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-   -   Products which were announced but never released (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=5113)

Initiator001 04-16-2009 06:48 PM

Products which were announced but never released
 
Mike,

Thank you for responding to my question about the Cylon Raider and the Cygnus Probe.


I know that at least one of those Cygnus Probe kits escaped the warehouse.

About 20 years ago, I was speaking to an HPR flyer over the phone while I was working at AeroTech. I don't know how the conversation turned to this subject but we started talking about Estes kits. I mentioned how it would be nice to have one of the Cygnus Probe kits in my collection. He told me he had one. I was skeptical and told him so. He told me that he had visited Penrose and the Estes facility at one point and had managed to get one of these kits.

I still didn't believe him and our conversation moved on to other topics.

It would appear I owe him an apology. :o

I wonder if I have a current phone number for him... ;)

Bob

Initiator001 04-16-2009 08:30 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Mike,

Another 'lost' product question for you.

The product is the Laser Launch Controller.

I was sent one to review/test around ten years ago. I took it up to one of the Los Angeles NAR Section launches and tried/demo'd it.

The voice countdown feature was it's what made it 'special'.

It worked fine but didn't seem to generate much interest. The most asked question was, "Who provided the voice?"

Can you explain/describe the history of the item?

Thank you.

Bob Sanford

MDorffler 04-16-2009 10:04 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Initiator001
Mike,

Another 'lost' product question for you.

The product is the Laser Launch Controller.

I was sent one to review/test around ten years ago. I took it up to one of the Los Angeles NAR Section launches and tried/demo'd it.

The voice countdown feature was it's what made it 'special'.

It worked fine but didn't seem to generate much interest. The most asked question was, "Who provided the voice?"

Can you explain/describe the history of the item?

Thank you.

Bob Sanford


Bob - I didn't know we had sent any of those out for review. I guess I better go check my desk in the morning to see how many of my personal items have been sent out without my knowledge. That controller was too expensive to produce compared with the standard E-Beam. The supplier just couldn't get the cost down and the sound didn't really add any safety or value so it was scrapped. The cost would have driven up the reatil for the starter outfits which is not a good idea. I don't know who recorded the voice - sorry, The whole project was handled by the marketing department who didn't consult with anyone in R&D at all. I saw it on the shop bench one day and asked what the heck it was. That was my total involement.

MDorffler 04-16-2009 10:07 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Initiator001
Mike,

Thank you for responding to my question about the Cylon Raider and the Cygnus Probe.


I know that at least one of those Cygnus Probe kits escaped the warehouse.

About 20 years ago, I was speaking to an HPR flyer over the phone while I was working at AeroTech. I don't know how the conversation turned to this subject but we started talking about Estes kits. I mentioned how it would be nice to have one of the Cygnus Probe kits in my collection. He told me he had one. I was skeptical and told him so. He told me that he had visited Penrose and the Estes facility at one point and had managed to get one of these kits.

I still didn't believe him and our conversation moved on to other topics.

It would appear I owe him an apology. :o

I wonder if I have a current phone number for him... ;)

Bob


This is interesting that at least one of the kits got out. It should not have happened. We had a contract with Disney that they were all to be destroyed.

Initiator001 04-17-2009 12:03 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by MDorffler
I guess I better go check my desk in the morning to see how many of my personal items have been sent out without my knowledge.



Mike,

Uhh, about your desk.

You may find you have a 'new' desk when you arrive at work on Friday. :eek:

If you're ever in San Diego, let me know and you can stop by and visit your 'old' desk. ;) :D :chuckle:

Seriously, thanks, again, for taking the time to answer my questions.

Bob Sanford

rkt2k1 04-17-2009 01:09 AM

Salvage 1
 
Mike,

Thanks for joining the forum and providing your insight into the history of Estes. I've enjoyed reading the questions posed to you and your responses.

Speaking of products that were never released, I remember finding photos on the Internet of a Estes R&D design of the Salvage 1 rocket from the short-lived TV series.

What is the story behind that design?

Thanks,

... Bill

Royatl 04-17-2009 08:00 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by rkt2k1
Mike,

Thanks for joining the forum and providing your insight into the history of Estes. I've enjoyed reading the questions posed to you and your responses.

Speaking of products that were never released, I remember finding photos on the Internet of a Estes R&D design of the Salvage 1 rocket from the short-lived TV series.

What is the story behind that design?

Thanks,

... Bill


This has been covered in the original thread, "Ask Mike" messages #88 , #89 , and #106 .

rkt2k1 04-17-2009 11:22 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Royatl
This has been covered in the original thread, "Ask Mike" messages #88 , #89 , and #106 .


Thanks Roy! Not sure how I missed those posts.

... Bill

mn-rocketry 04-25-2009 09:31 AM

I can think of a few Estes products in the 1995-2000 time frame that were announced or appeared in catalogs or fliers, but then never became available. I know that not every announced product makes it to market (for a variety of reasons), but it was sometimes hard to get retail customers to understand that!

#2117, F-117 Stealth Nighthawk (1996 catalog update pages, 1997 catalog)
#2145, Star Booster (1997 catalog)
#2152, Zenix SSRV (1998 catalog)
#2225, Laser Launch Controller (1998 flier)
#2164, Titan IIE (2000 flier)
#2030, Screaming Eagle rocket car (2000 flier)

I also seem to recall a NCR starter set, possibly called "Orbit"?

Alan

MDorffler 04-25-2009 10:27 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by mn-rocketry
I can think of a few Estes products in the 1995-2000 time frame that were announced or appeared in catalogs or fliers, but then never became available. I know that not every announced product makes it to market (for a variety of reasons), but it was sometimes hard to get retail customers to understand that!

#2117, F-117 Stealth Nighthawk (1996 catalog update pages, 1997 catalog)
#2145, Star Booster (1997 catalog)
#2152, Zenix SSRV (1998 catalog)
#2225, Laser Launch Controller (1998 flier)
#2164, Titan IIE (2000 flier)
#2030, Screaming Eagle rocket car (2000 flier)

I also seem to recall a NCR starter set, possibly called "Orbit"?

Alan


Alan - There have been several products we announced over the years that we had every intention of releasing. There are different reasons for each that caused them to be cancelled. I have tried to fill in the reasons here for some such as the Cygnus and Cylon, but sometimes the explinations are simply not enough for some of the modelers. I don't know what else I can do but try to tell just why some of the models didn't make it.

The Star Booster for example was a scale model of the project that Buzz Aldrin had become spokesman for. I met Buzz when he came to the plant to talk about the project. The full size Star Booster project fell apart in only a few monhs as we were tooling up the model. Licensing kept us from taking any further so it was dropped.

So again, there can be a ny number of reasons why a project ends before reching market.


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