Is it OK to be unfaithful ?
 

I understand the love and desire and loyalty to various old rocket models and to our favorite old rocket companies. But is it OK to fall in love with clones of the old models we recall as our first ? Is it unfaithful to say , "Hey, I like the Semroc clones and I am going to collect the Semroc and other versions of the old models we started with" ? It is as if we transfer our worship for the old models onto the new and AVAILABLE versions. No doubt we would all jump at the chance to purchase a genuine old kit but they are becoming more scarce and more expensive.

Actually I was not paying attention when Semroc was out with models that now are out of production. I would love to find a Semroc version of the original Estes Scrambler and also some Centuri-Enerjet rockets. I also wish Estes would manufacture stuff like the Maxi and Super Alpha, Scrambler, X-Ray, and others and even go as far as to upsize all of them. But then again I see no reason why Chevrolet can't produce and sell 57 Chevies again. I would buy one if they would.

yes it is ok. Most of us have to make due with clones as the original are only affordable by the few.

And unfortunately for most of us, that is us.

with that said......UpScales of some of their old classics like an X-Ray suitable for F engines I think would be cool. Why manufacture EF engines if you offer only a very few models capable of using the EF ?

My X-Ray Story:

One of my first model rockets was an X-Ray. Why ? to stick bugs inside the clear plastic payload section and see if they survived or not.

One night some friend and I decided to tape together a light bulb with a couple of batteries, placed it the clear payload section and launched it at night, figuring with the light we would be able to track it as it came down. Wrong. The acceleration loosened the tape job and the light went out. Oh well... back to the drawing board.... Hey I was 13.....give me a break...

Needless to say I never did find that rocket again.

I was 16 and found everything but the nose cone and the ball bearing. Something about the X-Ray that just encourages bad ideas. :rolleyes: ;)

I was 13 and got stung by the very upset bee that I set free after his flight :rolleyes:

That'll learn ya! :chuckle:

That'd be a DEAD BEE.

I believe in the "Starship Troopers" mantra ; a Good Bug is a DEAD BUG.

My current upscale project is an upscale X-Ray. It was started over 20 years ago by a good friend. He got out of rocketry, and last year was looking thru his attic and pulled it down for me. I have replaced the “too-long” heavy HPR nose cone with a Big Daddy nose cone, and shortened the clear payload and main tube to be exact scale-ups. (I think he lengthened everything due to that original nose cone.)

I stripped off the 3/8” launch lug and standoff and will conver to rail guides.

Pictured next to an in-progress Estes Phoenix. (This X-Ray will take more than an F, it has a 38mm motor mount.) :)

That upscale X-Ray will need at least a big G if not an H to fly decently.
I wouldn't try anything below a G64.

Has to be close to 5' tall? :eek:

I was disappointed my bug astronauts never came back mutated by the high G forces and super launch speeds. That sting COULD have given you super bee powers or turned you half bee half boy. Hey, I was only 11 back then.