Cosmos Mariner, the LHS has a few of these in stock.

1. Should I buy one?

2. Should I buy one to build?

3. Should I buy one to collect?

How well does it fly?

How is it to build?

There is a long build thread over on TRF where JAL3 built one and flew it..Challenging build..Flight was pretty terrible IIRC..

__________________
Jon
SAM #0396
BAR 02/07
NAR 86940
KF4GUL
Aim high, fly straight!

You should buy one, build it to glide only, and launch it on a Shuttle-like ET/SRB stack. THAT would be a cool project ...

__________________
Tim Wilson

I've built two CM's--I've never had the guts to fly one because I've seen so many videos of disasterous flights of them and NO successful flights. It's difficult to build well, but it's GORGEOUS when it's finished. It seems to have a lot of mass compared to wingspan--of course, so does the Space Shuttle (the real one) and it glides to earth also (of course, it has major forward momentum at the time of landing).

The last time I was there, Red Arrow Hobbies still had some kits on the shelf.

It's a challenging build and a beautiful craft, but I'll NEVER build another one.

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Buy one just to say you have one. It is a cumbersome build and has the glide slope of a draggy brick. In all honesty I hated all of the X-Prize models. From the Gauchito to Thunderstar I never quite got them. Although, there was a lot of tube stock in the Rubicon and the Lucky Seven reminded me of the spacecraft from some 50's SciFi film.

Has it really been six years since Spaceship One flew?!?

__________________
Gravity is a harsh mistress
SAM 002
NAR 91005
"The complexity of living is eminently favored to the simplicity of not."

Ditto on the entire X-prize fleet--except for the Canadian Arrow. I've built thre of them into Canadian Arrows and probably bashed 2 dozen of them into V2's.

Hence....

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Buy it, build it, fly it. The build is fun, finish it in something other than the stock color ( bland tanish color) . I finished mine in bright red and the underside in flat black. As for flying it, well lets say this not much good happens. Build it strong cause it will land hard. But i would buy another if i had the chance. By the way fly it two or three times than retire it cause it will begin to look rough after that.

__________________
craftsman, builder of exotics

Everyone's got their own opinion and preferences, so I won't claim mine's any better/worse than anyone else's.

I'm a pretty open-minded guy when it comes to rocketry, have now built over 500 kits, mostly LPR/MPR stuff. I'm obsessive/compulsive enough that I actually have the stats, inventory listing, etc. and rate each one that I build. Out of the 500+, there are a grand total of 2 that I have rated as something I'd never do again (at least without major mods, no way building as-designed). This is one of the 2. I was so unimpressed with it after the one flight attempt (suffered significant damage but nothing beyond repair/salvage) that I mailed it back to Estes, at my own expense, with a few suggestions and comments, insisting that they NOT replace the piece of [fecal matter].

I've heard there have been some rare instances of one that go up and down without totally embarrassing the builder, but those are few and far between.

If you like the style/design for its looks, build it for its looks. If you want to fly one, you'll need to really build with care and consult some experienced flying brick flyers, as even done well this ain't exactly a graceful thermal-chasing glider, and as-designed it's just way too heavy and problematic.

I've got 498 other models I could recommend over this one (maybe even 499, as the other horrible one is probably less horrible), but if you don't expect to fly it, or are willing to put forth exceptional effort and skill for what at best would be a mediocre flight, go for it. After all, I'm sure any one of the other 498 I'd put ahead of this on a to-build list probably have at least one other person out there that would say "why in the world would anyone want to waste their time/money on THAT?"...

--Chan Stevens

Please tell! What's the other "1"?

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Estes Outlander, incredibly cool but insanely overweight for 18mm, should only have come out in 24mm, though flies nicely on 18mm composites, just not something the typical novice reading the recommended motor list would figure out on their own.