Top 5 most desired low power rockets?

[Jeff Lassahn]

I find myself sometimes pining for an Astron Avenger. It was my first multistage rocket back in the day, and I think of it as really awesome. Not sure if it's really a top-five best or if I'm being blinded by nostalgia.

 

[MadRocketer]

Anything that has the parts I need to bring my creations to life!!

 

[Senior Space Cadet]

I'm a big fan of going slightly bigger. Easier to fly low when needed, easier to see, easier to pack parachute.

Examples: Der Red Max, Big Bertha, Baby Bertha, Citation Patriot, regular Patriot, etc. All just fins and a nose cone, equivalent builds. None of these are gonna set altitude records, if you know what I mean.

I'm with Neil.
Small rockets are easy to transport, and cheap to build, but that's where their advantages end (In my humble opinion.). I'm into BT-55 and BT-60 rockets. BT-80 gets to be a pain to transport and takes up a lot of room at the house. BT-50 is a bit small for the reasons Neil states.

 

[Back_at_it]

I'm with Neil.
Small rockets are easy to transport, and cheap to build, but that's where their advantages end (In my humble opinion.). I'm into BT-55 and BT-60 rockets. BT-80 gets to be a pain to transport and takes up a lot of room at the house. BT-50 is a bit small for the reasons Neil states.

Agreed. While I do still build and fly a number of BT50 rockets, I prefer BT55 to BT80. I just like the larger size as it's easier for me to handle and pack. Storage and transportation of the larger rockets isn't an issue for me. This is the reason why I'm planning so many upscales.

I mean, who really needs a BT55 Might Moe ?

 

[Blast it Tom!]

So I was wondering what some might consider the top 5 best model rockets. Could be design or style or just the way she flys but what would be your top 5 all time best most desired rockets LP

thanks in advance

Adam

Hmm. I don't know if anyone else has commented on this aspect, but "best" versus "most desired" can kinda go two different directions. However taking the last clause personally, and as a fellow who is more into demonstrating things for his grandkids and keeping up a healthy level of general zaniness, I present what I hope to have flying - or flying again - this summer:

1. Odd'l Rockets Pigasus (suffered upper BT and nose cone damage, last launch)
2. Odd'l Rockets Breakaway
3. Odd'l Rockets Cyclone
4. ASP Tiny Tim/Wac Corporal
5. Estes Venus Probe.

I haven't flown 2, 3, or 4 yet, so maybe I'm doing this wrong. And 5 is actually not that great; it should be built for 24 mm motors and the room for the laundry is tight. But my grandkids love it.

 

[WV8KE]

1. Estes Skywinder
2. Estes Venus Probe
3. Estes Space Shuttle 1467
4. Estes Saturn 1b
5. Estes SR-71 blackbird
…and the little plastic R2D2 should really be on here…

The top three were likely flown more times than any of my others.
The skywinder flew until it was simply worn out.
The Venus probe booster fell victim to poor storage during my college years but I still have the alien in his pod hanging in a closet.
And the shuttle met its end due to a poorly chosen delay.

 

[AfterBurners]

Alpha
Saturn V
Interceptor
Interceptor E
Interceptor G

I know, the last two aren't strictly low-power. But for me they're among the most desired. Got the Interceptor and Interceptor G; someday I'll get the E.

whats the Interceptor G is that from Sirius Rocketry? If so I believe its called the Interrogator G

 

[caveduck]

North Coast had an Interceptor G; got one in the garage. I think that's what he was referring to.

 

[Tramper Al]

I'm going to say:

1. Astron Delta with its designated payload
2. Astron Omega with its designated payload
2. Black Hole Cygnus Probe Ship (yes, I know)
3. Centuri Space 1999 Eagle Transporter
4. Starship Excalibur RP-55 version

 

[smstachwick]

In size order, along with just a few reasons I like and recommend them:

• Star Trooper. A fun little high-performance 13mm rocket, originally made by Centuri, that is going OOP this year. Snap them up while you can. I just lost mine to an A10-3T CATO, date code D21 0521, so I’ll likely be replacing it with an Estes Luna Bug
• Generic E2X. Easy assembly, easy pack, generally good performance. Put a composite D in there if you really want to have some fun.
• Goblin. A real hot rod that pushes the limits on every flight. It and the C11-5 are a match made in heaven, but you can put a D12-5 in it if you’re brave. I fitted it with a 12-inch parachute for a gentler landing. Aerotech manufactures a few baby F motors that will fit in the stock motor mount, although that just seems silly in such a tiny airframe.
• Hi-Flier XL. A rocket that truly lives up to its name. Keep it LPR by installing a C11-3 or a D12-5, or shatter the 1,000 ft mark on an E or composite F.
• Star Orbiter. Although a 29mm mount, Estes also recommends a D12-3 with an adapter, so you could fly it LPR if you wish. I have yet to do this, but I have hit 1300 ft on an F15-6. Perfectly straight flights every time, zero roll, and it never crashes. I’m hoping that it’ll survive flights on G power.

BTW, this is my most recent flying fleet, so I’m a happy man.

 

[user 35280]

whats the Interceptor G

Probably the North Coast Rocketry by Estes Interceptor G,
here’s some great information about it,
http://ashasta-sadie.com/2021/01/20/interceptor-g/

 

[Ez2cDave]

I find myself sometimes pining for an Astron Avenger. It was my first multistage rocket back in the day, and I think of it as really awesome. Not sure if it's really a top-five best or if I'm being blinded by nostalgia.

Jeff,

"Nostalgia" is what drives "fond memories" . . . "Fond memories" take us back to a happy time in life . . . So, basically, "nostalgia" OPENS our eyes, not "blinding" them. Go back in time, experience the excitement again . . . Build an Avenger and make some new "fond memories" !

http://spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/k-38.pdf

Dave F.

 

[AfterBurners]

Probably the North Coast Rocketry by Estes Interceptor G,
here’s some great information about it,
http://ashasta-sadie.com/2021/01/20/interceptor-g/

You know what I never knew that?? That's pretty darn cool looking! NCR have some exceptional kits.

 

[dbrent]

For me it would be:
1. Estes Omega/Cineroc
2. Estes 1/70 Saturn1B
3. Estes Mars Lander
4. Centuri 1/45th Little Joe II
5. Estes U.S.S Atlantis

If I could squeeze 2 more in it would be the Centuri USS America and Estess U.S.S. Andromeda

 

[bjphoenix]

My top 5 are original designs, not scale models or whatever. I could pick a good number of those too.
I could go back to the 1966 or 1967 catalogs and pick out my list, and that's what I did.

Estes: (I still own 3 of these from that era)
Alpha
X-Ray
Farside or Apogee II
Mars Snooper
Ranger

Centuri:
Javelin
Hustler
Aero-Dart (1966 version)

 

[smstachwick]

Can I list an honorable mention?

 

[sinbintd1]

Estes Der V3 - on an E engine (great to watch)
Estes Star Orbiter - Out of site flights
Mega Mosquito (clone) another fun to watch rocket
Alpha - reliable
SR71 blackbird - rewarding to see finished

 

[lakeroadster]

X-Wing Alpha
Red Columbine
Ahpla
THUNK!
The Rocket Sled

 

[BEC]

I’m surprised I haven’t posted in this thread. If I were to list the models I fly the most, the list would look something like this:

Nova Payloader — with over 400 flights on six examples including one with 101 and another with 99, plus a 256% upscale with 20
Alpha (and Alpha III/IV/VI) — with probably ~300 flights across various examples of the various versions. I have a plan ol’ Alpha with 104 flights on it
Checkmate — this little 13mm motor two-stager is kick to fly A to A to ~700 feet. I’m on my third one and have ~70 flights across the three examples
Big Bertha — my most flown one has 39 flights, and I have a couple of others that have ~10 flights on them as well as a Super and a Boosted and a Baby and clone of the Mini (and a Big Bessie, New Way’s square interpretation)

I’m not sure what the fifth one would be as I have several with 20-40 flights on them. But the one I always take to launches at big flying sites is my Semroc SLS Aero Dart. It’s next flight will be its 29th.

As an aside: the ol’ standby Alpha III is a great rotten weather flyer (when equipped with a streamer) and one goes with us when we go to the coast for beach flying. I always take one to a launch that’s much of a drive away, so that unless the weather is REALLY terrible I can put up at least one flight.

The Alpha III injection-molded nose cone is unique in that it also allows a small altimeter (FireFly, MicroPeak, FS Mini) in a pouch to be stuffed inside which leaves more room in the body for packing the ‘chute without packing it too tightly. This is something I appreciate because I fly an altimeter in almost everything I fly. Alpha III also is physically almost unchanged from its original release in 1971. Really the only part configuration change was to change to the finger-tab style motor hook in the early 1990s along with all the rest of Estes motor-hook-equipped models.

Alpha III is also one of the few Estes models that really will go as high as they say on the package — on an Estes motor. One with straight fins can reach 1100 feet on a C6-5/7. I have the data (for example, here: https://flightsketch.com/flights/2519/) . The regular Alpha also performs as currently advertised.


@smstachwick I have one of those “honorable mentions” that I won’t be building. I would be happy to sell it for about what Buddy gets for them. “Start a conversation” if you’d like to pursue that.



Added: Another thread reminded me of another much-built and much-flown LPR that I just haven't flown much lately, but have I would guess 60-75 flights on in total: The Balsa Machining Service School Rocket. It should be third or fourth on my list above, based on the number of sorties I have flown with one.

 

[Lawndart]

I need to add any and all rockets from FatCat (including the smaller scale Project 463 model they showed at the First Orangeburg, SC LDRS). I really need to scratch build one of those.

 

[Back_at_it]

Estes Fire Fox
Estes Nasa Pegasus
Estes Mega Der Red Max
Estes Falcon Commander
Estes Phoenix

Of course these are better when upscaled. I've upscaled two of them and working on the Fire Fox parts list now.

 

[Bartlebear]

LEO Space Train
MultiRoc
Boosted Bertha
More Rockets Soaring Eagle
Apogee Heliroc

 

[BEC]

I'm a fan of both the MultiRoc and the Boosted Bertha as well, and have examples of both with two-digit numbers of flights on them.

It may be in that other similar thread, but I agree that the sustainer of the Boosted Bertha is actually an upgrade, since it has the 18mm screw-on motor retainer and is otherwise the same as the current "regular" Big Bertha (except for the launch lug location).