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  #1  
Old 09-22-2013, 09:57 AM
Brent Brent is offline
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Default Gemini Titan

I saw this on eBay and thought about bidding on it, but didn't http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Clone-...9#ht_151wt_1213 . Does anyone know anything about this kit and manufacturer?
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Old 09-22-2013, 02:28 PM
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jharding58 jharding58 is offline
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You could clone it yourself for a lot less with Semroc parts, or wait for their kit release. Not sure about the manufacturer, but someone went ape on the price.
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Old 09-22-2013, 04:36 PM
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Agreed. I was just wondering about the plastic fin unit, capsule and nozzles. Maybe it was a clone that used Estes parts with a 24mm engine mount? It has a D power option in the description.
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Old 09-22-2013, 06:18 PM
mikemech mikemech is offline
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The original was Estes. I had one in the late sixties. Twin 18mm motors. Balsa capsule, IIRC. Nozzles were paper. The fins were clear plastic sheets, thin for the wrap and thicker for the fins.
This has two crazy people, one for charging so much and one for paying it.

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Old 09-22-2013, 07:26 PM
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This is the BT-60 based, single engine model sold by Estes in the 80's, not the BT-70 based, two engine cluster model that Estes had in the 60's.

The fin unit on the BT-60 model is the same one used today in a number of E2X kits such as the Black Diamond, FreeFall, and the various Crayon rockets, but molded in clear plastic. The nose cone was the entire Gemini stack, both command and service modules. I don't know if they still offer it, but Sirius Rocketry had a resin version of the nose cone available, and you could still find clear versions of the fin unit in other Estes kits over the years.
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Old 09-23-2013, 09:21 AM
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blackshire blackshire is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Royatl
This is the BT-60 based, single engine model sold by Estes in the 80's, not the BT-70 based, two engine cluster model that Estes had in the 60's.

The fin unit on the BT-60 model is the same one used today in a number of E2X kits such as the Black Diamond, FreeFall, and the various Crayon rockets, but molded in clear plastic. The nose cone was the entire Gemini stack, both command and service modules. I don't know if they still offer it, but Sirius Rocketry had a resin version of the nose cone available, and you could still find clear versions of the fin unit in other Estes kits over the years.
Sirius Rocketry likely still does; in my experience, they have more parts available than are listed on the "Moldin' Oldies" pages on their website www.siriusrocketry.com at any given time, because I've bought them. The Estes BT-60 Gemini capsule's absence on the "Moldin' Oldies" list could simply be due to them having to create a new RTV rubber mold to cast new ones. Also, since clear polyurethane casting resins are available (SynAir Corporation, original makers of the "Por-A-Kast" resin, developed a particularly good one), Sirius Rocketry could cast clear duplicates of the clear styrene (or ABS) plastic fin unit if need be.
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Last edited by blackshire : 09-23-2013 at 09:31 AM. Reason: This ol' hoss done forgot somethin'.
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Old 09-23-2013, 07:48 PM
wickball wickball is offline
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Keeping my fingers crossed for Semroc to release this. I know, I know,.............

wick
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Old 09-23-2013, 08:06 PM
Neal Miller Neal Miller is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blackshire
Sirius Rocketry likely still does; in my experience, they have more parts available than are listed on the "Moldin' Oldies" pages on their website www.siriusrocketry.com at any given time, because I've bought them. The Estes BT-60 Gemini capsule's absence on the "Moldin' Oldies" list could simply be due to them having to create a new RTV rubber mold to cast new ones. Also, since clear polyurethane casting resins are available (SynAir Corporation, original makers of the "Por-A-Kast" resin, developed a particularly good one), Sirius Rocketry could cast clear duplicates of the clear styrene (or ABS) plastic fin unit if need be.


Hi J, the Estes #1978 Gemini Titan was a real PUTZ of a Model Rocket. First off it didn't look
all that good, and it flew like a brick. After the first flight the Base of the clear fins was no longer clear from the motor exhaust. the rocket would land rather hard with the stock 12" parachute , damage to the plastic fins was not unusual. In the late 80's or early 90's
K.B. Toy's gave these away at close-out for $ 2.99, I bought 3-4 and ended up robbing parts
from them as back then No one wanted them. I wish I had them now.
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Old 09-23-2013, 08:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal Miller
Hi J, the Estes #1978 Gemini Titan was a real PUTZ of a Model Rocket. First off it didn't look
all that good, and it flew like a brick. After the first flight the Base of the clear fins was no longer clear from the motor exhaust. the rocket would land rather hard with the stock 12" parachute , damage to the plastic fins was not unusual. In the late 80's or early 90's
K.B. Toy's gave these away at close-out for $ 2.99, I bought 3-4 and ended up robbing parts
from them as back then No one wanted them. I wish I had them now.
I wish I'd bought some of them, as well as a few of the same-scale Titan II ICBM and the MX! I'd love to see Estes release a Titan IIIC/MOL/Gemini 2 test vehicle scale kit (using the Stage 0 SRMs from the Titan IIIE kit); a customizable version that could have either the Gemini capsule or an X-20 Dyna-Soar glider atop the Titan IIIC would be beautiful to behold! With composite motors, it would fly well if not spectacularly.
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