Oct. 2022 discontinued Estes kits?

[astronwolf]

In addition to the Estes Goblin (see other thread) there may be a few more discontinued kits, as in, those now absent from the Estes website. There may be more.

Black Brant III
Indicator
Little Joe 1
Nova Payloader
Citation Patriot
Star Trooper

Of all the Centuri classic reissues from back in 2010, the one that lasted the longest was the little 3FNC Star Trooper.

 

[tsmith1315]

According to Estes' response posted in the other thread, the Goblin isn't discontinued. I don't know why they'd remove from the site, but maybe the others are in a similar state.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/goblin-discontinued.175157/post-2330939

Then again, maybe I should get another Patriot while I can, just in case.

 

[SolarYellow]

Making them look discontinued is how they get all us dorks to suck up the remaining inventory that we weren't very interested in yesterday.

 

[astronwolf]

Making them look discontinued is how they get all us dorks to suck up the remaining inventory that we weren't very interested in yesterday.

Can't see that there will be a rush on Indicator kits.

 

[tsmith1315]

Making them look discontinued is how they get all us dorks to suck up the remaining inventory that we weren't very interested in yesterday.

I thought about that, too. It would make perfect sense if you could order them from Estes.

But if you can't find the kits on Estes' site, that inventory reduction would have to be done through vendor replenishment. That's a long way around.

 

[SolarYellow]

Or it gets them blown out of vendor inventory, making the vendors more willing to place larger orders for whatever Estes has coming in the China pipe.

 

[BEC]

Nova Payloader has been out of the catalog for several years now. It came back as bulk pack only and available primarily from AC Supply in 2018, I believe. This incarnation has a different nose cone than the previous three releases. Guardian is similarly available and with that same nose cone at AC.

 

[Pappy]

change is good. i like the idea that Estes would do stuff to help move the vendors inventory, true or not. If'n we don't buy stuff, esteemed rocketry community, who is gonna? i didn't buy the star trooper 'cause i thought it was a great challenge and potent display piece, i bought it 'cause it was there, on sale. also, i love Centuri stuff and enjoy preserving their legacy. I'd really rather spend my meager fun money on rockets than, say, restaurant food. i'll have the ramen and the 1b, please. just water, thanks.

Can't see that there will be a rush on Indicator kits.

i have an indicator waiting for construction, and it really excites nothing in me, other than in series with other very similar designs, like the laser-x and plasma probe. another kit i bought on the cheap, just 'cause.

 

[mh9162013]

I've realized that what's available for purchase on the Estes website says little as to a kit's actual availiability (or lack thereof).

When it comes to kit "hoarding," I focus on kits with pieces that you can't easily get anywhere else (like a Big Bertha or Patriot nose cone) or a kit that can be easily used to make another one.

For example, if you buy the Estes Yankee + the BT-20 nose cone pack (#003161), you have everything you need to make the Wizard or Viking. Of course, you'll be missing the decals and have to make some modifications (for example, make the Viking's fins out of balsa instead of cardstock). You'll also need the Internet to get access to fin dimensions and instructions for the kit you're trying to make.

 

[Scott_650]

Understanding that most manufacturer’s first-line customers are their distributors (and sometimes their primary retailers) rather than the consumer can help folks understand why products go in and out of production/availability. The distributors place mass orders based on past performance and informed opinions on how many units their retailers can sell.

Add in that Estes primary profit stream (reportedly) comes from engine sales - the profit margin on kit sales is supposedly very small - and it’s easy to see they have very little incentive for keeping low/slow selling kits available. Designer John Boren has said various times that scale (and sci-fi) kits have very similar sales curves - high initial demand then a very sharp drop off.

If you flip through the last few catalogs you can see a definite progression - kits are dropped and then similar new (or revival) kits are (re)introduced. So I’m guessing we’ll see a couple of similar scale kits coming in 2023 in place of the BBII and the Mercury LJ. Maybe the Mercurry Atlas and a different sounding rocket?

 

[turbofireball]

I think some of these kits have been discontinued for quite a while:
#1293 - Black Brant III - Not in 2021 or 2022 catalog. Discontinued in 2020.
#1960 - Nova Payloader - Not in 2018 or 2019 or 2020 or 2021 or 2022 catalog.
#3031 - Star Trooper - Not in 2021 or 2022 catalog. Discontinued in 2020.

 

[Ladykate]

Making them look discontinued is how they get all us dorks to suck up the remaining inventory that we weren't very interested in yesterday.

So true. I always look at the proposed deceased and buy the ones that I think I will miss if I don't grab. I am but a sheep.

 

[SolarYellow]

FOMO is a thing.

 

[Mugs914]

Maybe the Mercurry Atlas and a different sounding rocket?

Dare I hope for a re-issue of the LTV Scout???

(Prolly not... )

 

[Scott_650]

Dare I hope for a re-issue of the LTV Scout???

(Prolly not... )

I think the LTV Scout is a permanent resident of the 3D printing world

 

[techrat]

I thought they just re-issued the Citation Patriot, and now it's out again?? Fortunately, I just finished mine. Converted it to 24mm Motormount, plywood centering rings and epoxied the papered fins *and* used cardstock butresses between the fins and body tube. Basically, short of a rocket-eating tree, nothing is killing this thing. I can probably put an E30-4T in there and get it back with no damage.

 

[mh9162013]

I thought they just re-issued the Citation Patriot, and now it's out again?? Fortunately, I just finished mine. Converted it to 24mm Motormount, plywood centering rings and epoxied the papered fins *and* used cardstock butresses between the fins and body tube. Basically, short of a rocket-eating tree, nothing is killing this thing. I can probably put an E30-4T in there and get it back with no damage.

The model rocketry powers-that-be:

"Hold my beer."

 

[turbofireball]

I thought they just re-issued the Citation Patriot, and now it's out again?? Fortunately, I just finished mine. Converted it to 24mm Motormount, plywood centering rings and epoxied the papered fins *and* used cardstock butresses between the fins and body tube. Basically, short of a rocket-eating tree, nothing is killing this thing. I can probably put an E30-4T in there and get it back with no damage.

The Citation Patriot was on the cover and in the 2018 catalog. It was in the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 catalogs. That's 5 years since they re-issued it. Now it is discontinued.

 

[SolarYellow]

Can't decide whether to build a Citation Patriot as a bigger Goblin or as itself.

...Why not both?

 

[Initiator001]

If you flip through the last few catalogs you can see a definite progression - kits are dropped and then similar new (or revival) kits are (re)introduced. So I’m guessing we’ll see a couple of similar scale kits coming in 2023 in place of the BBII and the Mercury LJ. Maybe the Mercurry Atlas and a different sounding rocket?

John Boren has indicated subtlety that the Mercury Atlas is coming back and that there will be a new Mercury capsule mold made for it.

 

[MarsFire]

Dare I hope for a re-issue of the LTV Scout???

(Prolly not... )

I shall hope along with you sir.

And if not the scout, I would like the Mercury Atlas. Or the Scud to go with the Patriot (seriously, why hasn't this happened yet?) Or the Maxi Brute V2, HoJo, and Pershing. Or the Nike Ajax. Or the Thor - Agena B. Or a Pro series 2 Mars Lander. Or the GEO Sat LV. Or the Deep Space Transport. Any of the true exotics like the Andromeda and Alien Explorer. And on and on and on..........


Andrew

 

[cwbullet]

According to Estes' response posted in the other thread, the Goblin isn't discontinued. I don't know why they'd remove from the site, but maybe the others are in a similar state.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/goblin-discontinued.175157/post-2330939

Then again, maybe I should get another Patriot while I can, just in case.

Supply chain issues?

 

[Antares JS]

I thought they just re-issued the Citation Patriot, and now it's out again?? Fortunately, I just finished mine. Converted it to 24mm Motormount, plywood centering rings and epoxied the papered fins *and* used cardstock butresses between the fins and body tube. Basically, short of a rocket-eating tree, nothing is killing this thing. I can probably put an E30-4T in there and get it back with no damage.

Thinking this is fine, but saying it out loud merely tempts fate and ensures that rocket's demise.

 

[mh9162013]

Add another kit that's no longer on the Estes site: Yankee

 

[techrat]

Thinking this is fine, but saying it out loud merely tempts fate and ensures that rocket's demise.

Superstition.... but I'll find out later today when it flies.
Surely, this kind of thing originates with the Titanic, where someone supposedly said out loud "God himself could not sink this ship", just before it's Maiden (and final) Voyage.

 

[techrat]

Thinking this is fine, but saying it out loud merely tempts fate and ensures that rocket's demise.

Turns out you were right!!!

My Citation Patriot had a D12 CATO today. The rocket airframe is undamaged though (like I said, built tough!), but the chute and shock cord got a little cooked. Nothing that serious. The D12 blew out the nozzle right after the rocket left the pad, then it also looks like out of control burn then ejected the engine out the rear past the metal hook, and also blew the nosecone off the rocket at the same time. The rocket literally only went 3 feet from the launch pad, and wound up on the grass.

I'm going to have to file a MESS report at the least. The rocket is fine, but Estes owes me a motor. Anybody know how to file a MESS report?

 

[Scott_650]

Turns out you were right!!!

My Citation Patriot had a D12 CATO today. The rocket airframe is undamaged though (like I said, built tough!), but the chute and shock cord got a little cooked. Nothing that serious. The D12 blew out the nozzle right after the rocket left the pad, then it also looks like out of control burn then ejected the engine out the rear past the metal hook, and also blew the nosecone off the rocket at the same time. The rocket literally only went 3 feet from the launch pad, and wound up on the grass.

I'm going to have to file a MESS report at the least. The rocket is fine, but Estes owes me a motor. Anybody know how to file a MESS report?

http://www.motorcato.org/

 

[techrat]

Thanks for the link, I have reported my "MESS".