes has made, the Big Daddy is arguably the coolest ever. Time to raid the local supplies of this rocket.

 

[vjp]

It's a lot easier to clone a Big Daddy than to clone an E9!

 

[sandman]

Ok cloners...... you have your work cut out for you

Well, not really...just the decals but I'm sure Astronboy or rockeguts can help there.

The nose cone is still in healthy supply at Estes (according to Christine!) and is a leftover of the old NCR stock.

The body tube is available from Totally Tubular for I think...$7.00 for a 34" length. (enough for at least 4 Big Daddy's.) I believe it's a T-3.00 as ther new listing.

Also the Big Daddy nose cone was used on the Pro Series Patriot Misssle. Estes' only 4 motor cluster!

NOTE*!!! Totally Tubular now has the 3.744" BT-100 body tube!! Same as used on the original Mars Lander and the 1/70th Saturn 1B. I found out last night.

 

[Jerry Irvine]

Originally posted by sandman
I just recieved a phone call from Mary Roberts at Estes Industries.

I am terribly sorry to confirm that the Big Daddy is indeed now discontinued and they are now "out of stock".

The E9 motor will continue long into the future!!! There are NO plans to discontinue the E9!!

There is a back-order on the E9-6 currently due to a "cure" problem but that is being rectified.

The Big Daddy is no more.

But the E9 motor is alive and well!

Let's nip this rumor NOW!!!

Note I am replying to the HARD NEWS post.

Big Daddy rocked! (sigh)
Estes rocks!
E9's are kinda cool.

https://www.v-serv.com/usr/ss.htm

Jerry

 

[rabidsheeep]

AHHHh!!!

nooooo that kit was awesome

 

[shockwaveriderz]

wow...I saw 2 just yesterday afternoon at the local HobbyTown....or was that 3?

 

[Donaldsrockets]

They can NOT discontinue that motor EVER!!! That is one of my favorite Estes motors. A little pricey but you gotta love that 3 second burn, most excellent motor for 24mm oddrocs!!!

I still have a Big Daddy, kinda beat up but it still flies. Unless someone scarfs 'em all up at one time, they should still be easy to come by for some time. Check eBay or ROL on a regular basis.

 

[teflonrocketry1]

A RockSim simulation of the Estes Big Daddy was the first model rocket flight simulation that I calculated all the way to the landing point, back in June of 2000! You can find the details if you do a Google search on rec.model.rockets for Levison and Big Daddy and Launch Rod Angle.

Bruce S. Levison, NAR #69055

 

[eugenefl]

Ok, I say we nominate sandman the official TRF > Estes liason. He's our rumor control guy! I didn't realize the Big Daddy cone was an NCR piece. CooL!

 

[sandman]

Instead of complaining and just discussing the fate of the Big Daddy.

Go here:

https://estes.aptinet.com/cgi-bin/contact.cgi

Post a comment that you would like to see the Big Daddy continue to live.

Accordingto Mary Roberts it was a "marketing" decision.

If there is enough demand maybe "marketing" will change their decision.

 

[Stymye]

the slotted body tube is from an NCR kit also.

 

[Gus]

OK history buffs.

The Big Daddy uses a 3" thick walled tube.

Does that tube have an Estes part number (BT-xxx)?

Was that tube used in any other kits?

Were there ever any other Estes 3" nose cones?

Is the Big Daddy nose cone the largest ever sold by Estes in their regular modroc line (not including the NCR lineup)?

 

[cydermaster]

Sandman - thanks you for sorting out the truth & rumours. Rumours can be dammaging, and I'm glad its sorted out.

I am glad E9s are going to stay in production. The Brit retailers, Paul of Deepsky especially, have spent a great deal of time, effort and money getting the sales of Es 'above counter', over here. It would be a shame to see all that go to waste.

As for the Big Daddy: Bummer. BUT Sandman's idea of a letter campaign to Estes is worth following up. Even Marketing/Accounts departments have to listen up if theres enough backlash (if they're any good, natch).

A few years ago, over here, Heinz's accountants decided to discontinue its Salad Cream. The following public uproar got the decision overturned, and the publicity grnerated made Salad Cream top of most peoples shopping lists. The cynic in me makes me think this was just a marketing stunt, but who cares? Consumer power was seen to be in action. With the publicity a letter writing campaign to Estes would generate, the Big Daddy could become one of their biggest sellers!

 

[rbeckey]

Gus,
The rocket gods once left me with just a Big Daddy NC. (A long and sad story for another time.) I searched high and low for matching tube and never found any. As far as I know Estes didn't use that size NC/BT for anything else, unless it was the NCR line which I never saw.
I suppose that a clone Big Daddy could be made from Loc 3 inch parts.