We used the attractive young ladies as models because it was the easiest way to communicate the large size of the rockets - something people were not familiar with - these were not toys - and the target audience was sure to look at the rockets.....eventually.

We had only one complaint over the whole time on our catalog covers, and it came from a particularly obnoxious mother of a teenager. Since she would never buy the product, we never worried about her concerns.

Matt

I might have complained that there weren't enough photos with Traci.... eventually. As soon as put the catalog away. :D

I enjoyed the catalogs and the products. When I visited Huntsville to fly with HARA, I kept my eye out just in case I spotted one of the models.....not the rockets. ;)

I have 2 versions of the Corporal. Without going home and looking, it seems like one is ~ 1.8" dia. and the other is ~ 2.6". What led to the change?

Is there anything preventing Estes from simply re-releasing the motors? All the engineering is done. When they re-release kits they do all new molds now since they produce at a contract shop in China.

Great news, and I had forgotten Scott Dixon was involved.


If I get the guts I may fly my Quasar NG on an F62-4 at LDRS :)

Do you think you could have made a white that lasts? I have some old AT grains that have swelled to about 150% original size.

Do you think you could have made a white that lasts?

I just liked the bigger size model (2.6" diameter) better.

Matt

1) Scott Dixon made all the propellant and delay for Estes. He had the formulation, and Estes does not.

2) There is no one at Estes who knows how to make composite propellant now. There are very few people who know how to make production-sized batches of AP/HTPB propellant. It is not as straightforward as scaling up what most EX folks do. It was also more sophisticated than Aerotech's methods (though more expensive than Aerotech's methods). The process used Vulcan
Systems equipment that is no longer available to Estes. And, Scott doesn't want to do small motors or hobby motors anymore. He does work that pays much, much better.

3) The cases used some special engineered materials and were molded in the US. As far as i know, those materials are not available in China, and not able to be exported.

So, no, Estes can't do it anymore.

The current version of NCR could do something very similar from a technical standpoint, if I were so inclined, but the capital costs of re-starting production and re-certifying the motors is cost-prohibitive.

Sorry!

Matt

Scott Dixon's version of the bright white flame/white smoke "Dragon Fire" propellant was formulated to avoid the aging issues seen in Aerotech's White Lightning propellant.

Despite not having finished his college degree, Scott Dixon is a brilliant chemist and formulator. He holds patents on some unique aspects of propellants.

Matt

That's because they use magnesium. Either magnalum or another metal entirely would work. Aluminium works well long term. It also generates white smoke and in small particle sizes it mostly combusts inside. Mg combusts at lower temperatures and L*.

Jerry

I could't agree more. He is some sort of gumstock god too. Been to his shop once. Amazing chemistry set! Purchased epoxy from him he formulated from scratch. Awesome.