Most of the models that I have seen that used the A3-2T were boost-gliders and rocket-gliders. Also anything with similar high drag characteristics would be a good candidate for that motor.

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'Til next time,

Mike Toelle

NAR 31692 L1

SAM 0373

Yes, my take is that the transfer to Estes production coincided with Estes' acquisition of Centuri. Also, I'm under the impression that Centuri began producing their on B14's at about the same time and that that too was ended by the acquisition.

Doug

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YORF member #11

I think the last kit from Estes with a legitimate use for the A3-2T was the Dragonfly that was offered from 1986 to 1988.
The only reccommended engine was the 1/2A3-2T, but could see the full A3-2T used for that one.
That was 23 to 25 YEARS AGO !!!
I think all the other boost gliders from Estes since then have used 18mm engines.
Based on that time frame, I still stand by my statement that engine should go and be replaced with something much more useful.
The only thing else I could see one using that engine in is a TINY Saucer or Spool-type design
How many of those could they possibly be selling ???

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

To be clear, it's already gone

My point was that we already have an ersatz A8-3 in the A10-3T (plus adapter), so make only the A10-3T. With the freed up position in the portfolio (with the freed up capacity), produce the niche A3-2T instead. Similar, the 1/2A3-2T can be used in lieu of the 1/2A6-2, so kill the latter and build 1/2A3-0T boosters instead.

(But, this would never fly in the broader market due the user challenges of adapting 13's into 18's.)

Doug

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YORF member #11

The A3-2T has a much smaller market than the A3-6T or A3-5T or A10-4T would have.

I for some reason thought that A3-2T was still in the engine lineup as I saw a few packs of them in a hobby shop last weekend.

I can't see hardly any justification for bringing it back, but at least it would have more use than the B4-4; that is a nonsense motor any way one slices it.
The B4-4 will not out-perform the B6-4 in average size models.
The B4-4 has a delay too long to be useful in gliders.
Even though it has a larger nozzle opening than the B6 series which makes it a tad easier to ignite in an upper stage of a 2 or more stage rocket, the -4 delay stinks for upper stage.
That is the motor that should have been dumped instead of the B4-6.
Estes has several motors in the lineup that would have been dumped if they would have looked at purpose instead of sales figures.
B4-6 should be around instead of B6-6.
B6-4 should be the only -4 B around; lose the B4-4 and bring back a useful motor like the B8-5 or B14-5
C5-3 should be around instead of C6-3; there is nothing a C6-3 can do a C5-3 doesn't do better.
Same for the C5-0 vs. C6-0; the C5-0 should be around with the C6-0 gone 20+yrs ago.
Dump the 1/2A6-2; use the 1/2A3-2T in its place, which has the same impulse with 4 to a pak.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

I have a blue-paper Centuri B14-7 that (depending on when Estes made Centuri's motors after Damon acquired both companies) might have been made by Estes--its date code is: I10 1 73 (the "I" may be a lower-case "l" instead, depending on what font they used). Blue and green Estes motors came and went in approximately the 1972 - 1974 time frame (at least that's when Orange Blossom Hobbies in Miami sold them). Three blue A3-4T mini motors can be seen at the bottom of the Estes Firing Line Starter Kit page (page 10) in the 1974 Estes Catalog (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...74/74est10.html ).

Making the motor cases out of colored paper would be a good safety feature, as model rocketeers could tell at a glance whether their motors were single stage (green), upper stage (purple), or booster stage (red) motors. While the red lettering on booster motors is unmistakable, some of the inks that were used on older single stage motors and upper stage motors were sufficiently "un-colorfast" (especially when seen against the brown paper of the motor case) that it wasn't hard to mistake upper stage motors for single stage motors, especially if one was pressed for time during a flying session.

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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
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All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

Your posting came to mind when I was just looking at my blue Centuri B14-7. Its clay ejection charge cap is quite far down (1-5/16") inside from the front end of the casing, while the clay caps in an Estes B14-5 and a Centuri B8-5 that I have are each recessed 1" down inside their casings.

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

The A10-3T is to the A8-3 what the C5-3 is to the C6-3--there's nothing the latter can do that the former can't do better, and likewise with the 1/2A3-2T versus the 1/2A6-2. But, I can certainly see Estes' reason for keeping the 1/2A6-2 and the A8-3. Imagine them having to include a 13 mm mini motor adapter mount in *every* Alpha, Alpha III, Generic E2X, Viking, and Wizard kit (to name just a few!) so that they could fly on 1/2A3-2T and A10-3T motors...their body tube, centering ring, and motor clip suppliers would be the only happy ones in such a circumstance. :-)

Fortunately, that doesn't stop us from doing this. A school, club, or youth group with a small flying field can whip up a few 13 mm adapter mounts to share among the participating fliers, and the organization can enjoy the savings from using the 4-pack 13 mm mini motors rather than the 3-pack 18 mm motors.

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

Yes, bring back the A3-6T!

I'm a bit late to this thread, but I agree it would be good to have a long-delay A3 motor. I remember the A3-6T from my early model rocketry days. I never recall any problems with the clay caps, so I don't know whey an engine Estes produced for years is such a problem now. But if there is a problem there for whatever reason, then I agree with those that advocate the D11-9 approach (i.e., settle for less than a full a A -- 9/10 A?). Failing that, an A3-5T would be better than nothing.

They were my go-to motor for competition, where an A3-8T would have been even better for piston launched rockets. A B3-3,6T would be sensational.

Just Jerry

And this USR Micro-Interroc: