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  #1  
Old 03-03-2020, 06:48 PM
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BEC BEC is offline
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Default What the heck is this??

My email client keeps sorting my eBay alerts into the spam folder, so I missed another good deal...but in looking at "similar" items, I was led to this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Estes-mode...er/133274141904

I've seen lots of different Estes GSE when I went on a sort of mission to gather examples of most all of them - but I have no idea what this is from. It looks as if the battery box was once part of something larger, and there also doesn't seem to be any continuity indication (unless it's aural).

Anyone?
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Old 03-03-2020, 07:19 PM
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I *think* that may be part of the Estes Firing Line launch system. See maybe like the 1976 catalog or thereabouts.

Looks like the legs and portions of the actual launcher base are not there.

Edit: Yeah, go here and see right hand page: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/no...a/76est006.html



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Old 03-03-2020, 07:19 PM
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It’s the controller in the old Estes Firing Line starter sets - for example:

https://vintagefindz.com/sold-items...ed-in-box-1970s
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  #4  
Old 03-03-2020, 07:26 PM
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Yep. Definitely Firing Line launch controller.
Part of X-15 and Banshee starter sets.
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Old 03-03-2020, 09:13 PM
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Thank you all.....I concur with your identification. That it's missing the legs and such makes me not at all interested in the thing, though I might go in search of a complete one.

I figured it wouldn't take long, considering the folks here....

Added - there does appear to be one complete Firing Line set on eBay right now - for $200! Pass.
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Old 03-04-2020, 08:55 AM
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I picked up a firing line launch pad a few years ago really cheap. I took an Estes Jinx (Purple RTF from the same molds) and cloned the Banshee for a nice display. I really like the lines of the launch pad, but it's too small a footprint for larger models.
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Old 03-04-2020, 10:28 AM
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It would be a really cool launch pad if upscaled to 3X original size.
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Old 03-04-2020, 12:16 PM
Scott6060842 Scott6060842 is offline
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Interesting that the battery pack fits up into the legs on the launch pad. One of the neighbor kids got the firing line launch set for Christmas back in '73 and I had forgotten about this.

I do remember now that 'penlight' batteries were something we didn't have access to back then. We rigged up some duct taped together D batteries and got it to work.
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Old 03-04-2020, 12:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott6060842
I do remember now that 'penlight' batteries were something we didn't have access to back then.

That's a term I haven't heard in a long time!
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  #10  
Old 03-04-2020, 01:05 PM
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That firing line set has been up for sale for a LONG time.
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