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  #31  
Old 07-09-2007, 12:42 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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NO Forum and NO RD

When the Forum ceased, so did the Rocket Doctor......
Down the line the Rocket Doctor will speak out, until then, have a great flying season, one and all....

RD
More great things to come along ??????
Ask rougepink.
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  #32  
Old 08-24-2007, 02:50 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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There are many kits planned for this year, but, I don't know what will be coming along anymore, I'm out of the loop now.

Two individuals that helped to shut down the Estes Forum no longer work for Estes, their former marketing manager and the former VP of sales and marketing.

Just before the Forum was shut down, I could see the writings on the wall that my four designs weren't gong to fly (no pun intended). They were scheduled for production in the early stages of 2007, and were shot down, soon thereafter, the Forum stopped.

It seemed like two trains heading on the ame track, then, a collision.

My first design was a rocket called shooting star, a brilliant blue with white stars on the body tube, inside was to be two "shooting stars" which consisted of two rubbery pointed "stars" that when squeezed would flash with multicolor lights, these would have come down on seperate parachutes, two per rocket, giving you the effect, at dusk, of shooting stars zipping across the sky.

The next one was the "jump zone" an airplane looking rocket, it didn't glide down, but, looked like an airplane, contained inside was a military paratrooper, who would be ejected at apogee and he would try to land on a large target on the ground, it would make for a great spot landing rocket paratrooper combo.

The next one was a red max type design with and extended payload capsule, inside the capsule would be a siren, you would activate the siren prior to launch, and listen to it scream into the sky, very easy to track, it was called the Siren.

The forth rocket was going to be a Bell X-1 replica.

I also suggested that for the 50th, that Estes bring back the K-1 Scout, something very special was planned, but, was also shot down in April.

So, I don't know what ?Estes has in mind for the 50th next year (June 12, 2008) at this point I don't think anything or a very limited offering.

Since I'm out of touch with Estes now, I have no clue in what direction they will be going.

Like I said over and over again, I tried to have changes made for all of us, it was like being on a treadmill and going knowhere.

I was very sincere in the purpose of the Forum, but, met with much resistance, unfortunately.

Come to NARAM 50 next year and I would love to meet all of you, I'll be there...

Check back at nar.org, there is supposed to be a web page set up around Sept 15th, keep checking for NARAM 50 announcements.

Have a great day.......

MP2/RD
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  #33  
Old 08-24-2007, 03:00 PM
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Daniel Runyon Daniel Runyon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by multipad2
My first design was a rocket called shooting star, a brilliant blue with white stars on the body tube, inside was to be two "shooting stars" which consisted of two rubbery pointed "stars" that when squeezed would flash with multicolor lights, these would have come down on seperate parachutes, two per rocket, giving you the effect, at dusk, of shooting stars zipping across the sky.


That sounds SUPER cool! The Siren is a good idea too, but that Shooting Star sounds downright CLASSIC.
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  #34  
Old 08-24-2007, 04:45 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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I also had a rocket that looked like a skunk, I called it Lil Stinker, it had the skunk tail and was black and white, really neet, didn't impress them at all.
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  #35  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:04 PM
scigs30 scigs30 is offline
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What is Estes target group? When they design a rocket, how many do they hope on selling? Will we ever see the old days of Estes?
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  #36  
Old 08-25-2007, 07:47 PM
Initiator001 Initiator001 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scigs30
What is Estes target group? When they design a rocket, how many do they hope on selling? Will we ever see the old days of Estes?


Past information leads me to say that the Estes target group is 10-14 year old males.

I don't know what the current criteria is for selling of each rocket kit. I DO know that they expect fewer sales for a Saturn V vs. an Alpha.

The old days are gone. If Estes was to return to products designed in the mold of the 1960s-70s, they would go out of business. Thank goodness we have Semroc, PDR, Thrusline, BMS and others which feed the need of us who remember rocketry in the past.

Bob
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  #37  
Old 08-25-2007, 08:23 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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It seems to me, sales through mass merchandisers is what they are going for, and this is only my gut feeling.

You pnly need to sell a handful of pricey kits to equal sales of less expensive kits.

A rocket like the oracle , you would only need to sell one to equal about six to eight regular kits.

The only way that your going to see Estes return to it's roots is if a group of BAR'S would pool their resourses and buy it. Or better yrt, when I hit the lottery and return it back into a true model rocket company.

The above comments are only my opinion...

RD
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  #38  
Old 08-25-2007, 08:34 PM
scigs30 scigs30 is offline
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Good luck on the Lotto....Does Estes have a plant in China or is it just a unnamed factory?
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  #39  
Old 08-25-2007, 08:53 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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Made in China by a seperate company not owned by Estes.

Haven't hit the lottery yet.

mega millions = $260 million
powerball = $360 million, and this one was picked tonight, haven't heard about any winners yrt.
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  #40  
Old 08-27-2007, 01:08 PM
PaulK PaulK is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket Doctor
I also suggested that for the 50th, that Estes bring back the K-1 Scout, something very special was planned, but, was also shot down in April.
The K-1 would have been a natural, I was hoping for that, rats. I don't imagine it would have been a big seller though. The X-1 would have been really nice too.
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