Hello All,
In the very earliest Estes catalogs, they offered--in addition to the model rocket parts with which we're familiar today--plastic fin units and nose cones for firework missiles. (This isn't at all surprising, since Vern Estes was originally in the fireworks business before he got into model rocketry.) Now:
As well as the fit-onto-tube conical missile nose cone (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...61/261est4.html ), and the "Bastille-style" trailing delta fins, fit-onto-tube missile fin unit (the Dirty Bird III rocket plan used one, with a regular ogive model rocket nose cone), Estes also offered a fit-over-tube, "Spin Fin" firework missile fin unit (both of these fin units can be seen *here*:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...61/261est6.html ). This polyethylene plastic fin unit fit over their BT-1 (0.840" Outside Diameter, I think) body tube, with slight modification of one tube end being necessary for a proper fit (I think the tube was a bit wider than the "Spin Fin" unit's inside diameter), and:
I have seen the conical plastic nose cones and "Bastille-style" plastic fin units for firework missiles available as separate parts from time to time, but I have never seen the polyethylene "Spin Fin" units except in that Estes catalog. Does anyone still make them, anywhere? If so, they might be good for group rocket building & flying activities, especially introductory ones for younger kids. Its fins are also somewhat reminiscent of those of the Atlantic Research Corporation Metroc meteorological rocket (a "little sister" to the Arcas, it boosted a 2 pound sonde payload to 20 miles altitude), and could be used for a semi-scale Metroc model.
Many thanks in advance to anyone who could help!