"Snooping around" : Looking for Mars Snooper

[Marc_G]

Hi folks,

I for most of my 1.5 year BAR-dom, I've wanted to recreate a rocket from my childhood. But I didn't know it's name. Recently saw an upscale in an ad in Sport Rocketry.

So now I'm on the hunt for a Mars Snooper reproduction kit. I can buy the parts off the list at Semroc then get decals mad, but I see BMS has a kit (kinda pricey at $35). Anybody know whether it is the original or the Snooper II? My kit was the snooper II but I like the looks of the original much better (different side pod nose cones etc.).

I can always send an email to clear it up.

Are there any other prekitted folks out there selling one at the original scale?

Marc

 

[Micromeister]

Hi folks,

I for most of my 1.5 year BAR-dom, I've wanted to recreate a rocket from my childhood. But I didn't know it's name. Recently saw an upscale in an ad in Sport Rocketry.

So now I'm on the hunt for a Mars Snooper reproduction kit. I can buy the parts off the list at Semroc then get decals mad, but I see BMS has a kit (kinda pricey at $35). Anybody know whether it is the original or the Snooper II? My kit was the snooper II but I like the looks of the original much better (different side pod nose cones etc.).

I can always send an email to clear it up.

Are there any other prekitted folks out there selling one at the original scale?

Marc

Marc:
Don't know what kit BMS is selling for 35.00.

I have an Estes K20/1220 Green Lable Astron Mars Snooper in my Collector kit stash purchased in 83 that's priced at 90 bucks.
Also have an estes Collector Series re-Release boxed Kit # 2063 Mars Snooper from 1992 tagged at 60 bucks so I'd say whatever BMS is selling would be a bargin.
Personally if your looking to reproduct Models from your youth it makes more sense to clone one using Simroc parts and Gordons decals. That's more or less what I did after my original was smashed by vandels years back.
It's also fun to up and downscale them I have a micro and D12 powered versions that make for lots of fun

 

[T-Rex]

I know you said original scale, but I'll through this out anyway...
Qmodeling has a 1.68x upscale kit, it is a bit pricey at $74.95, but it is on my bucket list just the same.

Something to consider....

 

[Micromeister]

75.00 Bucks!
OH man, I built a 1.41 D12 24mm powered upscale using mostly stock estes Balsa nose cones for Less then 40.00 bucks including paint. True that was 18 years ago but dang...
I'd think we could scrounge enough Plastic nosecones to even save some of the excess balsa weight.

 

[Marc_G]

I think it was the Qmodeling one I saw to give me the name!

I will probably just load up on Semroc parts and order decals from Excelsior. It will be a fin build.

 

[dtomko]

Marc,

The BMS kit is a clone of the original Snooper. $35 may seem pricey, but with all those cones (7), tubes, adapter, and laser cut fins, you're going to be up there if you get the parts individually. I'm also pretty sure the BMS kit comes with decals.

Drew

 

[Marc_G]

Great info, thanks. I will touch bases with BMS. Come to think of it I could use some 34" tube stock while I am at it...

 

[RoyAtl]

So now I'm on the hunt for a Mars Snooper reproduction kit. I can buy the parts off the list at Semroc then get decals mad, but I see BMS has a kit (kinda pricey at $35). Anybody know whether it is the original or the Snooper II? My kit was the snooper II but I like the looks of the original much better (different side pod nose cones etc.).

The BMS kit is of the original.

 

[JPVegh]

Great info, thanks. I will touch bases with BMS. Come to think of it I could use some 34" tube stock while I am at it...

Hehe, Any excuse to make an order from BMS is a good one. Be careful not to max your card.:wink:

 

[Marc_G]

Hehe, Any excuse to make an order from BMS is a good one. Be careful not to max your card.:wink:

Agreed! It turns out that the parts separately from SEMROC (sans chute & decals) cost about $35. I'll get the kit from BMS complete, along with other fun stuff like long tube stock.

Then, a month or three later, go back to SEMROC to get what I need to do an upscale to take an Aerotech E15...

 

[sandman]

Agreed! It turns out that the parts separately from SEMROC (sans chute & decals) cost about $35. I'll get the kit from BMS complete, along with other fun stuff like long tube stock.

Then, a month or three later, go back to SEMROC to get what I need to do an upscale to take an Aerotech E15...

For SEMROC did you include your NAR discount? And your SAM discount!

 

[Marc_G]

I applied the SAM but forgot about the NAR...

I feel bad doing double discounting. How do the good folks at SEMROC stay in business?

It turns out I actually have lots of purchased projects to complete before I place ANY order... like my Starship Vega rebuild (for which I bought decals from you MONTHS ago!).

So many builds, so little time...

 

[sandman]

I applied the SAM but forgot about the NAR...

I feel bad doing double discounting. How do the good folks at SEMROC stay in business?

It turns out I actually have lots of purchased projects to complete before I place ANY order... like my Starship Vega rebuild (for which I bought decals from you MONTHS ago!).

So many builds, so little time...

Well, just don't forget pictures!:wink:

Here's mine. Sorry, really old pictures from a really old digital camera.

 

[caveduck]

Wow I forgot how much I loved the Snooper. The original version with the BT-5 outrigger pods is definitely my favorite; the one I built as a teenager was one of the highlights of my first bout of rocketry.

I'm pretty sure my build queue now exceeds my life expectancy. :surprised: