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Old 11-12-2011, 12:42 AM
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JAL3 JAL3 is offline
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Default Estes Alpha Questions

I am familiar with the difference between the Alpha 1 and Alpha 3 though I have never had either. I have seen allusions to an Alpha 2 and an Alpha 4 as well and have never seen either in person or in a catalog.

Can anybody tell me about these variants and, if possible, give me kit numbers and/or photos?

Thanks
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Old 11-12-2011, 12:50 AM
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Alpha II was an educator's version of the "regular" original Alpha - slightly different internal arrangement but otherwise similar.

Alpha IV is an Estes 40th Anniversary special edition of an Alpha III with black fins and NC, red "holographic" body tube. It was only available one year.

I know I've a family group of Alphas posted on here somewhere.....

added:

Ah, here it is. First picture in this post .
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Old 11-12-2011, 05:50 AM
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mwtoelle mwtoelle is offline
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The Alpha IV (new 1258) was a a special kit for Estes' 40th anniversary in 1998. The only real difference between it and the Alpha III was a prismatic red body tube, a black nose cone (PNC-50K), a black fin unit, a black plastic launch lug unit, and a different crack-and-peel decal sheet. The Alpha IV was a limited-run kit that was available in 1998, and it was never in the catalog.
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Old 11-12-2011, 11:37 AM
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Thanks for filling me in. I very much appreciate it.
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John A. Lee O.S.L.
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NAR 87285, L1 8 March 2008
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Photos of the "Fleet": http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/

I used to tell Mom, "...I want to fly rockets when I grow up!"

She said, "Make up your mind, you can't do both!"
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Old 11-12-2011, 11:46 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mwtoelle
The Alpha IV (new 1258) was a a special kit for Estes' 40th anniversary in 1998. The only real difference between it and the Alpha III was a prismatic red body tube, a black nose cone (PNC-50K), a black fin unit, a black plastic launch lug unit, and a different crack-and-peel decal sheet. The Alpha IV was a limited-run kit that was available in 1998, and it was never in the catalog.

I've got a built one and another still in the package. The body tube wrap is anything but durable. Mine started coming apart on the second flight.
Amazing that the company let the 50th anniversary go by without any kind of Alpha at all. Even more amazing since they had that gold prismatic wrap available. Glad that management team is elsewhere.
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Old 11-12-2011, 03:13 PM
chrism chrism is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
I've got a built one and another still in the package. The body tube wrap is anything but durable. Mine started coming apart on the second flight.
Amazing that the company let the 50th anniversary go by without any kind of Alpha at all. Even more amazing since they had that gold prismatic wrap available. Glad that management team is elsewhere.


Maybe they should have put a gold wrap on a Metric Alpha
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Old 11-12-2011, 04:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mwtoelle
The Alpha IV (new 1258) was a a special kit for Estes' 40th anniversary in 1998. The only real difference between it and the Alpha III ...a black plastic launch lug unit...


Forgot about that. Yes, the Alpha IV has the plastic launch "lug" that is seen on many of the current RTFs for standard motors, rather than a normal launch lug as included in the Alpha III kits.
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Old 11-12-2011, 10:14 PM
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Once again, Estes has four versions of the Alpha in its current catalog.

Quick Quiz: In the 1979 and 1980 Estes catalogs, how many versions of the Alpha are shown?


........
....
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Old 11-13-2011, 02:07 PM
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Ken "The Rocket Doctor" asked me to post this image:

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Old 11-13-2011, 02:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leo
Ken "The Rocket Doctor" asked me to post this image:



Thanks! I do appreciate that.
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John A. Lee O.S.L.
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NAR 87285, L1 8 March 2008
TRA 03040, L1 8 March 2008
Photos of the "Fleet": http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/

I used to tell Mom, "...I want to fly rockets when I grow up!"

She said, "Make up your mind, you can't do both!"
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