This was posted on Space-Modeler Group.

Well, I know a couple of you guys went to Wonderfest. But for those who
might not have an interest in SF stuff, Round 2 did make one pretty cool
announcement that had me jazzed. They have found the molds MPC used for the
1/100 Vostok and Titan IIIC rockets and are planning to reissue them. These
were models that could be built for display or built for rocket flight. They
had a Vostok box on display (an original as a place holder). As I recall,
that kit was pretty well done at a glance. Checking with a buddy, the Titan
IIIC as I understand it has a core that is slightly too small in diameter,
but the boosters in it have accurate dimensions apparently.

I for one hope this is true.

Cool!

I never did get a MPC Titan IIIC but I did win an auction for a Vostok 10-15 years ago.

I remember an issue of the old Model Rocketry magazine featured an article on finishing the MPC Titan IIIC in Bare Metal Foil.

I'm looking forward to when these models become available.

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Bob
S.A.M. # 0014

Did not Quest obtain most of the 'bones' of the old MPC rocketry assets? I guess those molds must not have been part of the deal.

I have both those kits to build at some point.....they are kinda pricey on the auction market currently, but sometimes some 'open box' kits come up that are reasonably priced.

Did anyone ever build and fly either of these back in the day? Can't say I really recall hearing many flight reports on them. I assume they flew decently well?


Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Just as well that Quest does not have the molds. Flying the Vostok on their C6-3 would be a disaster, so they might never have rereleased that kit for liability reasons.

Did I say I hate motors with the same designation but different thrust curves from competing manufacturers? Makes life difficult explaining to newbies why they cannot fly that model with that motor...it is the laws of physics, not a bias in the club range rules in favor of E**** or against Q****... It is often easiest to just trade them an E* motor for their Q* one.

I had the Vostok in a previous life. Like the review said, even a thin mylar chute was tight in that small body tube. My oversized flight fins were molded in white plastic instead of clear.

I know of a place which has one of the old kits for sale. Not on sale as he wanted much more for it than I could justify paying.

As an aside, Round 2 is the company which is doing the reissue of the old AMT Man in Space set, so they see money to be made in bringing back old kits.


Bill

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It is well past time to Drill, Baby, Drill!

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Please unload your question before you ask it unless you have a concealed harry permit.

: countdown begin cr dup . 1- ?dup 0= until cr ." Launch!" cr ;

Give a man a rocket and he will fly for a day; teach him to build and he will spend the rest of his days sanding...

I think they would sell if done right. As Jerry said about weight issues and flying on early C engines, motor technology as well as manufacturing has improved. I also guess there are several like myself that wanted one as a kid but never got one.

Lot cheaper to make molds today with 5 axis cnc mills and wire/sinker edm's too. Lot of molds are still made here and sent overseas to manufacture parts.

I havn't confirmed that Round 2 is going to release this kit. I am only going by what I read in the Space-Modeler Group. I have email round 2 to ask if this is true. No ansure yet. I'm sure when the Wonderfest reports start to come out we might get some more information. Keep your fingers cross.

From what I have read here the Vostok was a flying lump of plastic and barely flew even on C engines because it was so heavy. You could also barely get the chute in the very confined space ahead of the engine in that internal body tube. I would still like to give it a shot.

Here is a flight reports. http://www.rocketreviews.com/mpc-vo...-jeff-lane.html

The two major hobby distributors have already updated their info for MPC thru the end of this year. Neither the Vostok or Titan III are on the list. Next big hobby show is iHobbyExpo in October, where MPC starts to announce 2013 products. So if they decide to release these kits (which I hope they do), it will be well into next year. When they finally do release them, I wouldn't be surprised if the flying parts are left out and they are sold as nostalgic plastic model kits.

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turbofireball
NAR 25162
SAM 0278

I wouldn't expect to sell many as model rockets, just like before, but the advent of small reloadables has made these models flyable. If one were to use competition style 1/4 mil virgin poly chutes with 16 thread shrouds, they would pack really small and they could be protected by the heavy mass of plastic with a slide ring. You have to work hard to make that POS fly. I wonder if they could mold a far lower density plastic?

Jerry

I have always wondered what happened to the molds for those two kits. I scored a Titan III from an auction years ago, but could never snag the Vostok. The MPC kits came out at the height of my first incarnation in the hobby, when I was about 13 and couldn't afford them!

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Got a Caribbean soul I can barely control.....