Estes Aerobee 300

Shop deals on ebay
Wildman Rocketry
the model rocket show
The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

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

ArthurAstroCam

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
313
Reaction score
178
For me, retuning to this hobby has been all about childhood memories. I remember building two rockets with my father, the first being Big Bertha. The second was the 1/15 scale Aerobee 300. Going through my 1970 catalog this evening, I was able to locate it. Would do anything to find a New Old Stock kit. Who knows where I might be able to find one of these?

271200834_10158954826134527_411479578841286424_n.jpg
 
That's on my shortest list of favorites from childhood, too. I have a 1/3 scale in eternal planning stage.

The Semroc copy/clone is out of stock at erockets:
https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-flying-model-rocket-kit-aerobee-300-kd-5/

But here's a list of Semrock Part#'s to build it:
https://www.rocketreviews.com/semroc-aerobee20300rkt.html

Original Estes plans at JimZ:
https://spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/k-17.pdf

and the older Estes version at Old Rocket Plans (part#'s included, it's worth searching the Balsa Machining Service site for those):
https://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/estK-17/estK-17.pdf

Balsa machining Service:
https://www.balsamachining.com/#

And that super ASP kit that @DeltaVee put you onto!
 
tsmith1315 said:
That's on my shortest list of favorites from childhood, too. I have a 1/3 scale in eternal planning stage.

The Semroc copy/clone is out of stock at erockets:
https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-flying-model-rocket-kit-aerobee-300-kd-5/

But here's a list of Semrock Part#'s to build it:
https://www.rocketreviews.com/semroc-aerobee20300rkt.html

Original Estes plans at JimZ:
https://spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/k-17.pdf

and the older Estes version at Old Rocket Plans (part#'s included, it's worth searching the Balsa Machining Service site for those):
https://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/estK-17/estK-17.pdf

Balsa machining Service:
https://www.balsamachining.com/#

And that super ASP kit that @DeltaVee put you onto!
Click to expand...
I have never done a semi-scratch build. Do you think all these parts can be easily sourced?
 
The older estes plans have a VERY good parts list inventory. Each part is has a designation (eg. BT50-H BNC50-Y etc.). The newer plans just say "body tube" "nose cone" and rather useless info. With a download of this gem:

https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/pubs/Estes/Estes_Custom_Model_Rocket_Parts_Catalog.pdf
You will be able to see each and every spec of each and every Estes part... Not only that, e-rockets (eg. Semroc) has kept those designations and in many cases the parts are already the appropriate size. With the custom parts catalog, you can spec out and cut your own tubes to the proper lengh... BMS and Semroc have virtually all the nose cones transitions etc.. I *just* purchased the transition and nose cone and pre- cut tubes for the ancient Estes Thor-Agena B (those items in the very old kit I bought aeons ago were damaged by mice in my garage!) The Thor will get built!!!

I also got all the parts I needed to build a perfect clone of the Estes K21 Gemini Titan including the centering rings.
 
Last edited:
DeltaVee said:
The older estes plans have a VERY good parts list inventory. Each part is has a designation (eg. BT50-H BNC50-Y etc.). The newer plans just say "body tube" "nose cone" and rather useless info. With a download of this gem:

https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/pubs/Estes/Estes_Custom_Model_Rocket_Parts_Catalog.pdf
You will be able to see each and every spec of each and every Estes part... Not only that, e-rockets (eg. Semroc) has kept those designations and in many cases the parts are already the appropriate size. With the custom parts catalog, you can spec out and cut your own tubes to the proper lengh... BMS and Semroc have virtually all the nose cones transitions etc.. I *just* purchased the transition and nose cone and pre- cut tubes for the ancient Estes Thor-Agena B (those items in the very old kit I bought aeons ago were damaged by mice in my garage!) The Thor wil get built!!!

I also got all the parts I needed to build a perfect clone of the Estes K21 Gemini Titan including the centering rings.
Click to expand...
Thank you= so long story short, with the Estes plans, and this custom catalog, I should be able to find what I need? Once I do that, who do you recommend I order the parts from? Please forgive me, I am new.
 
ArthurAstroCam said:
Thank you= so long story short, with the Estes plans, and this custom catalog, I should be able to find what I need? Once I do that, who do you recommend I order the parts from? Please forgive me, I am new.
Click to expand...

Yes. But the tube reference (which I did not know about or possibly had forgotten about!) is excellent... The custom parts catalog was a list of virtually EVERYTHING estes sold up until 1974
 
DeltaVee said:
Yes. But the tube reference (which I did not know about or possibly had forgotten about!) is excellent... The custom parts catalog was a list of virtually EVERYTHING estes sold up until 1974
Click to expand...
All great resources, But this really is not that easy, when you have no experience with it.
 
ArthurAstroCam said:
All great resources, But this really is not that easy, when you have no experience with it.
Click to expand...

That's true! It requires doing some manual cross-referencing!

Start with this {parts list from the plans}:
1641262412259.png

take the body tube for example... "BT-50L". Then go to the custom parts catalog, and look in the body tube list... You'll find the list on page 3... where youll find:
1641262581961.png

Note the prices! Sigh!

Then you can either cut your own from a full length tube or purchase one from e-rockets that has this same designation:

https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-body-tube-bt-50-12-7-long-sem-bt-50l/
Youll see from this last link it's exactly what you need for the BT-50L body tube...
 
DeltaVee said:
That's true! It requires doing some manual cross-referencing!

Start with this {parts list from the plans}:
View attachment 498252

take the body tube for example... "BT-50L". Then go to the custom parts catalog, and look in the body tube list... You'll find the list on page 3... where youll find:
View attachment 498253

Then you can either cut your own from a full length tube or purchase one from e-rockets that has this same designation:

https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-body-tube-bt-50-12-7-long-sem-bt-50l/
Youll see from this last link it's exactly what you need for the BT-50L body tube...
Click to expand...
I am downloading all these pdf's and bookmarking the links, I need to build this rocket again!
 

Similar threads

SolarYellow
Aerobee conduit cross section shape?
Replies
19
Views
677
OZRoc
OZRoc
Jim McNabb
Hello from San Diego
Replies
5
Views
221
teepot
teepot
L
Estes Aerobee 300 parts needed
Replies
5
Views
643
user 35280
U
ArthurAstroCam
Next Build- Does This One Make Sense?
2
Replies
47
Views
3K
OverTheTop
OverTheTop
SolarYellow
Cardstock weight systems?
Replies
8
Views
2K
ReynoldsSlumber
ReynoldsSlumber

Latest posts

Back
Top