Title: Sprite

Kit number: KV-86

Background Information brief: The Astron Sprite was released in 1964 as a free kit on the mailing cover sheet of the February 1964 Model Rocket News. It was specially designed for the new Series III “Shorty” engines. Gene Street, while Chief Illustrator of Estes Indus- tries, designed the Astron Sprite using the same tumble recovery method that was used in the Estes Scout. It quickly became a classic design and was in production for almost ten years. The demise of the Shorty engines marked the end of an era and also the Astron Sprite. It was released as Catalog Number 641-K-15 and had an introductory price of $.75.
The Retro-ReproTM SpriteTM is updated with laser-cut fins. The original BT-30 is replaced with a with a slightly smaller inside diameter for better engine fit and the gauze strip is replaced with Tyvek, but the model remains close to the original. Extra empty casings the same size as the “Shorties” allows the use of standard “T” mini-engines.

Designer: Gene Street


Release Date: 05/21/2012

In Production: 2012-2014

Requested attachments:

Fin patterns (200 dpi grayscale PDF)

Decal scan (600 dpi color PDF)

Attached Thumbnails

 

Attached Files

	Sprite.pdf (1,001.0 KB, 8 views)
	Semroc-Sprite.rkt (47.5 KB, 5 views)

Semroc archived product page:https://web.archive.org/web/2012072...s.asp?SKU=KV-86

Announcement of release:
5/21/2012
Carl@Semroc
Sprite online
We have just put the Sprite online. We are offering it as a free kit with all retail orders over $40 at least through the Memorial Day weekend.

Attached Thumbnails

       

Requested attachments:

Fin patterns (200 dpi grayscale PDF)

Decal scan (600 dpi color PDF)

Picture of back of bagged kit and kit parts laid out.

The Sprite was also the first kit to use the flat steel EH-2 engine hook, which became the basis for the standard Estes quick-change motor mount, introduced in the K-25 Alpha in December of 1965.

I have Semroc Sprite kit number 00021, so I could open and scan as requested, but I'd rather not....

I could do pictures of the bagged kit, though. Let me see how far down in the stacks my bin #10 is.

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Very curious to see if your kit has a hangtag.

The bin its in is near the bottom of one of my stacks. It will have to wait until much later this evening at the earliest...

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Nope, no hang tag.

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__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Very nice, thanks!