Estes Saturn V...coming soon!
 

Today, I got a long awaited reply from Estes concerning my inquiry into a possible commemorative Saturn V for 2009.

Hi Jonathan,

...the 40th anniversary edition is due out this coming July...watch the
website for availability and pricing. (ssshhhhhh!!!!!) :)

Best regards,
Customer Service

Sorry, I just couldn't keep it to myself!

Who, may I ask, was the signer from Customer Service?! :confused: :)

There was no signer...just the stock Customer Service tag. The email addy was WEBCS@centurims.com.

Ok, I've seen the domain "centurims.com" before, from several of the Estes employees I've
met at the Maker's Faire in Austin in October 2007......

If true (the release of the 1/100 scale Saturn - V), I wonder what that's going to do to SEMROC's planned release? I would guess nothing, since the SEMROC version should have
some major differences from the Estes kit.

Wow! I am out of the loop. Semroc's got a Saturn V on the way?

Hhhhmmmm....wonder if I should try to dump......I mean auction.......mine off before they are released? But, then what if they don't release it? Oh what a quagmire..... :(

From what we can gather, that's the plan. One major difference of the SEMROC kit is the
Apollo capsule will be balsa and the LES tower struts will be, well, wooden dowels. Sort of
like the SEMROC Saturn 1-B & Apollo Little Joe - II Apollo Capsule kit (in other words, a true
Skill Level - 5 build)...... :eek:

Ya know, I wonder if you could make a decent tower at that size out of etched metal, the way they make parts like grilles and struts for plastic models?

I'm sure Carl and company is burning plenty of midnight oil working on this. BTW, I see he's
on this thread as I write this!! :D I think SEMROC will have to look at this from a cost standpoint. I wouldn't mind going the wooden dowel route, so long as the kit is there.
Even though I have two flight ready 1/100 scale Saturn - V's (Estes & Centuri) and two flight
ready Saturn 1-B's (Centuri 1/100 and Estes 1/70), I can always add another to my fleet...... :rolleyes:

In between nose cones, laser cuts, and instruction documentation!

I am sure Estes does not have the same design goals that we have, but you can not have too many choices for Saturn V's on the 40th anniversary. :D