Probably not, I'm sure this is it. Just think how many kits DIDN'T come out lat year.

there was something planned for the 50th anniversary, but was cancelled !!!!!!

You know, since next year represents the 40th anv. of the Apollo 11 landing (hard to imagine), Estes might be looking at a SatV re-release at least. They did for the 30th, and I think it was available on the 10th and 20th anvs. as well (need to check the catalogs to confirm that)..

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Craig McGraw

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It's a real bummer. Now don't get me wrong, the new kits are a great change of pace and I am looking forward to getting them all, but a 50th anniversary of a model rocket company really needs some real rockets! At least a couple anyway, the Saturn, the Redstone, the Shuttle... I mean c'mon! Who cares that some of those great scale models were taken away relatively recently, bring them back for the party...

It is great to see some interesting designs though... But (I am not knowledgeable about Shrox when I say this) does this say anything about Estes in that they have to use someone else's designs from years ago instead of having their own stuff hit the skies?

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Kurt Knox
NAR #93503
MASA section 576
SAM #0316

It's not the same Estes as it once was, like I said, there was a anniversary set planned for this year and it was cancelled the first week of April 2007.

One of the kit in that set was going to be the K-1 Scout, but, now we have the Semroc Golden scout and we are honoring Vern and Gleda estes, true model rocketry heros in my book.

The talk was to bring back the Saturn V and the saturn 1-B. I really don't think you will se that anytime soon, I may be wrong.

For the 40th anniversary, Estes had the Alpha in a red prsimatic body tube, that how they celebrated their 40th, I have two of them, if I can , I will have a photo posted.

When the catalog comes out (I here in May now) let's just see what they have to offer. I think that the Tower Hobby's tells it all.

And I don';t w ant to rehash the past, but, yesteerday was the one year unhappy anniversary of the Estes Forum being pulled down and the Rocket Doctor being booted.

The estes forum had over 600 member in just three months and was liked by all, great interaction. I tried to make changed for my fellow rocketeers, but, it wasn't seen that way by Estes.

So, now I devote my time to promoting the Golden Scout/Sky Of Gold celebration, at least I know that Vern and gleda appreciate it, that's what counts the most.

It suggests someone at Estes recognizes the importance of introducing new craftsman-style kits to the catalog instead of re-hashing the same plastic fin can into another starter set...

As much as I and others here might wish for Estes to bring back their entire line (or nearly all - some were dogs), I would rather see a greater commitment to the hobbyists, in the form of challenging new kits and a better selection of motors. As long as there are plans and parts lists available for the old classics, I can order parts from SEMROC and BMS and have as full a collection as I might want.

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I'll kind of echo that sentiment, Craig. I am very much more interested in NEW designs that challenge and inspire. I can "bring back" all I want with a clone. To quote one of my favorite song lyrics;

Here's the thing about living in the past,
If it was so good, then how come it didn't last?
If it helps you, I'll put it in a phrase,
"Those were the times, but these are the days".

Later,
EV

Majority of them, you can. But there are quite a few, mainly some of the scale models, with molded or vacuum form parts that are very difficult to clone. Those are what I want to see brought back. There are soooo many good scale kits from the past that deserve to be
in the current line-up. V2(the Maxi would be great), Saturn 1b (1/100), Saturn V, Mercury Atlas, 1284 Shuttle, HoJo, LTV Scout, Pershing(which we know is unlikely), Titan Missiles, Jayhawk, Scud, Mercury Redstone(easy enough to clone/scratch though), the list goes on. Anything can be scratch built, but the kits make it so much easier.


The new offerings look great. Definitely better than the pre-colored BT56, plastic fin can, and battery operated nose cones we've come to expect from them. The LED rocket idea is ok, but I was getting worried when that thing hit the shelves this year.

I completely agree with the cloning philosophy of the "old" stuff, especially with such great companies to get stuff from. The 'kits' Foose mentioned are the ones that to me say rocket, and cloning some of those is difficult (for me anyway).

One hope I hang on to is that there is still more to come, afterall the Interceptor #1250 & #1350 were not in the 2007 catalog. Could it be that there will be some surprises as the year progresses? At least a little hope anyway? I doubt it.

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Kurt Knox
NAR #93503
MASA section 576
SAM #0316

Here's to hope! I'm with you on this one. Maybe, just maybe....


In the meantime I'm thankful for the great vendors and contributors out there who help to keep the hobby alive and growing.

Heck if it weren't for Rocket Doctor, Semroc and Vern and Glenda we'd have no meaningful and inclusive 50th celebration at all, at least none that I am aware of. The Sky Of Gold event allows anyone and everyone to take part in the event. You don't have to attend anything either, just build your Golden Scout, register it at Semroc, fly it in July, record your flight, and receive your certificate from Vern and Glenda who will mail them from Penrose. I just don't think it gets better than that.

Let's see...

A new SatV could be whipped up using the 30th Aniv. edition, so Estes could eventually bring it back, like I said, for the 40th Aniv. of the landing...

A Sat1B, even in 1/100th scale, might not be anytime soon, given the SEMROC release...

The Mercury-Atlas and Mercury-Redstone are now possibilities, with the SEMROC release of the capsule. Maybe a revised LES tower could be whipped out to go with it, if it isn't already included. Use the Jupiter-C fin pattern (from the wood-fin version) for the Redstone, up-scaling as needed...

This would also make possible a Little Joe 1 in the same scale...

1284 Shuttle - not impossible, if you use a cardstock and balsa framework for the wings instead of vac-molded plastic. The nose cone could be done in balsa, and maybe the folks who picked up Moldin Oldies could create a master for it...

LTV Scout - already a possibility (I think) using SEMROC components. Might require one custom component, but the fin pattern was posted here on the forum a couple of years ago...

SCUD - already possible with cardstock transitions; Sandman might also be able to duplicate the pattern...

HoJo, Pershing, Jayhawk - Check with Sandman. Those are all large "Maxi Brute" designs (I think), and require larger-than-normal balsa blocks to turn from. Right up his alley...

Titan missiles -- if not possible using SEMROC components and cardstock transitions, try Sandman (if anyone could duplicate those patterns, other than SEMROC, it would be Sandman!)...

IOW, it's even more possible than we might realize to clone some of these kits, and not have to wait for Estes to "bring back" anything.

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