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  #21  
Old 04-22-2011, 05:21 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Talk about ridiculous money. Look at what this built 1B is going for!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...E:B:WNA:US:1123
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  #22  
Old 04-22-2011, 05:39 PM
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Wow. I've really been building them cheap...
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  #23  
Old 04-22-2011, 06:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
Talk about ridiculous money. Look at what this built 1B is going for!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...E:B:WNA:US:1123



That's amazing. I wonder who the clientele is for built rockets in this price range? One would be attempted to conclude that a 'builder' hobbiest would defer to spend that kind of money on a 'kit' to build on their own. Additionally, one might assume that those not interested in the hobby wouldn't want to spend anywhere near that on a model for ANY reason.

As I've stated before in other threads, I'm not criticizing folks about what they spend their money on....it's their money and they are free to spend it as they wish. Just trying to understand the exact motivation.

Earl
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  #24  
Old 04-23-2011, 11:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
Talk about ridiculous money. Look at what this built 1B is going for!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...E:B:WNA:US:1123

That was sold by the same person who sold the Gemini Titan!

Looking through the completed items this person is selling off a truly amazing collection of space memorablia from someone who appears to have been a NASA employee at Goddard. The flyable model rockets look to be a small part of the collection.

Some incredible stuff there, including an operations manual for shuttle crashes.
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  #25  
Old 04-23-2011, 06:28 PM
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Default GT Kit Parts

I was digging a Centuri kit out of one of my older storage boxes and I came across the Estes G-T kit (#1978) I had, which I received as a freebie from an Estes order back around '87 or so, I think.

I opened the kit at the time (not sure why) and looked the parts over then rebagged it. It's been in the storage box ever since.

Here's some photos of the kit contents. I guess that plastic Gemini capsule nosecone would be 'specific' to this kit (and of course the decal sheet), but that would appear to be about it. Seems that clear fin unit was used on another Estes kit maybe (MX missle I think someone else suggested), but not positive about that.

All-in-all, not a bad kit (as I mentioned in my original post), but I guess I'd personally be hard-pressed to toss down $300 for this kit.

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  #26  
Old 04-23-2011, 06:36 PM
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Chas Russell Chas Russell is offline
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Default Estes GT kit

I have an unopened one of those kits. I also have a Moldin' Oldies by Sirius Rocketry kit capsule for a future project. Problem is too many future projects...

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  #27  
Old 04-23-2011, 07:17 PM
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The fin unit for the #1978 Gemini Titan kit was also used for the MX Missile kit and the Titan II Missile kit. The twin engine bells from the Titan II kit were used for the GT kit for display as well. The MX missile kit had a single-bell display nozzle and was unique to that kit.

The clear plastic fin unit used in these three kits is WOEFULLY fragile and is known to snap fins at the root. If you build any of these three kits, PITCH into the TRASH the dismally inadequate 12" chute and replace with a quality 18" chute. If you do not, fins WILL break on anything but the gentlest of landings in no wind on soft ground.

Makes one wonder who decided chute sizes at Estes...those three kits all weigh more than DOUBLE the weight of a Cherokee-D, which Estes RETARDEDLY decided needed a 18" chute where a 12" is almost overkill.

Incidentally, Estes later molded this same twist-lok fin unit in black for some other later kit that I cannot recall.
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  #28  
Old 04-23-2011, 07:41 PM
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Default Chute Sizes

Yeah, on chute sizes I guess they (the manufacturers) balance between the customer recovering the rocket within a reasonable distance; what's adequate to protect the model from landing damage; and material costs.

In general though, it's been my feeling over the years that chutes supplied with kits have tended to be too small. If launch conditions allow (field size, winds) I have in many cases tended to go with a larger chute size than that supplied with the kit.

But yes, looking at that plasic fin unit, I could see it would not survive too many hard landings at all. The plastic is thicker than that on the somewhat similar (but smaller) AstroCam fin unit, but I never had a broken fin on my original AstroCam back in the day and I put bunches of flights on that bird. The plastic on the GT fin unit, though thicker, seems more fragile for some reason.

Attached is a closeup of the engine bell set from the GT kit which I couldn't attach to the prior set of photos (ran out of space).

Earl
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  #29  
Old 04-23-2011, 08:45 PM
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John Brohm John Brohm is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
...
Incidentally, Estes later molded this same twist-lok fin unit in black for some other later kit that I cannot recall.


The clear plastic BT-60 fin can unit was also included in kit #2054 Beta Launch Vehicle. The black unit you refer to was provided in kit #2070 Bail Out!
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  #30  
Old 04-23-2011, 09:48 PM
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I never had a problem with busticated fins on any of my AstroCams; I'm pretty sure the material on the AstroCam fin unit was a different plastic than the material used for The GT, Titan II, and MX fins.
The Clear fins on the Titan sure were not as flexible as those used on the Astro Cam.
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ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
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