Satellite Interceptor is not the same as the Satellite Interceptor (1296 vs 3027)
 

For another build I am starting, I ran into an issue and went to check against my 3027 version

Something seemed wrong

So did a little digging and found the instructions for the older version, 1296

For some reason, Estes changed the design.

Both have a 16.5" body tube

But the dimensions from the rear of the tube to the various wings/tails changed

The top vertical fin moved forward from 0.75" to 1"
The bottom vertical fin moved forward from 1.25" to 1.5"
The wings moved from 2.75" to 3"
The dorsal fin moved from 3.75" to 4.5"

So almost everything moved forward 0.25" except the dorsal fin moved 0.75" forward.

Anyone know why? :confused: :confused:

Moving all the fins forward will move the CP forward - typically not a good thing...

Also, the later re-intro Satellite Interceptor kit did not include the plastic engine-nozzle-shaped tailcone. Did not understand that either.
When Estes first started their line of "Bring Backs", Estes listened that builders wanted balsa fins/cones.
I however don't think they understood that only meant where they were used in the ORIGINAL kits though.
The weirdest example of this was the re-issue of the Centuri "Phoenix Bird", which ALL BAR-types would expect to have a plastic "Enerjet" fin-can and a plastic nose-cone like the original, especially as they were still using that fin-can. When BARs saw the kits with 'improper'/un-original balsa fins/cones I think a lot of sales were lost due to this. If a kit had used both balsa/plastic nose cones through it's life (such as the Cherokee-D or A-20 Demon) either would be acceptable. I don't know of any kits from any manufacturer that started with either balsa or plastic fins then changed in their production run.
Other strange examples of this included the re-issue of the Orbital Transport, Scissor-Wing Transport, and Astron SkyDart with plastic cones instead of original balsa.
In all fairness, the Astron SkyDart was released as the SkyDart II, and not as a classic re-issue...other than the plastic cone, removal of LEAD weights, and some strange decal placement, it was the same as the original.