First, let me say I'm a scale fan -- sport scale, Estes style (cones a little too short, tubes a little too long, inaccurate markings, that sort of thing . . . .)

But what I was thinking and hoping I might get your comments on is the way sport scale is done now. When we were kids there was Arcas, Aerobee, Nike-Smoke, Honest John, Nike-Ajax and the Saturns. That's what was flying in the mid-sixties and early seventies and we could build models of them.

Today, the equivalent would be Super Arcas, Orion, Terrier-Lynx, Black Brant, MLRS, Patriot PAC-3, and the Aries launchers; exactly none of which are available from the "major" manufacturers. If a kid looks for rockets at a NASA or DoD website this is what he finds and he can't build models of any them.

And that just the USA stuff. Why?

Thinking about it historically, we need Saturns, but we also need R-7 (after 50 years, no major kits) and Long March and the Shuttle. But for Dr. Zooch, as of today, nothing. How about Delta II? Zenit? Ariane? H-2 Manned configuration?

Are sport scale kits (and the rocketeers who love them) doomed to the 70's and before?

No flame intended, just looking for intelligent discussion.

Well... for starters how bout these:

Space flight kits ...

or

Historical kits ...

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Leo

My rocket fleet and more @ Leo's Leisure Site and on YouTube - My latest project: ALTDuino

The Semroc 1/70 scale Saturn 1B is basically a clone of the Estes K29 S1B and is a GREAT value for the money.

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I think the Estes Bullpup is still available at various sites. To make it more scale authentic, trim the forward fins slightly and mount them on the nose cone (see picture). This is a fun build, though of course the decals kinda suck.

There are way more scale kits available today, and because of the internet they are way easier to locate and purchase, than there were during my youth.

Here is a list of manufacturers currently producing scale kits:

Estes, Quest, Semroc, Roachwerks, Dr. Zooch, Aerospace Specialty Products (ASP), Sirius, The Launch Pad, Sheri's Hot Rockets, True Modeler's Rocket Kits, Apogee Components (Saturns, the Sky kits and Norris Raketen kits), Paul Clark Spacecraft Models (available from Deepsky), Advanced Rocketry Group (ARG), and Neubauer.

Then there are the Mid-power and Hi-Power companies that make scale models:

Aerotech, Madcow, Loc, PML, Q-Modeling, Polecat Aerospace, Cosmodrome.


There are a few reasons current rockets don't inspire much building. Most are pretty boring looking, being basically pencil shaped with strap on boosters, and they lack fins meaning they have to fly with those clear plastic fins we all hate so much. Most of the people building scale rocket models these days are grown men reliving the excitement of protecting the world from Communist Nukes and beating the Ruskies to the moon. Our current space and missile program lacks anything very inspirational. It's hard to blame todays kids for not getting excited about the latest cellphone satellite launch. Thank goodness for the X-Prize contests.

And FlisKits with our sport scale Thunderbird

Later this year you will see at least one more sport scale and one true scale

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Sorry about that, Jim. I completely forgot about the Thunderbird.

And it appears we both forgot about the Mercury Deadstone version of the Acme Spitfire.

I just SO want to enter it at least once in a Sport Scale contest. Maybe you can convince Chan to use it this year at NARAM (that's the only way I'll have a chance).

OH! That would be awesome! I'll have to see if I can still locate the plastic escape tower I had on mine (or just scratch build another). LOL Yeah, that would be a hoot and a half even

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FlisKits, Inc.
http://fliskits.com/
Model rocket kits and MORE!

Toad's Tavern - http://toadstavern.com/
Personal site - http://jflis.com/

R-7 is occasionally available in high power form (requires an H motor with >200 newtons av thrust) from Cosmodrome Rocketry. Every once in awhile you can snag, as I did, an old MPC plastic flying Vostok R-7 on eBay. R-7 is not an easy build. Even Estes punted back in the 70's with their "profile" version. Apogee is supposed to be importing some sport scale version from Germany, i think.

Apogee, around 1999, had a Delta available. Great kit, lots of vac formed noses.

Estes has had both the Merc Redstone (from the old Centuri kit) and a Merc Atlas (same scale) available... find em on eBay.

There's a large Long March plastic display kit available from China that Matt Steele and his kids have converted for flight (look for reports of NARAM-47 scale event).

Estes R&D has made an Ares that has been flown by some people at MSFC in Huntsville (Vince Huegele either has it or is its custodian)

Black Brant II is occasionally available from Estes, and many of the BB series are available from ARG in Canada.

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Roy
nar12605

The ARG kits are very cool. I bought one at NARCON a few years back. Nice build, but not a kiddie kit in any way.

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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark