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Old 10-04-2007, 08:40 AM
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cas2047 cas2047 is offline
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Default Estes Mercury Redstone - Kit Versions

I had thought that there were only three different kit versions of the Estes Mercury Redstne until I purchased the kit pictured on the left in the attachment some months back.

Does anyone know if there were other Estes Mercury Redstone kit types not pictured?

Also any idea when the kit pictured on the left was produced?

Thanks!
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Old 10-04-2007, 02:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cas2047
I had thought that there were only three different kit versions of the Estes Mercury Redstne until I purchased the kit pictured on the left in the attachment some months back.

Does anyone know if there were other Estes Mercury Redstone kit types not pictured?

Also any idea when the kit pictured on the left was produced?

Thanks!



The two on the left are the same rocket in different packaging. This would be the BT-60 based kit which was available from 1969 to 1981. The one on the far left was probably produced in '69 or '70, while the next one was probably from the mid to late 70's

The third one is based on the Centuri kit from 1969. The Estes version (the one you have) was initially available from 1984-1991. It made another appearance in the late 90's. The one on the far right was re-engineered with through the wall plastic fins, and was available from 2003-2004 IIRC.

(edit: moved "(the one you have)" to the correct version)
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Old 10-04-2007, 03:22 PM
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cas2047 cas2047 is offline
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Thanks Roy! Much appreciated!

I'm going to build that first kit on the left. I have to purchase a new decal set though because the included decals were in contact with the chute and some of the black coloring from the chute has come off onto the decals. I'm really looking forward to that because I built one as a kid and remember that, although very challenging, it was a lot of fun and came out great.

I built one of the newest versions (the one on the right) but wasn't overly impressed with that version because it was more of a snap together exercise than a true building experience. It doesn't fly all that great either. It's fairly heavy...

Thanks Again!

Frank
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Old 10-04-2007, 05:04 PM
CraigF CraigF is offline
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I built the one second from right (1921??), IMO it's pretty good, not too heavy, and the fins aren't a particular weak point even though not TTW. Well, I guess I really don't have to say what the weak point is, huh?

Which clumsily segues into my question: I have a couple of the one on the right (2167) which were supposed to be backups for the 1921. I didn't even know they had TTW fins until now. Anyway, I notice one of them has a white plastic capsule kit, and the other has a red capsule kit I'm guessing left over from the previous version. Any difference between these capsule kits? Thanks.
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Old 10-04-2007, 08:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigF
Anyway, I notice one of them has a white plastic capsule kit, and the other has a red capsule kit I'm guessing left over from the previous version. Any difference between these capsule kits? Thanks.


No, for some odd reason they made them from both red and white. IIRC even the instructions noted this by giving different painting methods depending on what color the plastic was.
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Old 10-04-2007, 08:46 PM
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Centuri's original Mercury Redstone kit's (1/35 scale) capsule is molded black. I have that
model, and it's a real beauty.
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Old 10-05-2007, 03:55 PM
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I have all of those in the picture plus the Centuri kit.
All are built except three K-41 "skill level 5" (kit second from the left) kits that I got for a bargain on ebay....don't think I paid over $50 for each.
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Old 10-05-2007, 05:05 PM
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^ Would you want to detail the significant differences between each version, as far as you know? If it's a lot of work don't bother, but maybe you know offhand...
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Old 10-06-2007, 06:16 AM
CraigF CraigF is offline
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OK, I have a few diffs according to the packaging and what I can see/remember from the 1921 build.

K-41 and 1241, two on left: "scale" (not sure why it says semi-scale on 1241 card), capsule is Freedom 7, balsa fins, waterslide decals, 23.5" tall x 1.637" diameter. Skill Level 5.

1921, second from right: "scale model", capsule is Freedom 7, balsa fins, waterslide decals, 28.75" tall x 2.04" diameter. BTs were those nice ones with no spiral grooves. Skill Level 4.

2167, right: "scale detail" (not claimed to be a scale model??), capsule is supposed to be Liberty Bell 7, plastic TTW fins, stick-on decals, 23.5" tall x 1.6" diameter. BTs are decent but have small grooves. Skill Level 2.

I picked up the 2167 several years ago on impulse, as backup for my valued/built 1921. Didn't read about it, I didn't even check what was in the 2167, MR, must be good, looks about the same size... Didn't know it had plastic fins until yesterday (unless I forgot), now I see it's supposedly not even the same size as the 1921...according to what the 2167 package says. Holding a ruler up to the 2167 tubes, they sure look like 2" to me (not 1.6" as specced) and I really can't tell any overall size/length diff between the 1921. It's a package printing mistake, probably everybody knows except me, I think they half-copied it from the 1241... Now the 2167 capsule: it's fairly well known that F7 and LB7 had some significant differences, but I gotta say the 1921 (F7) and 2167 (LB7) capsule kit look the same to me as best I can compare. So I will presume until corrected that the 2167 does not have a proper LB7 capsule model and just uses the old F7 molds (I can tell because I saved the 1921 sprues, how anal!). The 2167 may be a bit easier to build and have easier-to-get fin detail and stronger fins, but the stick-on markings are a bit of a downer, they never look as good as waterslide. And there's the capsule "issue", which may be why they didn't call it "scale" (or is it the fin size??), or they just forgot to along with the other printing discrepancies. I wonder why they didn't just leave it as F7, a lot more historically significant I'd guess, and the right capsule. If you got a set of 1921 waterslide decals for the 2167 kit, that would be a pretty decent setup I think and fix the main things I'm not keen about. The 1921 would seem to be the better "builders" kit of the two. 1241/K-41 ought to be just as good as 1921 for the builder (I don't know about the capsule though) and have even better performance than the others on the recommended engines.

Last edited by CraigF : 10-06-2007 at 06:54 AM.
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