Top Rocketry Product ReviewsThe following are the 25 most popular reviews at RocketReviews.com based on the number of times they have been viewed. Contributed by Mason Hazzard -
A 4" diameter bare bones kit tht is all fiberglass and sports a split fin kit. Runs on 54mm motors, and can be flown single and dual deploy. Roughly 7.5" tall and 11-12 pounds fully built. Includes a beautiful Von Karmen nose cone, three rings, six fins, and five bulkheads. All sheet parts are .125" thick.
Components
Includes a beautiful Von Karmen nose cone, three rings, six ... [More ...] Contributed by Rich DeAngelis -
Estes re-issue of the original Interceptor. This flies using standard sized 18mm motors. Any other description of this model would be fruitless - just take a look at the photographs showing the design of the rocket and the decals - that pretty much says it all.
This is not an easy kit to build, you should have some practice gluing and finishing balsa fins before attempting ... [More ...] Contributed by Mike Caplinger -
The Super DX3 is a 4" 38mm version of the Madcow DX3. It's a 3FNC with a large payload section.
The kit includes a pre-slotted body tube, a payload tube, plastic nose cone, 3 laser-cut 1/4" plywood fins, 38mm x 18" cardboard MMT, 1/4" plywood centering rings, a cardboard coupler with plywood bulkhead, a Nomex chute protector, a 12-foot tubular nylon shock cord, eye bolts and washers, ... [More ...] Contributed by John R. Brandon III - Nice single-staged one-fifth scale model of the Thiokol D-Region Tomahawk sounding rocket.
KIt was made up of two long body tubes, a plastic nose cone with nice detailing, a plastic fin can, four plastic fins, a long stuffer motor mount tube, two plastic 5mm launch lugs, a twist-lock motor retainer, a plastic detail piece representing the prototype launch lug, a long rubber-band shock cord, a ... [More ...] Contributed by Ken E. Coyote -
If you like the regular Der Red Max, you'll go gaga over the Pro Series II Mega Max! I built this one kind of quickly along with the Pro Series II Nike Smoke, so construction was somewhat of a blur, but I was very impressed with the materials and design. I felt you get a lot of value for your money with this one...well worth the coin! Also the kit builds up to quite an ... [More ...] Contributed by Nick Esselman - In keeping with my likes of "stubby" rockets, I decided to build three more that were around three inches in diameter to compliment my 2.6" and my 4" collection. So, I set off to get a LOC Onyx, a RocketVision Grymm, and the Estes Big Daddy. See my 3" Stubby Rocket Comparison Page
The Estes Big Daddy qualifies as a "stubby" rocket because it is 19" long and has a 3" diameter giving it a less ... [More ...] Contributed by Curt Hillier -
Curt Hillier's Flaming Leviathan
Components
Standard build of the Estes Pro Series II kit. Elmer's carpenters wood glue as adhesive.
/h2
Kit instructions were clear. Migrating to mid-power using Estes Pro Series II kit was easy.
Finishing
I didn't use the kit decals as the style was a bit boring. I painted the body black and then ... [More ...] Contributed by Mike Caplinger -
This is a short review of the Estes Apollo 11 Saturn V kit, number 2157. I purchased the kit in 2017.
There are several reviews of this kit in its various forms over the years on RR and tons of information on the web. Probably the definitive source of information is Chris Michielssen's build thread from 2011, which starts at http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.co ... [More ...] Contributed by Ken Hubal -
A semi-scale, D and E motor powered model of the German V2 Rocket
Components
Plastic nose and tail cones, balsa fins.
/h2
This kit is lacking in several aspects. As a 40-plus year veteran of rocketry, I've seen far better instructions that came with Estes kits of years past. I've noticed a severe decline in the quality of the instructions included with ... [More ...] Contributed by Frank Casey -
This is the classic Estes Saturn V kit, No. 2001. I purchased this kit off of eBay for a very good price. The kit was started. The single 24mm motor mount had been installed (using crazy glue), the fins and fin fairings had been partially assembled, the engine nozzles had been completed and secured to the cardboard nozzle disk holder, and the capsule and tower had been assembled. Other than ... [More ...] Contributed by Bas Dickson Leach -
Part of the Pro Series II line of 29mm mid power kits, the Ventris is a payloader with a larger diameter paylod bay and stylish curved fins. I liked the look of it and found the enlarged payload bay interesting and wanted to build one, received as a birthday present and waited less than a fortnight to get cracking.
Components
The Pro Series II kits are all bagged. It had stood ... [More ...] Contributed by Mike Caplinger -
The Nike-Smoke sounding rocket flew hundreds of times in the 1960s, used to measure high-altitude winds by ground photography of its smoke trail. It has also become one of the most popular subjects in model rocketry history -- the first kit I know of was the Centuri 1.6" version introduced in 1969. With kits covering the size range from tiny Micromaxx to high-power full scale, ... [More ...] Contributed by Robert H. -
This is the Rocket that I have chosen to do my level 1 NAR cert with.
Components
A Pro series kit, it has nice wood fins and sturdy construction.
/h2
I built this rocket with the intention of flying large 29mm reloads in it so I used epoxy on everything. I made a aluminum ring that sits about 2\3 down the body tube with a hole in the center. ... [More ...] Contributed by Dillon Frazier -
Stands about 20 inches tall with a BT-60. Large nose cone. It's a pretty fat rocket, but quite easy to assemble and fly.
Components
Balsa wood fins, BT-60 body tube, engine hook retainer, engine mount components, very long rubber shock cord, 18-inch parachute.
Construction and Finishing
This rocket really doesn't have many cons. I would say the only one is ... [More ...] Contributed by Chris Flanigan -
The Star Orbiter is one of the Pro Series II rockets from Estes. It is about 46" long, 5.9 oz, and uses E or F engines.
It is a quick build that you paint yourself. This is a high flying mid-power rocket for very cheap ($20).
That is cheaper than many low power rockets!
Components
46" rocket with cardboard tubes
Hardwood fins
Plastic cone
... [More ...] Contributed by Caleb Scott -
We used Launchpad Rocket's custom designer to create our own model rocket, it came in the mail two days later and the build quality of it was amazing. We were able to customize the design and engraved it with what we named the rocket, Slicer.
Components
The entire model rocket was 3d printed and only came in 3 parts excluding the engine bay. It did include a parachute and shock ... [More ...] Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
This was on my cloning list for several years after I bought a bunch of Fat Boy nose cones, but the white in the decal always discouraged me. OOP for years, this turned up as a "Buy It Now" on the Penn Valley Hobby Ebay page, and the price was right, so I availed myself of the opportunity to build an original for a change of pace. Similar in size and profile to the later Fat Boy, the Alien ... [More ...] Contributed by Cody Smith -
This kit was my Junior. Level 1 and I must say it is a beautiful kit. Some people say this rocket is not good for certifications due to the fact that the fins hang below the body. But, unless you land on concrete or desert, these fins are hard to break off. This kit is four-feet tall, four-inches in diameter and, coincidentally, my finished weight was four pounds. I tend to build heavy and ... [More ...] Contributed by Devon Edwards -
A high power, scale model of the AIM - 54 missle.
Components
38 mm motor mount
Thru the wall fins.
4" diameter tube
1/4 inch plywood fins and centering rings
36" chute and parachute protector included
Rail buttons
9" length nose cone
/h2
Construction is solid and relatively easy. Through the wall fins and heavy duty ... [More ...] Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
The Flutter-By is an Estes reproduction of a classic Centuri kit. It's a two-piece rocket with break apart recovery, and seemed to be a perfect kit to take along for an afternoon of B6-4 Field flying. I picked mine up during the Great Christmas Sale of 2013, almost as an afterthought. (The price was give-away cheap.) Although it was an afterthought, it was the first ... [More ...] Contributed by Dillon Frazier -
A 26-inch long rocket designed to look like a pencil. Made by Estes. An E2X model that is powered by standard engines (B6-4, C6-5, ect.).
Components
2 main body tube sections
Engine moun tbuilding components
plastic nose cone
4 inter-connected plastic fins
rubber shock cord
12 inch preassembled parachute
/h2
Very easy to build, ... [More ...] Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
Approximately a 4x upscale of the Estes kit, or a BT-5 to BT-70 upscale.
An Original Screamer on One of the Upscale's Fins
Components
BNC-70NH nose cone (Semroc)
BT-70 body tube (Semroc)
1/8" balsa fin stock (Hobby Lobby)
2 RA-5070 centering rings (Semroc)
CR-2050 engine block
36" length Kevlar shock cord
36" length 1/4" sewing elastic ... [More ...] Contributed by Brett Buck - This is the Estes BT-80 sized V2 that was recently re-issued. It is a 1/25 scale model of a production V2. It has significantly over-sized fins for stability purposes, and a minimal amount of scale detail. It flies on a 24mm motor, recommended to be a D12-5, although most will look for more power.
The components are typical Estes, which is largely pretty good. The body tube is a standard ... [More ...] Contributed by Donald Besaw Jr -
The Rocketarium Mega Vortico is a 24mm oddroc that is a bit different than a typical oddroc - saucer, pyramid, etc. This one resembles the rotor blades of a helicopter and spins very rapidly during ascent and descent.
Components
This kit includes seven light ply components that make up the blade assembly as well as the motor mount tube and launch lug. No decals ... [More ...] Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
The Super Alpha is the newest member of the far-reaching Estes Alpha family, only in mid-size BT-60 garb and with a terminally mismatched nose cone profile. I love the concept, but not so much the actual presentation, and decided to go with a balsa nose cone with a more Alpha-like profile. Since I was making wholesale changes, I also ditched the decal and went with the ... [More ...]
Bottom Rocketry ReviewsThe following are the 25 least popular reviews at RocketReviews.com based on the number of times they have been viewed. Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
Everyone has seen this kit at one time or another, and maybe even considered buying one. I actually pulled the trigger. Pitsco is an educational supplier that produces two different solid fuel rocket kits, this one, and another that is a more complicated build that involves making your own body tube. What I got was an unimpressive collection of pieces ... [More ...] Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
My first Estes catalog was the 1977 version, which I got in mid-July and read to tatters by the time school started back. Much of my cloning has centered around this catalog and the rockets therein, mostly those I never saw or couldn't afford. I never saw an Estes Vampire, and if I did, I probably couldn't have afforded it. These days I could afford a Vampire, but ... [More ...] Contributed by Bill Eichelberger -
The inspiration for this project was born out of desperation and boredom. Nothing at any of the plan sites seemed to interest me and one night at work I started looking through all the catalogs at Ninfinger and YORP. I realized that there were a lot of different builds from a lot of different companies that most had never heard of, not to mention seen at the pads. Bo-Mar ... [More ...] Contributed by Sandy Houston -
The Apogee Diamondback is an 18mm single stage streamer recovery model which stands just over 30” tall. While it does have three fins and a nosecone, this is not a typical 3FNC like you would find at the local superstore. This kit's pedigree is obviously from a stable which is rooted in mid-power rockets, as the kit features components that tend toward the mid-power standards. The ... [More ...] Contributed by Eric Miller - I was cruising the B.A.R. and Rocketry Web rings a few month's ago and became inspired by some homemade launch systems I found in Cyber Space. I was dissatisfied with the performance of my Estes Launch Control (a wimpy 9 volts of power) but what could I do? It was a constant source of embarrassment when I would launch with friends and family and after countdown...N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!! I grinned with ... [More ...] Contributed by Nick Hills - This formerly Blackhawk R&D rocket is now fully owned and produced by Aardvark Rockets
This is a single-stage scale rocket of the Black Brant IV. This would be a good kit to start in mid-power rocketry, or a great kit for someone who has been doing mid and high power rocketry for a while.
All components are high quality. The nose cone and transition are good quality balsa. There are ... [More ...] Contributed by Morgan Hendry - When I got back into rocketry after a couple years off, I saw Internet sites describing rocket cameras. I already had the Astrocam, but I wanted more. Specifically, I wanted as many pictures I could get per flight. And so the quest began...
Amazingly, my brother had an Opus 35 camera. Many people had modified this for airborne use, so I tried that. It almost worked, but I think I broke the ... [More ...] Contributed by Donald Besaw Jr - 38mm 214Ns single use HPR rocket motor.
The package contains:
1 motor
1 Quickburst Slim Gem ignitor
There is no external thrust ring on this motor. If needed, one must be built up using masking tape.
Finishing: Since this is a single use motor, no assembling is needed.
Flight: I tried this motor out in my Art Applewhite Stealth 38mm oddroc. I wrapped a layer of tape and ... [More ...] Contributed by Dean Roth - G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800 review is provided courtesy of:
G-Wiz LC Product Review
G-Wiz Partners manufactures rocketry electronics that can be used to collect maximum altitude, control parachute deployment and ignite the motor of a two-stage rocket. With some creative thinking the devices can probably be put to other uses, too, like camera activation upon launch.
There actually are two ... [More ...] Contributed by Tater Schuld - Eagle Five
from Spaceballs by Mel Brooks
Bad science fiction comedies seem never to die, they just become legend. Hence the reason that Spaceballs is still known as one of the best science fiction comedies of all time. I toyed with the idea of making mega maid, or space ball one, or even that cute little mercedes Princess Vespa used (the one king Roland got from his brother in law who owns ... [More ...] Contributed by Dave Rose - Long before I was building rockets, a very small, tumble recovery rocket was introduced by Estes. It was the 1/2A powered Astron Sprite. To those not familiar with this rocket, I would like to explain a very unique characteristic of this design. When scaled up enough to be powered by a high impulse motor, the air flowing past the fin ring creates a high-pitched whistle when launched. This is ... [More ...] Contributed by Greg Dietlein -
My rocket was inspired by an Estes Sliver. I planned to upscale it using a 3" mailing tube for the body. 1/8" balsa fins and a custom turned balsa nose cone and install a 38 mm motor mount to take advantage of the 38 mm G's available during the 29 mm engine drought. The fins will be overlayed with 3/4 oz fiberglass and epoxy resin.
The paint was designed to make the rocket highly ... [More ...] Contributed by Larry Rudd - The LOC Aura kit was modified for an L1 attempt with an H engine and an altimeter bay added.
Modifications: Nose cone and electronics bay modifications :
I cut 1" off the body tube to create the small electronics bay for the Pico-P1 altimeter. I then cut the sleeve on the nose cone and glued the 1" cut section of body tube to create an extended nose cone with a compartment for the small ... [More ...] Contributed by Jeffrey Spidle - Converted an Estes Monarch to a 24mm x 95mm motor mount.
Modifications: The need for SPEED: Leave out the motor tube, aft CR, and engine hook. Use an old E9 engine to set the remaining CR 3.7 inches from the back of the body tube. This CR is now the motor mount.
You may want to use thin CA to harden the aft part of the body tube so it can deal with the abuse of having to have engines ... [More ...] Contributed by Duane Wilkey -
The following excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". The intention is to allow guests to get a basic feeling about a kit. We strongly suggest that you get a copy of the referenced Sport Rocketry and read the entire article. Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. For more information, use the two links above.
(Sport Rocketry - Jul/Aug 1998 ... [More ...] Contributed by Donald Besaw Jr - It appears that the 13mm Cone Rocket kit I reviewed previously has been discontinued in favor of this new free downloadable Cone Rocket. I however received this one free with an order.
The kit was printed on a single sheet of cardstock with the top and bottom sections, motor mount tube and instructions.
The instructions for this rocket are very easy to understand. Even a beginner could ... [More ...] Contributed by Bob Hart - Note: This is a slightly condensed version of all the information that Bob has produced for his Level 3 project.
Introduction This project has consumed more time than I ever imagined, but it looks like I'm finally ready. I chose the name "Martian Madness" because several of us in the club are "Marvin the Martian" fans and I thought it would make for an interesting paint job. (This picture is ... [More ...] Contributed by R. J. Talley - The Chariot is a single stage, payload rocket. It is one of Rocket Vision's line of Rugged Rockets and is specifically designed for mid-range power (E-G). The body tube and payload tubes are of heavy duty phenolic. The nose cones (there are faux strap-on boosters) and transition are poly-vinyl. The BP section 8 inches long and has an interior dia. of 1.86", plenty of room for eggs, altimeters, ... [More ...] Contributed by Michael Rangitsch - Single staged sport rocket with parachute recovery.
This is the redesign of the Holverson Designs Tangent . The nose cone, fins and fin can have been replaced by pre-colored expanded polystyrene versions. The shock cord is far longer than any supplied by Estes for similar rockets.
Instructions are simple for this beginners rocket. Only white glue is needed for assembly. The new foam fins ... [More ...] Contributed by Bob Thompson and Sunny Sisk -
The following article is from "High Power Rocketry" magazine. This information represents only a small portion of the contents of "High Power Rocketry". We strongly suggest that you subscribe to "High Power Rocketry". By doing so you will find many color pictures, articles, launch reports and projects primarily associated with High Power Rocketry activities. For more information, use ... [More ...] Contributed by Aaron Stanley - The Aerotech H210 Redline RMS reload is a great motor to use for one of those rockets after you certify level 1. It has nice long bright red flame and just pushes the rocket off the pad like a bullet out the gun. You got to keep your eye on your rocket when using this motor because it gets your rocket moving really fast.
RMS hardware parts:
29mm aft closure
29/240 case
29mm ... [More ...] Contributed by Sven Knudson - Note: click on the mini-photos or hypertext links to get the full sized photo with caption.
Several people have asked me how I built my Rastrocam (rearward looking Astrocam). I pretty much followed the ideas put forth in Advanced Model Rocketry , Second Edition, compiled by Michael A. Banks. This book is published by Kalmbach Books and includes information about high power rocketry, scale, ... [More ...] Contributed by Matt Gillard -
A spool rocket made entirely out of household rubbish built for the EMRR 2007 Challenge. Performs well on any Estes 24mm motors, both Ds and Es. Spools are always interesting because they look like the least aerodynamic rocket at any launch. Called it ED as it takes E and D motors.
The parts list:
1 tube from the center of a cling film roll
Two CD-ROMs
Glue. I used Bostik, ... [More ...] Contributed by Dick Stafford - ( Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 10/06/04)
October 4th, 2004, heralded a new era in space exploration. On that day, Brian Binnie piloted Scaled Composite's SpaceShipOne to 367,442 feet (112 kilometers), capturing the $10M Ansari X Prize. Later that day, I learned of Currell Graphics' SS1 paper model and immediately wanted to convert one for flight.
Currell offers two versions: the ... [More ...] Contributed by Ellicon Lenz - Starfighter
Modeled by: Ellison Lenz (Age 17)
This design based on a kit bash of the Estes DC Gemini. It has a single 18mm engine mount and a combination of tube and flat fins. It is build using Titebond and 5 minute epoxy. What make this design unique is the duel BT 20 tubes that make the from fusalage and twin BT 20 nose cones.
The build started by gluing the two BT 20 body tube ... [More ...]
What You Can Do
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