Estes-Mattel Cape Canaveral line

[Gus]

I noticed on Leo's Site (http://www.leo.nutz.de/Rockets.php) his collection of Estes-Mattel Cape Canaveral kits.

Anyone care to provide a bit of history about these kits? When were they sold? Was this a Europe only endeavor? Were there any separate catalogs?

[Chas Russell]

When I was stationed in northern California back in '75-'79, I had a teenager in our club whose father was born in Germany. Richard went over to visit his dad's family and when he came back he presented me with a Cape Canaveral Andromeda kit. Real colorful box, just wish I had learned some German from my grandmother. As far as I know, it was for the German market.

Hey, I know, lets ask Mike!

Sorry that I don't have any more information. There may be something in the early Model Rocketeers.

Chas

[Royatl]

I was gonna say... that sounds like a perfect "Ask Mike" question.

[Oliver]

I know it´s an old thread but I just discovered it. So please excuse my late posting. Mattel was the German distributor of Estes in the Mid-70´s. So they sold parts of the Estes rocketry line of this time along with German instructions. The kits were re-packed in a solid box (no bags) but were all imported.

The rocket line was available in almost any hobby and toy shop in the 70´s. And they even made TV spots!

So at this time, it attracted a lot of people for model rocketry. Unfortunatly, Mattel stopped selling the kits a few years later, obviously the sales volume didn´t matched what they´ve expected. However, it was the first time model rockets were available to a greater audience in Germany so it was a historical landmark for rocketry here ;-)

Greetings,

Oliver

[blackshire]

I noticed on Leo's Site (http://www.leo.nutz.de/Rockets.php) his collection of Estes-Mattel Cape Canaveral kits.

Anyone care to provide a bit of history about these kits? When were they sold? Was this a Europe only endeavor? Were there any separate catalogs?And this ad scan on Leo's web site (from the 1976 Johnson Smith catalog, see: http://www.leo.nutz.de/images/rockets/Rocket_Ad.jpg ) shows not only the Estes Star Trek Starter Set that got Leo "hooked" on the hobby, but also the foam-rubber "nosed" Cold Propellant rocket (not made by either Vashon or Estes, to my knowledge) that was sold in department stores and hobby shops many years ago.