My late 1960s/early 1970s Estes Models

[DavyR]

They sat in a box in the basement on the back of the furnace for 20+ years until I moved them to my garage in 1991 where they sat for another 20+ years. The engines are unused. Probably inert by now? The orange finless Hawk was the 1st one I built, then the 2 stage Midget (only the bottom stage remains), then the V2, the small scale Saturn V, and then the Gemini Titian. All were launched except for the Titan. The shipping boxes and shipping engine tubes date Feb 1969 and July 1970. Dig my home made launch pad. That's a tin can cut and turned inside out as a deflector. Lots of memories here.

 

[tsmith1315]

Probably inert by now?

Oh, no. Black Powder is still potent. But I wouldn't burn survivors like that when new ones are a few bucks.

Priceless stuff there! The Estes boxes, V2 & Gemini. We had a semi scale Sat V just like that. Great pad, WOW, thanks for posting!!!

Worthy of more pics. What's in the boxes?

 

[GlenP]

The black powder will still burn, but if the nozzle has degraded due to many thermal cycles they might not hold their original shape or their bond to the paper casing and produce no thrust when the black powder lights up. Hard to tell by visual inspection if there is any hidden internal nozzle damage, but you could check them out as best as you can first to see if there is any obvious damage to the nozzle. Good luck with reliving the memories and flying those again.

 

[BEC]

I’d fly the old motors, but not in those models! Rather something you have less investment in. Do as Tim suggests and get new motors to fly those models.

Basically if the motors have been kept in places where you’d be comfortable, they will be fine. If they’ve seen temperature extremes (high or low) then things start to get less sure. I have flown a few 50-year-old Estes motors with no issues.

 

[DavyR]

Thank you for all the feedback. The boxes are empty and their contents are displayed. There're more engines in the blue mailing tubes. For some reason I thought the engines were powered by something other than a gunpowder mix. I wasn't the best detailing modeler. I never launched the Titian because I was afraid that the 2 engines would not ignite together. WHERE did that time go? I've been going through other boxes of Marx dinosaurs, Blue and Gray, WWII soldiers, etc., and my chemistry and physics stuff. Revisting seems to have taken me back to those times and it's seems only like a few years ago, now. Strange! It's like I'm starting where I left off. Ha! I'll try to post more detailed photos.

 

[Hobie1dog]

cool stuff, thanks for the photo.

 

[dpower]

Great stuff! I hope you decide to fix them up and get them in the air! We'll be glad to offer advice on how to put up the 2 engine GT.

 

[prfesser]

Welcome to the forum! I'm not a motor-collector myself but maybe there's one out there who would buy those old ones for more than new ones cost.

If you decide to fly the Gemini-Titan, click here for MJG Technologies' BP motor starters. I haven't used them myself but they're getting a lot of positive comments from those who have. With wires that are a foot long (or even 3' if you prefer) they're far easier to use for clusters than the inch-long wires on the Estes product. According to MJG they only require 1 volt for ignition, and can be connected either in series or in parallel.

Take a look at rocket motors at AC Supply to see how things have changed since the 60s/70s. Estes now has 29mm blackpowder E and F motors. Aerotech/Quest's QJet composite motors are competitively priced and provide greater total impulse than BP in any given size. There are 18mm A, B, C, and even D, 24mm D and E motors. They just came out with a QJet F motor; I don't know how available that is.