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Scott Chase

Fly29mm
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
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Location
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I have an Estes Ascender still in the box. They have been discontinued. Do you think I should build It? Or should I save it?
Estes Ascender Kit.jpg
 
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I'm with Tyler, build and enjoy. I don't see it as being a collector's item.

Then again, I have little interest in keeping a bunch of *anything* around, unused, just to save them, much less rockets that are meant to fly.
Neil,
Yea I bet you're right I don't see it being a collectors Item. I have a few Estes PSII's that I launch anytime I get a chance. Our launch was cancelled for today because of weather.
Thank you,
Brian
 
I enjoyed mine until it blew up. I liked flying it with the PSII booster, E16-0 to E16-6. Have a good time with it!
 
I enjoyed mine until it blew up. I liked flying it with the PSII booster, E16-0 to E16-6. Have a good time with it!
I've never tried the PSII booster. I've always wondered if they would hit the 3000 ft mark?
I have some other Estes Ascender rockets and the do well on the Econojet F23-7J with 9" chutes on very calm days.
Thanks
Brian
 
It's a nice looking rocket for sure, but using the recommended motors, it is rather underpowered. I crashed mine flying it two stage with E16-0 to F15-6. It was horizontal at staging, hit the ground before ejection...payload damaged beyond repair, destroyed the nose cone. (You can't buy ANY parts for this made in china kit) I put a Balsa cone (Handturned) on it and tried to shred it with a G146-10...It survived...twice...Make sure to fully glue the fins together on all mating surfaces with liquid plastic glue. Tenax-7R is the best. I have seen Estes kits with this type of fin construction fail due to not gluing them properly. I saw an Estes Nike Smoke lose its fins with a G25...Post mortem showed not enough glue on the fins...
 
It's a nice looking rocket for sure, but using the recommended motors, it is rather underpowered. I crashed mine flying it two stage with E16-0 to F15-6. It was horizontal at staging, hit the ground before ejection...payload damaged beyond repair, destroyed the nose cone. (You can't buy ANY parts for this made in china kit) I put a Balsa cone (Handturned) on it and tried to shred it with a G146-10...It survived...twice...Make sure to fully glue the fins together on all mating surfaces with liquid plastic glue. Tenax-7R is the best. I have seen Estes kits with this type of fin construction fail due to not gluing them properly. I saw an Estes Nike Smoke lose its fins with a G25...Post mortem showed not enough glue on the fins...
Your right about the fins I use super glue and put a fine piece of clear tape a long the the leading edges. So far so good. No G motors for me
 
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