New Estes Pro Series II - Sahara

[rharshberger]

Gateway for sure. It won't be long and you'll be eyeballing some 38mm skidmarks for this baby and wishing you'd put in the bigger MMT and glassed on the fins when ya had the chance.

Muahahahahaha

It does rather look like a short-snout Argent.

Never put an engine block in anything.

Too late....:headbang:

Thought has already crossed my mind, all my PSIIs are getting 38mm MMTs just for the additional variety of motors, oh and dual deploy too.

 

[gna]

I broke down and ordered mine today. I tried to open the instructions from the Estes Website, but nothing loaded. Anyone have one yet?

 

[Initiator001]

I broke down and ordered mine today. I tried to open the instructions from the Estes Website, but nothing loaded. Anyone have one yet?

Yes. I received an order of two Sahara kits on Tuesday.
The lower body tube already has the fin slots cut in it.

 

[Getmore]

I have a balsa transition that would make for a good H Impulse rocket. It has some nice looks and I like three fin rockets.

 

[rharshberger]

Hope to see an Open Rocket file from someone with a PSII Sahara...please?

 

[gna]

Yes. I received an order of two Sahara kits on Tuesday.
The lower body tube already has the fin slots cut in it.

Is it Argent parts and Partizon fins? Same motor mount or is it only two centering rings?

 

[gna]

Mine came today. It seems to be Argent parts and Partizon fins, though one of the 2.5" sections is much shorter. 3 centering rings.





I made an open rocket file by editing an Argent and copying the fins from a Partizon:

View attachment Estes.Sahara.ork

Sadly, no roll pattern decal, as far as I could see.

 

[EXPjawa]

I received mine yesterday also. We'll just have to get Mark to add vinyl for the Sahara (and Scion) to the other PS2 kits that he offers decals for - when he's ready.

 

[K'Tesh]

Just want to make sure... There's two body tubes that compose the aft section of the rocket?

 

[EXPjawa]

Yes, but one of them is short. I'll see about posting a photo of the parts spread out later. As noted before, it isn't "packaged for retail sale", which means the kit comes in a basic plastic bag without a face card. I expect I can open it up and reseal it again without too much trouble.

 

[jbuscaglia]

Yes, but one of them is short.

Possibly the payload tube from the Ventris?

 

[gna]

I'll look up the number of the shorty piece when I get home. It's about 6" long.
EDIT: I can make it out on the picture. It's 031380. That is indeed the payload tube of a Ventris.

 

[stickershock23]

Guys this is another COOL estes Offering.

I'd love to add the decals to my website..

First person to send me some detailed information gets a free test set!

I would need to know body tube CIRCUMFERENCES (mostly the lower tube to fit the checkers on) diameter of the upper and lengths

maybe a decent fin drawing or scan one in with a ruler!

thanks so much you can e-mail me at [email protected]

 

[K'Tesh]

Guys this is another COOL estes Offering.

I'd love to add the decals to my website..

First person to send me some detailed information gets a free test set!

I would need to know body tube CIRCUMFERENCES (mostly the lower tube to fit the checkers on) diameter of the upper and lengths

maybe a decent fin drawing or scan one in with a ruler!

thanks so much you can e-mail me at [email protected]

Email sent.

 

[EXPjawa]

Dang it, you beat me to it...

 

[gna]

I've worked on my Sahara, a little bit each day:



I didn't glue the nose cone in but I did tie it to the transition so I can use the upper body tube as a payload bay.

Have to fill spirals and sand, and come up with a paint scheme...

 

[HHaase]

If you want, i have a rocksim file for my scion as well.

 

[Kruegon]

I've worked on my Sahara, a little bit each day:

View attachment 269099

I didn't glue the nose cone in but I did tie it to the transition so I can use the upper body tube as a payload bay.

Have to fill spirals and sand, and come up with a paint scheme...

Those don't look like the stock Sahara fins…

 

[gna]

Those don't look like the stock Sahara fins…

How so? They're Partizon Fins.

 

[EXPjawa]

I think the angle of the photo makes them look that way.

 

[noffie79]

Does anyone know if there's an OR file for this? Estes website shows 700 feet, but that's using a black powder motor. Anyone use a SU composite in this yet? Building it stock, I'm wondering that kind of delay I'd need with a composite E or F...

 

[gna]

Does anyone know if there's an OR file for this? Estes website shows 700 feet, but that's using a black powder motor. Anyone use a SU composite in this yet? Building it stock, I'm wondering that kind of delay I'd need with a composite E or F...

See post #37 above. I copied an Argent file and edited it. It's quick and dirty, but it should be close.

 

[noffie79]

See post #37 above. I copied an Argent file and edited it. It's quick and dirty, but it should be close.

How did I miss that!? Lol, thank you

 

[Banzai88]

These things (Pro series II builder rockets, in general) have a abysmally low off the rod speed on the BP motors. If the data from sims is to be believed, I would be reluctant to launch 'em on a BP motor in any wind stouter than a butterfly sneeze. I hope that Estes doesn't do away with the builder kits because of this. That would be the suck!

Thank goodness there are alternative motors. Might be all that's really keeping these things alive.

 

[noffie79]

These things (Pro series II builder rockets, in general) have a abysmally low off the rod speed on the BP motors. If the data from sims is to be believed, I would be reluctant to launch 'em on a BP motor in any wind stouter than a butterfly sneeze. I hope that Estes doesn't do away with the builder kits because of this. That would be the suck!

Thank goodness there are alternative motors. Might be all that's really keeping these things alive.

And I've heard their SU composite motors don't sell well compared to other brands. They want to sell rockets AND motors. I'm hoping they don't kill them off too. I'm not at home near my computer, but there no reason a Sahara or a Scion can't be used with an F or G composite, correct?

 

[Banzai88]

Yep, they fly awesome on AP motors, regardless of brand.

 

[EXPjawa]

And I've heard their SU composite motors don't sell well compared to other brands.

Well, their SU motors are exactly the same as Aerotech's (that's who makes them) save for branding. But they typically retail higher and don't include an ignitor. Which would you choose? Now, FWIW, I was in the LHS last night and bought two F26-6FJ motors, one branded Aerotech and the other Estes. They where both the same price, though one had an included ignitor that the other didn't. I'm thinking that this tie up with Aerotech hasn't been as profitable for Estes as they'd hoped and they're moving away from that arrangement. Several online shops are showing the Estes branded composite motors as discontinued, and the arguably most popular PS2 builders kit (Leviathan) is no longer shown on Estes website anywhere and the others are on near-permanent mark down. I'm not sure what other conclusion one can draw from that. :confused2:

 

[noffie79]

Well, their SU motors are exactly the same as Aerotech's (that's who makes them) save for branding. But they typically retail higher and don't include an ignitor. Which would you choose? Now, FWIW, I was in the LHS last night and bought two F26-6FJ motors, one branded Aerotech and the other Estes. They where both the same price, though one had an included ignitor that the other didn't. I'm thinking that this tie up with Aerotech hasn't been as profitable for Estes as they'd hoped and they're moving away from that arrangement. Several online shops are showing the Estes branded composite motors as discontinued, and the arguably most popular PS2 builders kit (Leviathan) is no longer shown on Estes website anywhere and the others are on near-permanent mark down. I'm not sure what other conclusion one can draw from that. :confused2:

I agree with you completely. I've purchased both Aerotech and Estes branded composites. The Leviathan was my first PS II purchase and I really like that kit. I've gotten at least one of each of the discounted kits, even bought 3 Scion kits and some 3" slotted body tubes. One to build as a Scion, one to build another Leviathan and the last for a stretched Leviathan. But my only question is this, if the composite motor agreement with Aerotech isn't what Estes was hoping for, why are there some kits being permanently discounted, yet the Nike Smoke is still full priced? It takes the exact same motors! So who knows what they're up to.

 

[EXPjawa]

It could be just a matter of some models being overlooked. The MDRM is allegedly marked down, but its still $70, so had nowhere near the discount of the others so its more like the Nike Smoke than not. According to the Estes customer service rep I spoke to, the Leviathan was simply out of stock until the next run. But that doesn't account for it being missing from the site. So, who knows what their plan is. Maybe they're phasing some of the line out, but will replace them with other models. I'd love to see more scale or upscale models added to the PSII line - a Cherokee can be built pretty readily from existing parts, save for fins, and the Interceptor E could be re-motored for 29mm (make it a builder's version of the Trajector). There is a lot of potential with the line of parts that they have already invested in, assuming that they don't limit themselves to that which can fly on BP motors only...

 

[Banzai88]

.... assuming that they don't limit themselves to that which can fly on BP motors only...

Let's hope this isn't the yellow brick road they're going down.