Somewhere I mentioned that in 1985 I was handed a box of rockets and parts.
With this hand-off, I was offered the same set, Estes Multi-Pad Launcher and Controller.
It was too big and bulky for me to take home and I turned it down.
I regret that decision now!

__________________
If it flies, I can crash it!

TURNED IT DOWN ??!!??!!

I think that this is perhaps the rarest of all production items from Estes.
I can't imagine producing only 150 of anything profitably short of say a FERRARI.

__________________
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, and HAVOC !

The NAR Section I was first involved with (The Ark-La-Tex Model Rocket Club, Bossier City, LA) bought one of the Estes Multi-Pad Launcher and Controller as part of our club's equipment. I recall we had it in 1971 and/or 72.

It served us very well, we used it for club sport launches and one or more Open or Regional NAR meets.

Such an offering today would be fantastic.

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

The Estes Multi-Pad Launcher and Controller is a little rarer than you stated. Estes made only 100 of these sets. Ken Montanye (Rocket Doctor) who worked as a consultant and kit designer for Estes Industries confirmed the production number of these sets with Vern Estes himself. They were priced at $150 each set.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Today it would be mostly plastic with thin aluminum wire and snap together parts that would get brittle and break. I'm afraid we are better off building our own. I'm such an optimist.

__________________
I love sanding.

But a REALIST, tbzep.
Being an optimist in today's "throw away" society is pure folly.

I believe Centuri offered an even stouter multi-pad at one point.

__________________
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, and HAVOC !

Actually, the Centuri Multiple Launch Panel Control box is a good bit smaller and lighter than the Estes one. The Centuri Multi-Pad Launch Panel is a formed sheet metal box, whereas, the Estes Multi-Pad Controller is a heavy-duty extruded aluminum box. The specifications and dimensions for the Centuri Multi-Pad Launch Panel can be found in this thread: https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=16891

I will attempt to provide additional documentation and dimensions for the Estes Multi-Pad Launcher and Controller in this current thread in multiple subsequent posts.

Centuri had a sawhorse style launch pad rack set-up with folding metal legs and different length 2x4's used for the main beam. Centuri used this multi-pad set-up for several catalog photos, rocketeer articles and for demonstrations, but the multiple launch pad rack was never offered as a finished product from Centuri, only the Multiple Launch Panel and hardware were offered as a set (item #ELS-10) by Centuri in their 1972 Enerjet catalog. Individuals or clubs were instructed on how to build their own multiple launch pad rack. The sawhorse style launch pad rack that Centuri used for their catalog photos was a much heavier duty launch pad than the extruded aluminum Estes Multi-Pad Launcher.

A good reference source for reproducing the Centuri Club Launch Panel Controller and Launch Pad rack is the Centuri American Rocketeer Newsletter, vol. 3, no. 1, pages 4-6: https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/pubs...am_roc_v3n1.htm
(I have a much better copy of this article and will attempt to scan. This detail also shows up in some later Centuri publications.)

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Attached Thumbnails

     

As a kid I remember seeing the 12-position rotary switch in the Estes catalog, and thinking a big controller would be fun to build ... but not 12 pads!

I did make my own controller using an aluminum Budd box. Switches and indicator lights came from a military surplus store in the Denver area. Here is a picture of the plug-in handheld controller I turned on a lathe in Metal shop in the 10th grade. (The good old days, we even had a milling machine.)
The switch threads into the handle, and has a protective rubber cap. Another military surplus find. I still have this handheld control, but the box was probably tossed out when I went to college.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

Please open the box up and give us a look inside

I can make a pretty good guess on what we would see.

__________________
=======================
If the Sky is the Limit, then,
why is there Footsteps on the Moon?
=======================

In an attempt to answer some of tbzep's questions about the Electro-Voice model 715 microphone for the Estes Multi-Pad Controller, please refer to the attached Electro-Voice Engineering Data Sheets for reference. According to the data sheets, there were three possible configurations for this model 715 microphone as a handset, but the model 715 with the side clip is what is on the Estes Multi-Pad Controller that I have and the microphone does not have either the "S" or "SR" designations on the label, but it is interesting to know that they were potential options at the time, which would have included an on-off switch for those designations , plus, the data sheets note that the "SR" configuration specifically included the side clip for mounting. Dimensions are shown on page 2.

I have included the documents in jpeg and pdf formats for reference.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Attached Thumbnails

   

Attached Files

Electro-Voice_715_715S_715SR_Engineering_Data_Sheet.pdf (336.3 KB, 12 views)