Ye Olde Rocket Forum - An older Astron Alpha

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- - An older Astron Alpha (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=12812)

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum

They didn't. They were created based on a catalog picture. Pretty cool set if you ask me. There's a Big Bertha set that was created the same way, and possibly an Astron Cobra set. :cool:

You just reminded me that I (briefly) had one of those "cheater" checkerboard fin Astron Mark decal sets (I'd bought it from Sandman to go with a Semroc Astron Mark xKit in a "care package" I compiled for a school rocketry program)! His red angled stripe and roll patterns (the 1969 Big Bertha Estes catalog decor scheme) are beautiful!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blushingmule

Hi gents and ladies...

I nabbed a '60s Astron Alpha from e-Bastad. Opened but with original 'chute,
TR-1, updated centering rings for the motor mount (the earlier ones were thin
paper) and all patterns, etc.

Have the parts to build 3 from Semroc, this one will be fun and only flown w/
1/2 A & A's...

Bob
p.s. The Alpha was my 1st. back in '68...Dad & I launched it at the UOG sport field
in the evening...swish pop and it vanished literally as the Sun settled.

My first was the Alpha also in 1967, I still have it !!! plus my 1st Constellation......

I also have almost every Alpha ever made-- from the K Kit , Alphas 1 II III IV & Maxi Alpha & Maxi III. Just tried to sell the set - no one wanted them..

The Alpha was my brother's first rocket when we first entered the hobby in 77 or 78. His Alpha had the balsa nose and he had to cut the fins himself. When I became a BAR, I built one of the newer issues of the Alpha with the plastic nose and laser-cut fins, but I painted it like an earlier version, a red nose, white body, one black fin with a narrow black stripe running the length of the body.

Well what ya selling them for Danny? That makes all the difference ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannymrmissile

I also have almost every Alpha ever made-- from the K Kit , Alphas 1 II III IV & Maxi Alpha & Maxi III. Just tried to sell the set - no one wanted them..

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurtschachner

Well what ya selling them for Danny? That makes all the difference ;)

Does this mean what as in How Much, or what as in Why ?? ....... :chuckle:

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpoehlein

Yeah - the Alpha was my very first rocket I ever built. I've always loved it - simple and classic. Still a great flyer - I built one of the newer plastic nosed units, but I recently started a new one using a balsa nose from Semroc - the plastic nose cone just isn't the right shape compared to the BNC-50K.

I've been away from rocketry for over a year (house remodeling, etc.) but recently started remodeling my wood shop. To make room for more equipment, I moved my large model rocket bench to an adjoining room, and had a chance to bring a few rockets out for display that were in boxes. Pulled out the Super Alpha I built when they first came out. Dissatisfied with the plastic nose cone in the kit, I turned a "faithful to the original" balsa replacement. The Alpha is painted red and white like the color cardstock insert in the kit (cannot remember what you call those ...).

I too think the Alpha is definitely one of the classic Estes kits. When my kids were in elementary school 20+ years ago, I ran a rocket launch program for several years. Helped kids build a LOT of Alphas. They were those horrid orange and black Halloween versions. :-)

I've heard from some of those kids that are young adults now, and they have really fond memories of building and launching those Alphas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeR

And one day they'll want one of those " I had as a Kid ! " ..............