Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPMcGraw

Has anyone noticed one of the "new" product lines Estes has brought out? Fully-assembled rockets in those conformal heat-molded blister packs. No motors, no pad, no launch controller, just the rocket -- fully assembled (maybe you have to attach the parachute...) and ready for launch. Wal Mart is selling them for $10. I looked at two: a 3FNC and a 4 FNC. The 3FNC used a gold-plated* Alpha III fin can, a gold-colored pre-wrapped body tube, and a gold-plated* PNC-50Y nose cone. The 4 FNC used a fin can which I don't think has been used before. The packages look like they cost as much to make as the rockets do, BTW...[/i]]

I have seen them. I wonder if these are geared towards someone that purchased his first RTF rocket or a starter set and possibly lost the rocket that came with the set? Instant gratification for the "non-builder" that needs to get back out into the field to launch again. Possibly lacks the time or design skills to build his own. Perhaps this is the market Estes is trying to reach?

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPMcGraw

I whole-heartedly agree with the inclusion of a paper catalog, especially one that has a full line of components and accessories. Those were the catalogs we all used to drool over. It wasn't just the rockets, but the idea that with those components you "could do anything". Those pages were like the old Edmund Scientific catalogs, or the Heathkit electronics catalogs.[/i]]

One would think I was trying to memorize those first model rocket catalogs I had by the amount of time I spent staring into them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPMcGraw

Something I once thought about for a Deluxe Starter Set was to include a copy of "The Handbook" as a premium. That might be something to consider for educators wanting to include rocketry in their classrooms.

[*Gold-plated in the sense that they were plated with a gold-colored metallic coating...]

I still refer to my two copies. I agree. If there were one piece of literature I could put in the hands of the guy buying his first starter set, this would be my choice. When I first started in model rocketry that was the reference materials I needed to show me model rocketry and all it encompassed.

The Handbook as a premium is a very good idea.

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