Thanks for posting the plans.
I found the Alpha II instructions very interesting.
In Step 1: I don't remember any other Estes kit that had the shock cord tied to the top of the engine hook. I'm probably wrong on that, but I never had an Estes kit that was built that way. The first time I'd seen that was on the newer Semroc kits.

In Step 3: The engine mount is slid down from the top into a ring of glue at the bottom of the main BT-50 tube.

__________________
Hans "Chris" Michielssen
Old/New NAR # 19086 SR

www.oddlrockets.com
www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com
http://www.nar.org/educational-reso...ing-techniques/
Your results may vary
"Nose cones roll, be careful with that."
Every spaceman needs a ray gun.
Look out - I'm the Meister Shyster!

*SIGH* No, earlier (in Reply #42) I had mentioned that building an Orange Bullet -using- plastic parts (a plastic PNC-20B nose cone from the Estes Mini Customizer Launch Set, a length of clear plastic PST-20 payload section tubing, and sheet styrene fins) would yield a waterproof rocket that could be flown from snow-covered fields (or wet grass, come to think of it) that could even land in a pond without being ruined as a balsa-and-paper rocket would be.

__________________
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

Was referring to engine nozzle only (wax). Yes, all was said in jest-& not referring to a streak for this project. dan.

All this talk about the Orange Bullet reminded me of an article I wrote a few months ago for our Club Newsletter, Team Pittsburgh. It's not up on the website yet, but will be soon. The article was published in issue #159. I tried to place a copy of the article below but the file size is just a little too large; at least the photo of my model fits.

I should also mention that Carl produces a laser cut set of fins now for the Orange Bullet.

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__________________
John
YORF #003
SAM #004

You expect me to remember that far back?

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SAM # 0011

Beauty!

So all we need now are the little brass squares and an Estes-made Model Missiles engine.

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SAM # 0011

OK, what's up with this?

Clearly an Alpha 1, in an educator's pack, called an Alpha II.

Anyone know the history of this?

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ESTES used variations of the Alpha be it parts , plans or just callin it a I , II , Metric etc. for marketing. They were also offering quantity packages for schools, etc. They had to give it a different part # since it wasn't an actual 1225. Sometimes they would use overstocked parts or others to make building easier for kids. They'd throw in tha kitchen sink if it wouldda fit. I just got a K Alpha from 1970. I , too, am a Alpha nut-bein my 1st kit, if anyone wants to converse... dannymrmissile.

I would be torn over "To fly it, or not to fly it"--not for fear of losing it, but because that beautiful paint finish would have exhaust crud on it afterwards...

__________________
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

Very interesting! Is that Alpha II kit from a recently-purchased new educator's pack, or an old one that you found on eBay or elsewhere? If it's the former, I suppose it's possible that the folks at Estes occasionally come across stashes of older kits (or maybe get returns from distributors for one reason or another) and toss them into newly-packaged educator's packs. Also:

Even if Alpha kits such as that one have the older-style two-ring motor mount (rather than the single-sleeve type that is standard today), that difference wouldn't cause a problem for a group of students, Scouts, or club members who were building all of the Alphas from the educator's pack at the same time because each kit (including that Alpha II kit) is self-contained, having its own instructions sheets.

__________________
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