If Estes wants more of my money, then...

[BRS Hobbies]

Estes is doing a lot of cool things, even more so with the new ownership. With that being said, if Estes wants more of my money then -

1) Bring back the classics with some sort of twist - upscale, different decals, larger motor mount, etc. I love the Cherokee E with the different color decals, E motor mount and longer body tube.

The recently released Multi-Roc is cool but I would be running out to get one right away if they upscaled it to a BT55 body tube size. It would be so much cooler in a slightly larger size. Same with the Citation Patriot, if they did it in a BT80 size, more people would be excited. These kits are still cool but how about getting a little crazy and brings us something that gets us all excited.

The Boosted Bertha seems to be selling well but why not throw in an extra nose cone and design it so it can be flown multiple ways - Big Bertha and a Baby Bertha or as a Boosted Bertha.

2) Estes please release some more boost gliders like the Scissor Wing Transport or the Tomcat that have a moveable main wing. I love it when the wings spring out at ejection. But not only bring it out again as is, see if you can improve the design for better performance.

3) Pro Series Jayhawk (BT80 size) - This is a classic scale kit, that most want to have without paying crazy prices on eBay.

Basically, this is 2019, let's honor the old but give it a twist that gets the model rocket community in a frenzy.

What does Estes need to do to get more of your money?

 

[Bruiser]

I don't build much under a BT60. I'd love a Jayhawk and some scale pro series kits

-Bob

 

[ebruce1361]

The entire Atlas, Delta, and Titan fleets with all booster configurations available, and made in BT60 to BT80 tubes. Just imagine...a Delta IV Heavy about 4 1/2 feet tall or an Atlas V 551 with all its external boosters loaded with 18mm motors and a core 29mm. I will sell my organs for a fleet like that.

 

[Red7Fifty]

I'm working on a BT-80 Patriot from scratch.....what are the chances one will be released when I finish my scratch build? Probably gonna hand paint instead of decals.

I'd like a re-release of the Colossus, and Space Shuttle (with and without booster stack).

 

[ebruce1361]

The Patriot missile used to be a staple of Estes' lineup for a long time. If I recall, there was even a 4x D12 cluster version back in the 90s. I'd honestly be surprised if they didn't re release it given how popular it's been in the past.

 

[Red7Fifty]

Citation Patriot

 

[ebruce1361]

Oh. I thought you meant this guy. Oops.

 

[ewomack]

I second the motion on the Mercury Atlas and Gemini Titan. I don't know enough about the working of Estes, but some non-American classics such as the Vostok, Soyuz or the Shenzhou (Long March 2F) would be nice to see for variety.

 

[kuririn]

I saw a video of the NARAM 61 Manufacturer's Forum yesterday. About midway through is John Langford's presentation. He talks about reissuing the full US manned spaceflight lineup, including Merc Atlas, GT, and Sat 1B. Also an N1 companion to the 1/200 RTF Sat V. And possibly some international ones like the Vostok and Ariane.
He also said that they are looking at models of Space X Falcon and Blue Origin, but licensing fees are the sticky point.
Anyway, a link to the video is on Chris Michielsson's website.

 

[Lynn McCall]

I am coming up on 50 years of flying rockets. The most common engines I use are Ds & Es. They are easy, fast to reload and affordable. I usually go through 10 at a launch. Estes really makes money from me on those. That means BT-80 and up for me. I want something designed for their 29mm F15s. How about an upscale Farside-X or Apogee. I could put those F15-0s to use.

 

[SecondRow]

What does Estes need to do to get more of your money?

Let John Boren create whatever he wants.

 

[Mugs914]

2x Saros with 29mm mount. I would buy five of those! (at least)

 

[WhiskyTangoFoxtrot]

Cluster powered mini engine designs

 

[Scott_650]

Cluster powered mini engine designs

Unless Estes can greatly improve their current starters/ignitors I’d say any new cluster designs are unlikely but I hope I’m wrong - clusters are a lot of fun.

Upscale classics as PSII rockets would be my biggest want from Estes, along with additional 29mm BP motors. There are so many great Estes and Centuri designs from 60s/70s/80s! An upscale Star Trooper with rear ejection, the MX774, Icarus with a clear payload tube, Wolverine complete with a ramjet nose cone...

One take away from the forum at NARAM is that whatever it is you’d like to see from Estes the suggestions are more likely to be considered if you post on either Estes official FB page or the Estes fan FB page. Evidently those are monitored fairly closely by Estes. We know that John Boren posts here on TRF occasionally and on YORF frequently as well so hopefully these suggestions are being looked at.

 

[sjh1]

I really hope the guys at Estes read this! I really like most of these ideas.

 

[Doug Holverson]

This is probably too esoteric and fringe: but "D-lites" and "B-lites". !8mm engine that's bigger than a C but not quite a full D. Inspired by an old Cox engine. A 13mm engine that's bigger than a A, but not quite a full B. Obviously limited total thrust because of standard casing lengths. Actually, this is something I was daydreaming about in the Fun days before things went south.

 

[tball7]

Unless Estes can greatly improve their current starters/ignitors I’d say any new cluster designs are unlikely but I hope I’m wrong - clusters are a lot of fun.

Upscale classics as PSII rockets would be my biggest want from Estes, along with additional 29mm BP motors. There are so many great Estes and Centuri designs from 60s/70s/80s! An upscale Star Trooper with rear ejection, the MX774, Icarus with a clear payload tube, Wolverine complete with a ramjet nose cone...

One take away from the forum at NARAM is that whatever it is you’d like to see from Estes the suggestions are more likely to be considered if you post on either Estes official FB page or the Estes fan FB page. Evidently those are monitored fairly closely by Estes. We know that John Boren posts here on TRF occasionally and on YORF frequently as well so hopefully these suggestions are being looked at.

29mm motor Excalibur..
29mm or 38mm motor Mars Lander..
29mm Farside 3 stage..
Star Wars X Wing 29mm..

 

[Scott_650]

Oohhh - upscale Mars Lander! Had not thought of that one!

X-Wing would require paying Disney for the marketing rights. No way Estes could possibly cut a deal with Mickey that they could afford

 

[Cape Byron]

<snip> A 13mm engine that's bigger than a A, but not quite a full B. Obviously limited total thrust because of standard casing lengths. Actually, this is something I was daydreaming about in the Fun days before things went south.

I agree with Doug here. The 13mm mini motors are excellent for backyard and park flyers, but a little more oomph would be great for clusters being flown in the same environment. We have 7 acres but lots of rocket eating mango trees, so low and slow with a lot of show would be excellent.

Just my 1.31 cents worth, given the current exchange rate...

 

[Flyfalcons]

"What does Estes need to do to get more of your money?"

Same thing they have been doing lately. They've been killing it since the Langfords took over.

 

[KILTED COWBOY]

I am all in on the entire manned space flight kits.
That would be awesome

 

[WhiskyTangoFoxtrot]

A-3-6T

 

[georgegassaway]

I'd like a re-release of the Colossus, and Space Shuttle (with and without booster stack).

The old 1/162 scale shuttle stack was too small, and didn't fly well. I never even built one, it was so small and I knew from seeing other models fly how hard it was to try to make the orbiter glide (I rarely saw any glide). I preferred to build my own from scratch, that would fly well.

If they do another shuttle, I'd love to see a bigger one. BT-55 SRB's and 3" ET makes for a pretty nice sized model, at 1/110 scale. I did one in 1979, then a modern one in 2009 using the Guillows foam orbiter. That orbiter is not very accurate but it GLIDES nicely. I even posted a thread about the 2009 model, here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/1-110-scale-shuttle-model-is-a-success.8053/ It was a prototype for a kit but I never got geared up to do a kit.
Here's a photo indicating the size. It flies nicely on a D12-3, and even more nicely on an E9-4 (E12-4 probably good too). Ideal would be 1/100 to go with the Saturns, but the bigger size and mass would make it not fly as well on a D12, and would require 100% new tube sizes for the ET and SRB's.

 

[Scott_650]

I wonder if John Langford’s remarks about producing the entire manned space line concurrently includes the Shuttle? I’d certainly think so and considering John Boren’s background as a model airplane guy - and the techniques he used for his Estes Shuttle design - I bet they will and it’ll be different than their older STS models.

 

[dr wogz]

Goonies! or other little stubby comical ones..

Spacey / science fiction builds: Andromeda & such.. Buck Rodger's star fighter / Stealth fighter (Same kit, different colours)

 

[Bat-mite]

A 12" fiberglass kit would get my attention.

 

[jd2cylman]

A 12" fiberglass kit would get my attention.

That's pretty short...

 

[Scott_650]

Goonies! or other little stubby comical ones..

Spacey / science fiction builds: Andromeda & such.. Buck Rodger's star fighter / Stealth fighter (Same kit, different colours)

The most recent kits that are Goonie-like would be the Jetliner and the Curvilinear - neither of which were “whimsical” like the original Goonies. This is a tough one to justify since the whole Goonie thing has sort of a groovy 70s vibe so not sure what Estes could sell that would hit the nostalgia button and appeal to younger buyers. Intriguing idea though.

IIRC John Boren discussed sci-fi rockets - I think on The Rocketry Show, maybe? - they sell well on release, then the sales drop off much faster than conventional designs. As much as I like that style rocket my boxes of unbuilt kits have a disproportionate number of sci-fi kits compared to the number of built 3/4FNC on my shelves...which I find odd now that I think about it. The rockets I really wanted as a kid were sci-fi, faux spaceship style, of which I’ve bought plenty of kits, but most of the rockets I’ve built as a BAR, aren’t

 

[lowga]

I'd love to see reissues of the great Centuri kits. They own the rights, so why not bring them back? Twister, Groove Tube, Fireflash, etc...etc...

Also, bring back the Bigfoot Launch system. Maybe in a starter set with a "Bigfoot" rocket to match? Can't copyright a fictional creature, so no licensing fees. Lots of opportunities for an artist to go crazy with the decal. Maybe get Matt Moneymaker to do a "celebrity" endorsement.

Honestly, they're doing great things at Estes! Keep it up guys. I've bought more Estes rockets in the past year than in the last five.

 

[Scott_650]

I'd love to see reissues of the great Centuri kits. They own the rights, so why not bring them back? Twister, Groove Tube, Fireflash, etc...etc...

Also, bring back the Bigfoot Launch system. Maybe in a starter set with a "Bigfoot" rocket to match? Can't copyright a fictional creature, so no licensing fees. Lots of opportunities for an artist to go crazy with the decal. Maybe get Matt Moneymaker to do a "celebrity" endorsement.

Honestly, they're doing great things at Estes! Keep it up guys. I've bought more Estes rockets in the past year than in the last five.

Having the Bigfoot launch system with a matching rocket would be awesome! Hopefully the molds are still around or can be reproduced economically.

So would the Bigfoot rocket have oversized fins - like a Fliskits Preator - maybe even foot shaped, or just be a larger diameter short fat rocket - sort of a furry Fat Boy? Fun to think about!