An older Astron Alpha
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. |
The Alpha was the first rocket I lost. I got it with a starter set as a 15th birthday present. Built it Friday night, painted it on Saturday with gloss white spray paint and red and black brush paint, and flew it on Sunday, still tacky, at the parking lot above the soccer field at NKU. It went straight up on a C6-5, popped the chute, and rode the breeze to the woods as Mom, Dave, Jen and I watched. A few years later NKU turned that strip of woods into a parking lot, and I'd think of the Alpha when I parked there. :D :cool:
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Since we're on the subject......
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Est...ea#ht_74wt_1330 This is kinda cool. |
It'll be interesting to see if he gets his $100 or more.
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Yes. I just checked the fin pattern against the page in a catalog. Also, I recently received some of Gordy's pre-Damon decals :) Bob |
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I don't think it's unreasonable, but you'd have to be someone with a strong yen for the Alpha. I think he might have been better off starting the bidding a little lower. |
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.
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That's a nice Alpha kit "family grouping" in Bill's posting, but the eBay seller's starting bid of $96 does seem a bit steep... |
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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: |
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My first was the Alpha also in 1967, I still have it !!! plus my 1st Constellation...... |
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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..
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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.
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Well what ya selling them for Danny? That makes all the difference ;)
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Does this mean what as in How Much, or what as in Why ?? ....... :chuckle: |
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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. |
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And one day they'll want one of those " I had as a Kid ! " .............. |
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