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  #1  
Old 12-28-2010, 12:21 AM
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BEC BEC is offline
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Default Alpha II one more time....

I almost hate to raise the subject after the mess that erupted last time someone brought up Alpha IIs but....

I picked up two bags of older kits that were on consignment at the LHS - a total of 10 kits for $33.

One of the kits is an Alpha II which is marked both as "EK-25" and #1419. This latter number does not match Gerry's database. It has no hang tag, but is a Damon-era kit.

Anyway, I'm wondering whether it really is rare or if I should just build it (some day) or perhaps open it and scan the instructions, decal sheet, etc. From what I can see it has a fairly typical Alpha fin decal set, except that the stripes are red and black rather than red and blue. The picture on the face card shows an older Alpha color scheme.

Structurally it matches the Alpha II instructions I found somewhere with the longer-than-standard motor tube and probably the shock cord tied to the top of the motor clip. Fins are die-cut balsa.

Here are three pics.
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Last edited by BEC : 12-28-2010 at 12:47 AM.
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Old 12-28-2010, 03:24 AM
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If there isn't any alpha II scans available online then in my opinion is to help out the community. Would worth more than money.
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Old 12-28-2010, 09:07 AM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEC
Anyway, I'm wondering whether it really is rare or if I should just build it (some day) or perhaps open it and scan the instructions, decal sheet, etc. From what I can see it has a fairly typical Alpha fin decal set, except that the stripes are red and black rather than red and blue. The picture on the face card shows an older Alpha color scheme.

Bernard,

If you do open them, check over at www.oldrocketplans.com and at JimZ's site to see if either of those kits are already scanned and online. If not, please scan them and send the scans to me when you can. Thank you!
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Old 12-28-2010, 12:17 PM
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I had planned to do that in any event.

Funny, the Alpha II instruction sheet that I got off the net somewhere I thought I got from JimZ, but I couldn't relocate it last night. I don't know, then, where I found it.

The other kits I got in the two bags are:

0820 EAC Viper
0864 Spartan
1328 Kadet
1905 Stinger
1956 Blazer
1991 Zipper
1999 Corsair
2039 Space Racer

The tenth is "just" a 1225 Alpha (with the Beta series face card) and is the only one with a damaged body tube in the bunch.

I'm of two minds about the Viper in particular. I actually had already got the necessary bits to clone that one from Semroc but it's tempting to actually build the kit as well. I'm not really intending to become a kit collector.
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Old 12-28-2010, 12:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEC
I had planned to do that in any event.

Funny, the Alpha II instruction sheet that I got off the net somewhere I thought I got from JimZ, but I couldn't relocate it last night. I don't know, then, where I found it.

The other kits I got in the two bags are:

0820 EAC Viper
0864 Spartan
1328 Kadet
1905 Stinger
1956 Blazer
1991 Zipper
1999 Corsair
2039 Space Racer

The tenth is "just" a 1225 Alpha (with the Beta series face card) and is the only one with a damaged body tube in the bunch.


That #1991 Zipper is the early version of the Blue Star. No one has the plan sheet, art card, or the decal scans! If you could scan that one, it would be appreciated!

Also, for the scans of the Blue Star that are posted, the balsa fin sheet (est1991e.tif) is damaged and needs to be re-scanned. If you could do an update of that sheet, it would help both kits.

I think the name 'Zipper' was the only issue, especially attached to a rocket...
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Old 12-28-2010, 12:45 PM
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In looking at the Blue Star on JimZ and without opening the Zipper yet, they look identical except for the color scheme/decals.

The fin sheet looks good to my eye in the .pdf version (http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/estes/est1991.pdf). From what I can see in the bag (it's one with the flight sequence over a white background on the back) it looks as if one of the fins is separated from the sheet but it certainly could be reassembled and scanned I think.

I just noticed that the BT is squashed at one end on this one, as with the Alpha.....that pretty much tells me this should be a "builder" and not a "collector". I will certainly scan it all then when I do open it.

As light as it is, it would be pretty hard to come up with a situation where where it would zipper in actual use - maybe using a way-too-short delay? A B6-2, perhaps?
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Old 12-28-2010, 12:47 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Cool, thanks, Bernard. Yes, as Craig mentioned we could use scans of the Zipper.

You got a great buy for $33!
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Old 12-28-2010, 02:24 PM
Green Dragon Green Dragon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
Cool, thanks, Bernard. Yes, as Craig mentioned we could use scans of the Zipper.

You got a great buy for $33!



PLEASE. Please scan the Zipper ( one of the long lost mysterious kits .. and one I've wanted to build for ages, if just due to the mystique surrounding the long-lost kit )


as for a deal.. you mean steal... one heck of a Christmas present, for sure ( when do I get mine ?? )

~ AL
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Old 01-04-2011, 08:53 AM
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BEC: Good find on those kits!

I am near completion of my "Alpha Project"...I need to update this thread or start a new one: Link

I have the exact kit you show. As you noted, the header card lists both EK-25 and 1419 as the model no., called "Alpha II". The instructions that came with my kit (and I'm guessing yours as well) state the model number as 1419, and the title "Metric Alpha II". This particular kit originally came with a BNC-50K in the 70's, and was later replaced by the older style PNC-50k around 1980 (there was a note stating such in the kit). The longer engine mount was provided along with the fiber rings, but as shown in your kit, a separate tri-fold shock cord mount was included and the suggested mount method per the instructions. Fins were die-cut, and the Black/red Alpha decals from the 80's accompanied the kit.

Provided instructions were very close, but not exact, to this: Link

Hope this helps a bit.

-Eric-
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Old 01-04-2011, 11:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ECayemberg
BEC: Good find on those kits!

I am near completion of my "Alpha Project"...I need to update this thread or start a new one: Link -SNIP- Provided instructions were very close, but not exact, to this: Link

Hope this helps a bit.
Eric, thank you for posting the Metric Alpha instructions! They serve to illustrate one of the reasons (although it certainly wasn't the only one) why metrication met such resistance in the United States. The instructions use centimeters exclusively, which leads to an "unnecessary necessity" to use decimal fractions; for example, STEP 1 says "Measure 0.6 cm from one end of the engine holder tube and punch a slot for the forward end of the engine hook."

It is much easier to use only millimeters (which is the standard practice for metric engineering drawings and metric architectural drawings) because no fractions are needed in most cases, just whole numbers. Also, no unit symbols are used on such drawings, only the numbers--all dimensions are assumed to be in millimeters unless otherwise indicated. Model rocket plans from other countries usually use this "millimeters only--no unit indication" format.

In addition, studies of the metrication implementation processes of several countries, most notably Australia, have shown that countries that used the millimeter as the default unit of length had much smoother and trouble-free transition periods than those (such as the United Kingdom) that used the centimeter as a replacement for the inch.
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Last edited by blackshire : 01-04-2011 at 11:28 AM. Reason: This ol' hoss done had to correct a typo.
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