Nose Cones

[kelltym88]

Where can I get a PNC-55B and a PNC-50Y? Also, where is the site that has the BT conversions? Thanx guys.

 

[Fore Check]

The ninfinger body tube chart is here:

https://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/body_tubes.html

Also, for future reference, here is the ninfinger nose cone chart:

https://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/custom_estes/nosecone.html

BMS has the 50Y nose cone in stock for $2.35

The 55B cone isn't on the ninfinger chart - what does it look like? Or, what are you making?

 

[kelltym88]

Hi Simon.

The PNC-55B is the nose cone used on the Vindicator kit. It's got a point on the end of it. It may even be the same as the one on the Argosy. In fact I think Estes made several kits w/that nose cone.

 

[Fore Check]

AHHhhh, the Vindicator. I've got one of those in my sights too.

That cone is the same as the Astron Interceptor. You can get one from Moldin Oldies.

They sell the entire set of Astron Interceptor parts for $30. I have emailed him to ask about getting a cone only, and he quoted me $12 for the cone only to do the Vindicator.

Here's his web page with those parts:

https://moldinoldies.rocketshoppe.com/interceptor_parts.htm

 

[kelltym88]

$12 Bucks!!!! Geeeez. I thought cloning was supposed to be cheap.

 

[Fore Check]

By the way: the cone your thinking of for the Argosy is not the same - that rocket and the handful of others that use the same cone (Falcon Commander, USSF Fireflash, StarHawk, World Federation Star Probe, and several others) are all BT50 based. I forget what the part number is, but I have a few of those.

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by kelltym88
$12 Bucks!!!! Geeeez. I thought cloning was supposed to be cheap.

If you think about it, that's not a bad price for a custom molded plastic cone made to order. Also, if you consider the cost of that cone ($12) and the cost for custom decals (say $8 to be conservative) and the cost of the rest of the parts (say $10 to be conservative) you get $30. That's still about half the price of what a Vindicator goes for on eBay.

 

[kelltym88]

I used to have an Argosy, the Starhawk looks really neat too, hmmmmmm, you a few of those nose cones huh......


As for the Vindicator, there is on on ebay right now, ending today or tomorrow.

 

[kelltym88]

I want to clone at 1980's prices. Well I can dream can't I.

 

[Fore Check]

That one on eBay is being auctioned by Great Lakes Hobbies - they have an unbelievable collection of vintage kits that they are/will be auctioning. I mean, unbelievable. Check out their website and click on the "news" button and it will pull up a page full of pictures of the collection.

That said, the kits from that collection (the Vindicator in quesiton being one of them) are in *unbelievably* mint condition. I got a Cobra 1500 from them out of that collection a couple of months ago, and you'd swear it just rolled right out of the factory.

Very, very collectable condition.

The current price of that kit will go way up as the auction comes to a close tomorrow night.

 

[kelltym88]

Oh my G..!!!!!!! I think I just wet myself. Wow, talk about going on the way back machine. That's like walking in to hobby store when I was 16. Man.....I'm speechless. I'll be lucky to get even one of those kits.

 

[sandman]

Not trying to be a stickler for detail...I'm just showing off.

The Vindicator,

https://www.dars.org/jimz/est1367.htm

and the USS Pleiades

https://www.dars.org/jimz/est1910.htm

Had a slightly different nose cone than the Interceptor.

The Interceptor had a 2 piece injection molded nose cone that you had to glue together.

The USS Pleiades and the Vindicator had a "blow molded" nose cone.

The injection molded nose cone on the Interceptor proved so popular that Estes wore the mold out!

They went to the blow molded cone and apperently the mold was of such poor quality that some of the cone were just plain "bad".

They are the same identical shape.

The Argosy, Starhawk, X-16, Falcon Commander, USSF Fireflash...etc used the PNC-50SP Centuri cone that was used originally on the Centuri Spacemaster.

https://www.dars.org/jimz/cen5348.htm

The PNC50SP mold was so good that it was used continually up until about 8 years ago when it just plain wore out.

The PNC-50SP was last used in the Venon. The Venom was also available in a "Bulk Pack" of kits.

sandman

 

[Fore Check]

Yeah, just imagine having all that *loot* in your basement or storage room.


*drool*

 

[Fore Check]

Cool info, sandman!

You'd think that if a set of molds produced cones of such popularity that a manufacturer like Estes might just make another mold.

Oh, well.

 

[sandman]

Just make another mold!!!

A mold is very expensive to make.

The quantity has to justify the expense.

sandman

 

[kelltym88]

That's what I was thinking(what forecheck said, just make another one). With todays technology, it shouldn't be that expensive to make another one. Then again I have no idea how one is made.

 

[gpoehlein]

Originally posted by sandman

<snip>

The Argosy, Starhawk, X-16, Falcon Commander, USSF Fireflash...etc used the PNC-50SP Centuri cone that was used originally on the Centuri Spacemaster.

https://www.dars.org/jimz/cen5348.htm

The PNC50SP mold was so good that it was used continually up until about 8 years ago when it just plain wore out.

The PNC-50SP was last used in the Venon. The Venom was also available in a "Bulk Pack" of kits.

sandman [/B]

I have a simple solution to the lack of a PNC-50SP - it is the same as the nose in the Skywriter (PNC50-BB) with the canopy added. Check out Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe:

https://www.rocketshoppe.com/info/PNC50SP.pdf

I created a canopy to build out of card stock and glue to the Skywriter cone. A coat of CA, and you've got a good replica.

Here is a photo of the modified Skywriter cone.

Greg

 

[Ltvscout]

Originally posted by sandman
The Argosy, Starhawk, X-16, Falcon Commander, USSF Fireflash...etc used the PNC-50SP Centuri cone that was used originally on the Centuri Spacemaster.

The PNC50SP mold was so good that it was used continually up until about 8 years ago when it just plain wore out.

The PNC-50SP was last used in the Venon. The Venom was also available in a "Bulk Pack" of kits.

For all of you cloners out there, John Brohm took a LOT of time and put together an Estes Nose Cone Reference Guide for me to post on the web. You can cross-reference any of the Estes cones ever made to be able to kit-bash different kits. You can find this list on my Building Tips page at:

https://www.rocketshoppe.com/tips.htm

The original list is quite large. Greg Poehlein made a condensed version of the same list for us which can be found on the same page.

Eventually, John may try to put together a list for Centuri cones as well.

For you up/down scalers, I also have an excellent Body Tube Ratio Chart put together by Jim Fackert (Totally Tubular) on that page. You can easily up or down scale any of your favorite kits and know what tube to get for the scale you want.