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"Cape Estes" history?
Hello All,
I have a few questions about "Cape Estes." While looking through the 1969 Estes catalog, I came across the group of photographs that show a "Cape Estes" sign and several model rocket launches, at least some of which may have taken place on the Estes Industries premises (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/no...a/69est088.html ). Also, Estes' YouTube videos of their rockets being prepped and launched (see: www.youtube.com/user/EstesModelRockets ) show a concrete slab on the ground behind the Estes plant (the building housing the offices and where the kits were/are made, not the engines). In some of the videos, the back of this building can be seen. My questions are: [1] Was the "Cape Estes" sign once located at that flying site behind the Estes plant? [2] If so, when was it installed and removed? [3] If not, where was it located, and when was it installed and removed? [4] Does the "Cape Estes" sign still exist? (It would be a great item to include in a museum display about the hobby.) [5] How long has that "concrete slab pad" been there and been used? Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help. (Also, imagine the lost vintage and prototype rockets and components that might be lying around in that area and/or on the surrounding land!)
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511 All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com. NAR #54895 SR |
#2
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Only question I can answer is the first and it is a 'YES'..In the early '70s my family made a trip from CA to PA and since we had relatives in Denver we drove through that way. I was also at my height of rocketry involvement then and my Dad thought it would be cool to take a little side trip to Penrose and take a tour of the Estes facility..Really the only part of the tour I can remember was going behind the plant to launch a rocket..Was pretty cool
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Jon SAM #0396 BAR 02/07 NAR 86940 KF4GUL Aim high, fly straight! |
#3
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Quote:
Jon, if you're on Facebook, go to the Estes Rockets page. Back on August 1, they posted the following: "The local newspaper, The Florence Citizen, publishes a "Memory Lane". 50 years ago this week Vernon Estes announced that he was moving his model rocket company to Penrose and had started construction on four buildings. Who remembers taking a tour of Estes during a summer vacation? And NO we no longer have tours - sorry!"
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Roy nar12605 |
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Quote:
Which thoroughly SUCKS but I guess that's the breaks... I was in Colorado on vacation a couple/three years ago and toured Apogee up at Colorado Springs with the family, even though it's more 'distribution' than manufacturing... heck even spent a few minutes visiting with Tim Van Milligan, which was neat. Went to Penrose and other than being able to look through the vestibule into the outer office, found the doors locked, weeds in the parking lot (probably the same one referred to by the OP) and a not-so-polite brush off via door speaker... Oh well... Later! OL JR
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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round! |
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Yeah, wasn't Barry such a great guy???
Good riddance! I expect now the atmosphere is a good bit different over there. Allen |
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A friend and I dropped by the plant in 1990, after attending LDRS.
We had a personal tour guide who showed us various operation rooms, including the silk screen shop, which was pretty cool. They had screens for decals going way back. I recall a room where a bunch of ladies were assembling simple kits for some kind of give-away program. There was a kind of launch platform made of a pile of "pavers" set in a sort of spiral. Our host set a yellow tripod on top. My friend Victor got to keep the RTF rocket she demo-flew. Wild proposal: A local club could approach Estes to offer their services as tour guides, and maybe to set up a visitors' center. Just a small building, maybe a converted trailer, set up with displays and video monitors to show the history of the plant and company. It would end, as all exhibits should, in a gift shop! The tour could include a visit to a couple of select parts of the actual plant . . . assuming there's anything of interest to see! Perhaps John Boren's office and work space could be moved to a plexiglass dome, where people could shuffle past and see the master at work. There might be a few quick flight demos at the end of the tour, weather permitting. A standard model, a glider, maybe a two-stager. But seriously: The intent would be to make the Estes plant into a "field trip" destination for local schools, and for tourists. If I win the lottery, I'll gladly fund the effort! Stefan |
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I rode my bicycle across country during the Summer of '08. In Colorado, making for Canon City, I ran across a building with Estes in white letters across the front, a missile of some type out front and a bunch of white shipping containers off to a side out back. I kinda figured it was the Estes offices, but wasn't sure. The place looked deserted, or maybe it was just Sunday. Now I'm pretty sure it was their facilities. Wish I'd a knocked or peeked or something. I've got a photo of the rocket somewhere.
Funny, but I took photos of every rocket I ran across during my tour (which weren't many) and I wasn't even a BAR yet. This is the rocket
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Retro-grouch |
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