Is Estes done producing and selling the 1:100 Saturn V? Should have bought one earlier, I know.
Apparently the Skylab Saturn V is Skylab only - it’s available for order on the Estes website with nothing on the box or in the description about including the Apollo parts. There’s been much discussion and speculation as to why with the consensus being it was a casualty of meeting the required retail price point and supplier issues (which is China so chalk up another one to the pandemic). My personal opinion is that Estes will make the Apollo parts available eventually as an accessory to the Skylab kit. We’ll have to wait and see.When the news broke about this kit a few months ago, word was that it would also include the parts for making the regular Saturn-V. That is, the Apollo S-IVB wraps, LM shroud, and Apollo CM/SM/LES.
I cannot find that though on any "official" listings from Estes right now. I hope they did not change their minds.
But it would make a lot more sense to be able to make both versions. Because the Saturn-Skylab was a pretty obscure and "niche" vehicle, compared to the original that launched the Apollo lunar missions. And the #1969 kit sure sold out and went OOP pretty quickly.
All depends on how true to the prototype you want the final model to be - I don’t know the ins and outs of the tube sizes used on the #2157/1969 Apollo SV versus the #1973 Skylab SV so this discussion is a bit esoteric to me. If it fits some folks (like me) would be fine slapping a Boyce Apollo capsule on top their Skylab Saturn just to have something close to fly - others would rather eat worms before they’d do that.That's what's a bit amazing to me. For instance, long ago when my kids were starting to need cars, a friend of mine suggested the old air cooled Volkswagen Beetle, as he said, "Becasue you could build one almost completely just ordering parts from J. C. Whitney!" (props to those who remember those catalogs!)
It seems the case should be similar here - an experienced modeler/designer could build it from parts available all over the place. But I may be being a bit naive. And we aren't all that experienced... I know I'd want to start with a kit.
We, collectively, are a very interesting group and you sir, your level of interesting ROCKS! Maybe a bismuth alloy CSM - it would be a bit easier to shape/form than something as hard as tungstenWell, yeah, and I'm of the "eat worms" variety, for such a wanna-be. If I had my way I'd figure out some way to fly it with the scale engine nozzles (made of a material that could handle it, of course). I'd water deluge my pad, do a 5 engine cluster, stage it and all! I've even considered a tungsten (heavy alloy) CSM on it's own 'chute to help with the stability. Many thoughts, nothing very well gelled yet. I have a lot to learn, honestly.
One thing I've thought of, though, is that we could collect the many, many threads o'er the years into a dedicated sub-forum, as this is probably one of the most recognizable and desirable rockets to ever build. A compendium of sizes, weights, CG's, CP's, all sorts of stufff as to how you built and flew your Saturn V.
Hmm. that is a lot of ordering from three places, paying shipping three times (The Boyce parts alone are $19.99 plus shipping). I think it MIGHT be cheaper, certainly faster/simpler, to order a 1/100 Saturn-IB to get those parts from. I mean, if you order from AC Supply Co, 40% off, free shipping on orders of $100 or more. It's $42. And the Skylab-Saturn is $59.99.If one really wants a Saturn V, just buy a Estes Shroud, Boyce Aerospace Apollo Capsule and E-Rockets BT58 body tube, this will get you very close.
Get the Estes Saturn Skylab #1973 then order BT58 Body tubes from ERockets, then a Estes LEM Shroud and then order Boyce Aerospace Apollo Capsule set unless Estes restocks.
Maybe a bismuth alloy CSM - it would be a bit easier to shape/form than something as hard as tungsten
I didn't mention that - I have no inside information about the production or cost of the plastic parts.
That's what's a bit amazing to me. For instance, long ago when my kids were starting to need cars, a friend of mine suggested the old air cooled Volkswagen Beetle, as he said, "Becasue you could build one almost completely just ordering parts from J. C. Whitney!" (props to those who remember those catalogs!)
It seems the case should be similar here - an experienced modeler/designer could build it from parts available all over the place. But I may be being a bit naive. And we aren't all that experienced... I know I'd want to start with a kit.
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