In my effort to understand why every model in the 1963 Estes catalog is (in contrast to 1963 Centuri) completely naked and without decals or decoration of any kind, I have been reading that catalog carefully.

There is a blurb on the Estes Engine Holder (a hook with gauze reinforcement) for minimum diameter rockets in the parts pages. I built a hook like that into my 1963 Astron Scout and I suppose it is the precursor for later engine hooks (a la 1965 Alpha).

But the interesting part (for me) is this: "By running forward instead of rearward from the rocket engine, it can also be used as a substitute for the engine block in removable fin rockets such as the Sky Bird." Wait, what? What is a removal fin rocket, and what is a Sky Bird?

Googling leads me to Sky Bird II (Estes eirp 02 link below) which seems to have 1) an engine hook, and 2) something called break-up recovery. I am reading the 1 page plans now and I see a shock cord but no parachute, and have not worked out the removable fins. Clearly I still have much to learn when it comes to early model rocket history.



Sky Bird II (eirp)

Sky Bird was one of the original plans that used a plastic fin unit from fireworks. Sint they could be slid on and off the tube, that's where the removable fins comment comes from.
See the 1960 catalog here: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...s60/60est4.html

Fins are listed as the plastic fin unit to build the Sky Bird.
In the list of plans in the Rocketry handbook is the Sky Bird.

kj

Thank you! That same page lists a publication called "Model Rocketry" which has plans for the Arrow-C, Sky Bird, and Orange Bullet. Do we have access to these plans? Scanned and uploaded or otherwise? Yes I've heard of the Orange Bullet subsequently.

More gold from ninfinger:

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...an/esttech.html

Great, thanks. I've not come across that one before.

Yup. EH-1 is the 1/16 wire hook used in the Scout. The flat metal EH-2, originally used in the Sprite in the same fashion as the EH-1 was used in the Scout, was first used in the Alpha for a quick change motor mount without also supporting the aft CG shift for tumble recovery for Scout/Sprite — or so I thought until I saw this. I'm not sure how that long hook would be used in this Sky Bird.

But now, thanks to this, I know why the Sky Bird II (which I've built in the original size and an ST-8-based 13mm motor version) is a "II".

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Incidentally, how do you Estes history fans date this document? The first 7 (or 8) pages are I believe the "Model Rocketry" handbook available for order from what we call the 1960 Estes catalog (which specifically refers to plans for the 3 models), so I reason the handbook dates back at least that far. Are these the first 3 published Estes plans? The 1960 catalog seems to me to have no kits for sale, but rather a selection of parts, many of which are described for use with these 3 models. So they are effectively offering full plans and complete parts for these 3 kits, but separately.

The ninfinger document looks to me to be a compilation of existing material. I don't know where or when those plans originally appeared.

It is definitely that (a compilation that include later model plans and Technical Reports). I reason that the first 7 pages or so - with the correct title, hand typed, with plans for those 3 specific models - is the 160-P-1 handbook sold for 25¢ via the 1960 catalog.