First Love ( rocket ) only

[bobby_hamill]

What was the first rocket you loved when you got involved in rocketry ? Mine was the Estes Astron Cobra that later was renamed the Astron Scrambler.

Bobby

 

[Sandy H.]

1906 Sizzler

 

[kyle]

Astrocam 110, apparently I never "finished" it, but I got some really bad pictures. Maybe if I had put the decals on they would have been better.

It's my favorite from childhood, though.

 

[Cape Byron]

Cox RTF Honest John. Still love that shape.

 

[BEC]

From a looks standpoint and from my first rocketry period (1968-1974) I'd have to say Astron Constellation, though the Alpha's simple and elegant looks (at least before the nose cone shape changed ~ 1992) is also very nice. I've certainly built and flown more Alphas since I returned to the hobby in 2009 than I have Constellations.

 

[DabCat]

Estes Solar Flare. I only got one a few months ago from the yard sale forum. I have some distant plans for a good size upscale...

Edit per K'Tesh's suggestion:

 

[K'Tesh]

This is likely going to be of no surprise to anyone...





The Cineroc/Omega combo. I had several that I really liked, but when I saw the ad for the Cineroc in the 1971 Estes Catalog given to me by my teacher, I was hopelessly in love with that design.

And to all of you who are responding to this... Why not add a picture? Photos are worth a thousand words ya know.

 

[scschulte]

Thanks for doing this post/chat! I had a lot of memories by my favorite was the Estes Astron Farside with the large, clear payload section (I think) - 3 stage! Attached photo is from the www -- I wonder if I ever got (saved) any photo from 1966 to 1968 when I built / flew this model! I was able to download some of the 1963-70 Estes catalogs! Cool - hey this model cost $3.00 back then! And I had to save quite a while before being able to buy it!

 

[scschulte]

Looking at the Big Bertha kit (which I never built) from the Estes 1967 catalog: $2.00 -- in the 2021 catalog: $26.99 YET that is just about a 5% annual inflation rate so really not that bad. And when I think of my father's salary in 1967 vs. a similar position's salary today-- yeah, kinda about that-- although the Estes prices were not linear-- stayed the same for a while then "jumped". Interesting!

 

[neil_w]

 

[lakeroadster]

You never forget your 1st time. The Alpha III

 

[dr wogz]

BBZ..

So much so, I built a set (BT-5 - BT-80 / 2.6")!

 

[K'Tesh]

Thanks for doing this post/chat! I had a lot of memories by my favorite was the Estes Astron Farside with the large, clear payload section (I think) - 3 stage! Attached photo is from the www -- I wonder if I ever got (saved) any photo from 1966 to 1968 when I built / flew this model! I was able to download some of the 1963-70 Estes catalogs! Cool - hey this model cost $3.00 back then! And I had to save quite a while before being able to buy it!

I thought I recognized that image... However, there's a "s" at the end of my real name.

 

[tab28682]

Estes Orbital Transport….sigh…

 

[cwbullet]

Two words: Fat Boy

 

[rfjustin]

Estes Phoenix

 

[cwbullet]

Cox RTF Honest John. Still love that shape.

Miss that one:

 

[Vitruvius]

Centuri Bug!

 

[mg444]

Goblin!

 

[tsmith1315]

What was the first rocket you loved when you got involved in rocketry ?

This exotic covergirl:




But the cool otherworldly scenes inside made pretty much everything in this catalog look amazing.

 

[Re-Bar Ricky]

1904 Maverick, circa 1986. It was the rocket I used for my AFJROTC rocketry badge my sophomore year. I lost it when I left home to join the army, but I cloned it and FINALLY had its maiden flight in November 2021. Still as sleek and purty as it was then.......

 

[icyclops]

Mini mars lander and Pathfinder, love them both.

 

[K'Tesh]

Two words: Fat Boy

And here are the other 998 words you left out...

 

[K'Tesh]

This exotic covergirl:




But the cool otherworldly scenes inside made pretty much everything in this catalog look amazing.

I got that one sitting off the side of my right hand, less than 5" away. Sexy is the word!!!

 

[berlinetta]

Estes Gnome. I love flying my Gnome to this day almost 30 years later.

 

[bobby_hamill]

I got that one sitting off the side of my right hand, less than 5" away. Sexy is the word!!!

KTesh
What year and catalog number was that cover from ?
Thanks
Bobby

 

[K'Tesh]

KTesh
What year and catalog number was that cover from ?
Thanks
Bobby

1971

 

[Donnager]

The Blue Bird Zero was the first one I built that I was proud of (1985).

It wasn't exactly a high flyer, though.

 

[smstachwick]

Mine was an Alpha III. I had it hanging from the ceiling in my room for years. I might still have it buried in a box somewhere.

 

[DigBaddy]

Mini Mean Machine did it for me. Ruined me forever. Scratch built one recently (but left it as 18mm motored) and it's just as fantastic as the one I launched as a kid. Good cheap fun with A10s with an adapter, A8s and B6s.