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  #11  
Old 04-14-2009, 03:42 PM
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sandman sandman is offline
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Mike, I'm real glad you are here!!! WELCOME!

WOW! Where do I begin?

I guess everybody on this forum knows, especially through my kits, that I am a scale nut.

My impressions of Mike D is you are too.

First question for today.

In your tenure at Estes did you ever come up with a scale design that you were excited about but just never made it to production or even the light of day?

Second question.

I know you did a lot of designs but specifically what was your favorite "scale" design?
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  #12  
Old 04-14-2009, 04:11 PM
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Rocketflyer Rocketflyer is offline
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Hello Mike. Thank you for your time and willingness to post and answer questions.

My questions are mainly about motors. Has the overall performace of some of "todays" motors diminished since the motors of the past? It seems that the "C" impulse motors are a little weaker than the bygone days (then again it could be memory loss on my part ).

Secondly, why have the longer delays for the 13mm motors been discontinued? A 3 sec delay in most little rockets usually results in shredded chutes, etc.

Thank you once again. I really look forward to hearing of your time and experiences at Estes. The knowlege, insights and asides will be priceless to all of us, I'm sure!
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  #13  
Old 04-14-2009, 05:29 PM
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How did you go about designing the Cineroc ? Was it a kitbash of a regular movie camera, or did you have to design every single part?
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  #14  
Old 04-14-2009, 05:31 PM
scigs30 scigs30 is offline
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Mike, Welcome.
1. Can you give us some finishing tips used by Estes to build catalog modes, also do catalog models actually fly?
2. What was the actual color of the Estes Scrambler last produced in 1977?
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  #15  
Old 04-14-2009, 05:36 PM
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tbzep tbzep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scigs30
2. What was the actual color of the Estes Scrambler last produced in 1977?


It's too late, you've already painted it!
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  #16  
Old 04-14-2009, 05:52 PM
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dwmzmm dwmzmm is offline
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Wow, Mike, welcome aboard!! Had the feeling that something really great was about to happen here.

I was the one who traded several e-mails back in 2004 regarding the Cineroc. Your suggestions and tips proved very valuable. Afterwards, managed to fly it three times, got
very good footage on the second flight, but got destroyed on the third flight due to the core
engine's ignition failure. Subject is on another thread posted a while back.

Again, welcome and we're looking forward to learning about the history of this wonderful
hobby, Estes, and the people behind it.
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  #17  
Old 04-14-2009, 05:56 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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Can you list all of the kits that you have designed and that were made into kits?

What was your favorite one and what was your least favorite one.?
?
What about the Classic Series and the WM Sustainables?

Will motors, especially boosters be availabe at WM for the above mentioned kits?
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  #18  
Old 04-14-2009, 06:34 PM
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Jerry Irvine Jerry Irvine is offline
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Mike,

Please tell Barry I have juice to proffer ORM-D for BP, APCP, and APCP/KPCP, a Jerrypro from the 80's.

Jerry
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  #19  
Old 04-14-2009, 06:43 PM
MDorffler MDorffler is offline
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Of course you are, Bill. Keep posting.
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  #20  
Old 04-14-2009, 06:43 PM
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Royatl Royatl is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MDorffler
My name is Mike Dorffler. Some of you know me, or know of me. I have been a model rocket kit designer with Estes Industries for nearly 40 years. I have over these years developed three camera systems, several launch controllers and launch pads, over 250 produced model rocket kits, several rocket motors, and several rocket related electronic items, all for this hobby we collectively enjoy.


Welcome Mike, and bravo!

Only last August did I finally get my hands on my own copy of your initial contribution to the hobby, a Cineroc (I have a long story somewhere else on YORF about mowing lawns to buy one in 1971 only to have the funds diverted to a 35mm camera to cover my trip to NARAM 13 that year).

When it went away in the mid 70's, the scuttlebutt was that Estes could no longer obtain the motors used in it. I thought this was a rather odd reason, as from my examination of John Langford's and Mike Myrick's Cinerocs (usually after they had crashed!), the motors looked like standard issue motors you could find in Allied or Lafayette catalogs back in the day.

My first question: Was motor un-availability the real reason the Cineroc was discontinued?


(and of course, by "motors" I mean the small electric ones, for our readers who are more easily confused! )
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