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  #11  
Old 10-18-2008, 08:29 AM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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I have no idea as to the dimensions on the body tubes and wall thickness. We'll have to wait and see.

It's a start wouldn't you agree on that?
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  #12  
Old 10-18-2008, 08:30 AM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket Doctor
It's a start wouldn't you agree on that?

Like you said, we'll have to wait and see.
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  #13  
Old 10-18-2008, 08:35 AM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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at least this is a change from the norm...............
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  #14  
Old 10-18-2008, 10:16 AM
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Solomoriah Solomoriah is offline
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Aunt Ester had a husband, Mr. Customer. He wasn't always a good provider, but he was always faithful, and for a while that was good enough for her. But then she had a midlife crisis, and began to fancy the bachelor down the street, Mr. Consumer. He was flashy and well-to-do, with an expensive car and a big house, and he spent his money on her liberally.

She still went home to Mr. Customer, and did the things she was expected to do, but she stopped doing the things he really liked. She was too busy trying to please Mr. Consumer... but he only liked to do it one way, and only when he felt like it.

Finally she saw the error of her ways, and came home to Mr. Customer promising romantic nights where she would do all the special things he always used to like. But Mr. Customer, left alone on many cold nights, had noticed the various charms of several other ladies on the street...
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  #15  
Old 10-18-2008, 10:36 AM
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sandman sandman is offline
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Hey!

No "bumps" on the Alien Invader's nose cone!
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  #16  
Old 10-18-2008, 10:42 AM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sandman
Hey!

No "bumps" on the Alien Invader's nose cone!

Since they went to balsa cones, that would be hard to do. My guess is they no longer have the mold for the original cone. I know that making those molds is very expensive. What I don't understand is why they're not offering the original fin can on the Phoenix Bird? It's the same as the Eliminator, et al, they'd just have to inject with a different color plastic. The press release says it uses TTW fins. That could be a typo though like I'm hoping those Centuri-kit tube dimensions are typos.
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  #17  
Old 10-18-2008, 10:45 AM
Mikus Mikus is offline
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Default Awesome, but....

I am encouraged by this, I hope Estes hits their marks. I will certainly buy several of these kits if they do make it to market.

But I would have liked to see more bring backs having attributes that prevent or otherwise substantially deter cloning. Things like funky nose cones, wing pods and other parts that can't be bought or made without some sort of casting setup out in the garage. Call me blasphemer, but I'm asking for more plastic I guess. I mean some of these are pretty cool kits but let's face it, how many 3FNCs can one do before boredom sets in? And can't most of these be cloned already?

And then I see the Maxi-Brutes regularly going for $75+ bucks with the Saturn V and Mercury Atlas kits almost never selling for less than $125 on ebay. I believe if I ran a model rocket company owning those designs, I'd try to get myself a little bit of that money; esp. with next year being the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11. I guess obtaining the parts for those kits would be too expensive for the profit margin Estes is trying to achieve.

In fact I kinda see 2 goals behind this particular selection of bring backs, although both are, of course, just theories. One is to play off the nostalgia craze at the cheapest cost possible - hence picking designs that can use already readily available balsa nose cones and bits rather than needing to cast new plastic parts. Two is to take a swing at taking away some of their competitors' cloning business.

Am I being overly paranoid? Do you think we'll ever see some of the more exotic designs from the past as "Classics"? Would you agree that the future of Estes bring backs pretty much hinges on these selling very well?
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  #18  
Old 10-18-2008, 11:24 AM
Eagle3 Eagle3 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikus
.... Do you think we'll ever see some of the more exotic designs from the past as "Classics"? Would you agree that the future of Estes bring backs pretty much hinges on these selling very well?


That's a fair guess. I think the word used for all these classic releases was "test".
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  #19  
Old 10-18-2008, 12:01 PM
Initiator001 Initiator001 is offline
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Estes is certainly trying to get get back to the 'hobby' side of the business with these new kts.

Their attendance at iHobby 2008, the first in many years, is an indication as is the two page, full color, ad Estes is running in the Hobby Merchandiser 2008 Fall Buyers Guide that was sent along with the October 2008 issue of HM. This Guide is a special edition for the iHobby Show.

New/old motors, too. Cool.

Maybe Estes has gone as far as it can with the mass-merchandisers (Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) and to bring in additional revenue they have gone back to the 'hobby'.

Bob
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  #20  
Old 10-18-2008, 12:09 PM
scigs30 scigs30 is offline
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I am so glad Estes is moving in the direction they are heading. Yes there are some differences between the originals and the bring backs, but that is ok. I hope new rocketeers will buy these kits in the hobby stores and have just as much fun as we did when we were young. New hobbiest will not know the difference between the originals and the bring backs. They are still fantastic designs and I am saving my money. I am still curious if Estes is making their own balsa nose cones or if they are contracted out.
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