Thanks guys. I picked up several of those thinking they might make good first rockets for the kids (still a bit young). I had not even opened or inspected any of them yet. I guess I will not be teaching the kids those lessons, at least not to start.
Alan
True, but the other Ready2Fail plastic rockets didn't have a big metal spike on the front of the ejectable pod. We had one of those punch right through someones sun shade.
Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!
Really, one does have to wonder if there were any rocket folks at Estes when that stuff was planned. That X-Wing fighter was really damn dangerous. Not just unstable but that metal spike was an accident waiting to happen..sort of a pyrotechnic lawn dart. Who was in charge in those days; does any body know? Was that Barry what's his face? It would seem that wiser heads are now calling the shots or the dumbasses finally got on board the learning curve and got religion. Either way, I sure hope we never see the likes of that junk again.
I've wondered that about several of their kits over the years. Ever see R2D2 fly? YIKES!
Randy
Perhaps we can blame Estes for putting the "Artoo can FLY!!" idea into George Lucas's head (re: Attack Of The Clones).
This one.
All the real rocket people are long gone. Perhaps Mike could fill us in on who left when.
Barry Tunick has been in charge since the early 90s, and now owns the whole thing.
Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!
Given that Estes has become MORE "hobby" freindly and more customer driven, it seems he might be a good thing, albiet not so good as Vern was.
Jerry
Well, I wouldn't give up hope -- some of those who are there now may be (or becoming) 'rocket people' -- I have to be thankful for some of the offerings over the past year. Heck, even the Outlander is useful for making Mars Lander-ish stuff, and the fact that they did the X-prize rockets, and are re-releasing things such as the Orbital Transport, ScissorWing Transport, and Saturn 1B bode quite well.
And bear in mind that SOMEONE has to come in to make up for all of us old fogies -- and they might even (God forbid) have some good ideas, too!
David Erbas-White
I have heard relatively sophisticated people get excited about the Estes SS1.
I suggest they make a big one. Perhaps one that ONLY flies on 3 cluster
24mm (BT-70) and coincidentally fits 54mm and 38mm :)Just Jerry
Estes rocks!
uh, Jerry, don't look now, but they've had a 4"diameter SS1 announced for a few months now. Should be out in the next couple of months. One E9 power. (or E15 or E30 or 24mm F....) Should be able to cobble up a version for
38mm, though probably the only things that could be used from the kit are the nose and tail cones.
Not just Mars Lander-ish. With the right parts you can build a more or less genuine Mars Lander with it. You've got the basic chassis with an alternative shock absorber attachment method (and you can build it the original way if you really want it). A BT-100 (from an old R2D2 kit) or a sliced down BT101, a BMS nose cone (maybe a different length BT60... haven't checked that), and some good scissor skills and you're in bidniz.
Since he's had full control, the product offering seems to be getting better, in fits and spurts. Yea, there are still abominations like that piece of crap snap-together Firestreak SST that they've been giving to Scouts (I'll save the horror stories about our helping out some Scout troops last weekend for another thread), and yea, they're a little behind the technology curve on the Oracle. But there's a reasonable selection of motors and a number of interesting kits lately (though I'd certainly rather see them cut a few more E2X kits in favor of a few more level 1 and 2 kits).
I think the garden path that Lucasfilm took him down six years ago may have shown him the light about the toy market and he's focusing back toward the hobby market. Now the Wal-Mart offerings are much more focused... Lauchables/Blurz and the big aisle displays of SnapShots and similar BT-56 RTFs. I haven't seen much lately from the Cox side of the business.
It would probably only need about 4 pounds of clay in the nose. ; )
Randy
In fact, Estes does have a MAXI version of Space Ship One coming out later this year.
I believe it's only meant for flying with a D12-3, but that should be easily fixed.
Cool.
Cool**2
Then, you'll only have the assault charge to worry about...
Eldred
Ooh, I have one of those too... :-)
Eldred
Just set up a camera and film it. ; )
Randy
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