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Mini-Brute History
A brief history of the Estes Mini-Brute line.
Year references are "catalog years" and may not correspond with accuracy and precision to actual years of availability. Before we had the familiar mini-engines Estes offered “short engines,” also called “Series III” engines. These were like the 18mm engines, but with a shorter (1.75-inch) casing. With a shorter casing, the motors were lighter. Estes began offering kits that required the Series III short-engine in 1965 starting with the Astron Sprite. Later kits included the Astron Birdie, Astron Beta, Astron Midget, and the Astron Star Blazer. These are the "proto-Mini-Brutes." The Estes Mini Brutes appeared in the 1972 along with the new 13-mm mini engines. The Series III short engines were phased out and did not appear in the 1973 catalog. The initial Estes Mini Brute line consisted of nine kits: Birdie (1972-1973) Note that some of these kits were originally made for the Series III short engines. These were converted to use the new mini-engines. Also noteworthy is the Astron Sprite. The Sprite was converted to use mini-engines yet did not appear as part of the new Mini-Brutes line. The Star Blazer was completely redesigned for 1972 and both Star Blazer kits resemble each other only as far as both being 3FNC. All the Mini-Brutes were configured to use the new mini-engines. Some of them (Mosquito, Screamer, and Mini Bertha) came with cute, Mini-Brute “bug” logos. I wonder if it's just a coincidence that these three kits were offered together as the "Fleet Pack." The Mini Bertha and Mini Bomarc kits had a decal featuring the Estes logo paired with a groovy, two-fingered “peace sign.” The Mini Bertha had two color “bug” and “peace sign” decals. In 1973 the Mini-Brute line was expanded to include five new kits with six new model rockets. Wait, five kits, but six model rockets? Rogue (1973-1982) New concept was packaging two model rockets into one kit – a Combo Kit! The Javelin and Super Flea were sold together as one kit. The Mosquito, Screamer, and Mini Bertha were also packaged together as the Fleet Pack, but unlike the Javelin and Super Flea, these three Mini-Brutes had their own catalog numbers. I count the Javelin and Super Flea as separate model rockets even though they were never available separately. The 15 original Mini-Brutes are what most of us consider to be “real” Mini-Brutes, but 14 other model rockets also shared that designation. Of the original 15 Mini-Brutes only 8 remained by the end of the 1970’s. The Pegasus and Condor kits joined the Mini-Brute collection in 1977, followed by the Eclipse in 1979. Condor (1977-1980) In the 1977 catalog, the Mini-Brute line appeared as “SUPER Mini-Brutes.” The “SUPER” Mini-Brutes went back to being “just” Mini-Brutes in the 1981 catalog. The Mini-Brute line hung in there with a bunch of new kits. Already classic Mini-Brutes were retired through the first half of the 1980’s as new ones came online, for a short while… The “Mini Tri Pak” was followed the retirement of the Combo kit. The cute “bug” logo disappeared during this time. The “peace symbol” on the Mini Bertha was already a little dated by 1983. The last of the Mini-Brutes, the Big Yank, appeared in the 1984 catalog. A.S.P. (1981-1984) The 1985 catalog signaled the end of the Mini-Brute line. The Mini-Brute name all but disappeared except for a mention in the description of the Mosquito and Eclipse kits. Only seven Mini-Brutes remained, and they were “cycled into the general population” without the Mini-Brute designation. By the 1991 catalog, only the Mosquito remained with the term, Mini-Brute, scrubbed from its description. The Mosquito was discontinued around 2002. The Mini-Brutes live on. In 2011 the Mosquito returned as a bonus kit that went with the Mega Mosquito. It became a catalog item by 2012. Semroc brought back the Midget in 2012. The Airborne Surveillance Missile and Mini Mean Machine were brought back by Estes in 2018. Today (2023) it looks like the Mosquito and Mini Mean Machine remain. The little Mosquito is the longest-lived Mini-Brute (44 years or so) and ranks up there with the Alpha and Big Bertha as among the longest-lived of all Estes kits.
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-Wolfram v. Kiparski NAR 28643 - TRA 15520 MTMA Section #606 President Last edited by astronwolf : 02-24-2023 at 07:47 PM. Reason: update 2 |
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Thanks for the history, Wolf!
Earl
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Earl L. Cagle, Jr. NAR# 29523 TRA# 962 SAM# 73 Owner/Producer Point 39 Productions Rocket-Brained Since 1970 |
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That's a great summary and chronology, Wolf! Thanks for that.
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John YORF #003 SAM #004 |
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Very interesting! No wonder I missed out on so many kits! I started college in September 1970, then marriage in 1974, graduation and starting my first job “real” job in 1975. I built an Estes Saros in 1976, but little flying, and then our first child in 1982.
And I sure missed out on a lot of other cool kits in the early 80s, too!
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Lee Reep NAR 55948 Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold! Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp |
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Great write-up, Wolf. Thank you!
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Scott D. Hansen Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe! Ye Olde Rocket Plans - OOP Rocket Plans From 38 Companies! Ye Olde Rocket Forum WOOSH NAR Section #558 |
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Great history! A cool footnote is attached - a picture of Fleet Pack TK-123, which must be a combo pack from 1973 from the face card. It includes the Mosquito, Screamer, and Mini Bertha. This is/was at Launch Lab Rocketry for sale.
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Quote:
Wow, that one is probably a fairly rare one. Seems like I recall some reference to it in the past, but not sure I have ever seen the kit face card. Good find! Earl
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Earl L. Cagle, Jr. NAR# 29523 TRA# 962 SAM# 73 Owner/Producer Point 39 Productions Rocket-Brained Since 1970 |
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Great info! I really liked the Mini Brute line up!
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The TK-123 kit has been on eBay a couple of times over the years. Usually goes for good money.
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Scott D. Hansen Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe! Ye Olde Rocket Plans - OOP Rocket Plans From 38 Companies! Ye Olde Rocket Forum WOOSH NAR Section #558 |
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I've never heard of the Fleet Pack. Just so happens that the Mosquito, Screamer, and Mini Bertha were the only Mini-Brutes with the "Bug" decal. Is it a coincidence that they were sold together in the Fleet Pack?
Save 28 cents by buying bulk!
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-Wolfram v. Kiparski NAR 28643 - TRA 15520 MTMA Section #606 President |
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