Estes Mercury Redstone Kit No. K-41

[cas2047]

I recently purchased an Estes Mercury Redstone Kit on ebay. The kit was open. The engine mount was already installed (the builder did a good job I might add), it was missing one screw eye and one lead weight (both easily replaced), the fin templates were already cut out, and unfortunately one of the chutes adhered to part of the decal sheet and when peeled off left a greyish residue on part of the main decal. I'm not sure if I can fix this, or if I should use the decal as is, or get a replacement decal somewhere.

I have a sealed K-41 kit in my collection so this one I bought to build. I had one as a kid and am really looking forward to building this excellent kit once again. If the bag wasn't already open I really don't think I could tear into it, so this is a perfect fit for me.

Anyway I just thought that there might be one or two other BAR's out there who might enjoy some pics of this old classic Estes kit.

[ghrocketman]

I have three of these, all with the "Damon era" red header card that is newer than yours.
Two are sealed and one is opened but complete.
I built one when I was a teenager and remember what a pain the escape tower was.
I'm going to build the opened one once I finish my Semroc Saturn 1B and Semroc Mars Lander.
I bought all K-41/1241's off ebay....I paid around $85 each for the sealed ones and around $40 for the opened one about 2 years ago.

[cas2047]

I have three of these, all with the "Damon era" red header card that is newer than yours.
Two are sealed and one is opened but complete.
I built one when I was a teenager and remember what a pain the escape tower was.
I'm going to build the opened one once I finish my Semroc Saturn 1B and Semroc Mars Lander.
I bought all K-41/1241's off ebay....I paid around $85 each for the sealed ones and around $40 for the opened one about 2 years ago.


The sealed K-41 that I have is the newer one also. I bought that last year on ebay for around $55, but I got lucky with that one. The open kit that I just bought (the older one) I got for $41, but another open kit of the same age sold that same day for $111. Go figure...

After you build the Semroc Sat 1B tower you are certified to build ANY tower! :) I'm just finishing up my second Semroc Sat 1B capsule and tower. My first one drifted away on my last Sat 1B flight. You'd figure that the second time around would be easier, but NOOOO it was just as challenging the second time around. ;)

[ghrocketman]

I think I'm going to order 1/70 scale Apogee Apollo PLASTIC capsule/tower kits for my S1B and LJII instead of fussing with the dowels.
I built the original Estes K-29 S1B and K-30 LJII with the wooden towers and it was a royal nuisance.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I built this one after receiving it as a 15th birthday gift in 1977. At the time I had built somewhere between six and ten models, none of them higher than a skill level three kit. That meant nothing to me. With typical teenage blindness to reality, I dove into the Mercury Redstone project, and to be honest, it came out looking pretty decent. (I never got to the finishing stage, but the escape tower build looked a lot better than I had any business hoping for.)
If possible, can you scan the wraps? I don't think a good set exists online anywhere and I picked up a nose cone for another MR back in 2004. The only thing that's holding me back is the lack of a decent wrap scan.
I had a picture around here somewhere, but......... :confused:

[cas2047]

I think I'm going to order 1/70 scale Apogee Apollo PLASTIC capsule/tower kits for my S1B and LJII instead of fussing with the dowels.
I built the original Estes K-29 S1B and K-30 LJII with the wooden towers and it was a royal nuisance.

You know I wish I had thought of that before I started the second one. If I lose another one I am going that route also!

[cas2047]

I built this one after receiving it as a 15th birthday gift in 1977. At the time I had built somewhere between six and ten models, none of them higher than a skill level three kit. That meant nothing to me. With typical teenage blindness to reality, I dove into the Mercury Redstone project, and to be honest, it came out looking pretty decent. (I never got to the finishing stage, but the escape tower build looked a lot better than I had any business hoping for.)
If possible, can you scan the wraps? I don't think a good set exists online anywhere and I picked up a nose cone for another MR back in 2004. The only thing that's holding me back is the lack of a decent wrap scan.
I had a picture around here somewhere, but......... :confused:


My experience was similar to yours. I think the most difficult kit I had built before taking on the Redstone was the Nike-X so I was umprepared also. I don't remember exactly how well it came out, but I believe it was presentable.

I think there's a scan out on dars at http://www.dars.org/jimz/k-41.htm. Let me know if that isn't workable and I will see if I can get a quality scan at work.

[ghrocketman]

Talk about crazy....I built my original K-41 right after I built the Nike X....I think it was around 1979 and I had already built a few R/C aircraft.
Although the R/C kits had far more parts than any rocket kit, none were as complicated to get to look decent as that K-41 tower.

[cas2047]

Talk about crazy....I built my original K-41 right after I built the Nike X....I think it was around 1979 and I had already built a few R/C aircraft.
Although the R/C kits had far more parts than any rocket kit, none were as complicated to get to look decent as that K-41 tower.


Too funny! I'd have to guess that I built mine somewhere between 1976-78. I wasn't into RC at the time. I can't say for sure why but it was probably too expensive for my limited budget. My three main hobbies were Estes rockets, Cox control line planes and model building.

[ghrocketman]

R/C back then was much more expensive in terms of real dollars to income, but I was VERY lucky in that I had very generous parents that supported my hobbies.
I actually learned to fly R/C at age 9 in 1979....I can remember that back then a Futaba 6-channel R/C set with 4 servos was over $200.00 !
That would be equal to somewhere around $800.00 now and nobody pays that for a basic 6-ch radio.

[dwmzmm]

I also have the K-41 Mercury Redstone still "in-the-bag." And, I still have my second K-41
built in 1970 that's still flyable today (last flown in June 2004 @ JSC); pic below is from an
old slide my Dad took of me, my cousin (Randy) at the back of our house in Natchitoches,
LA in 1970 along with our fleet. The Mercury Redstone is the one to the very left on the
multipad (near the Saturn launch tower)....

I'm the tall one on the right; I was 14 years old then (wow, what a time that was!!).

[kurtschachner]

If possible, can you scan the wraps? I don't think a good set exists online anywhere and I picked up a nose cone for another MR back in 2004. The only thing that's holding me back is the lack of a decent wrap scan.

I have 600 DPI scans of those wraps, email me if you want them. I know what you mean about the scans not being that good, for some reason these aren't either - despite being made from some originals I once had. They're funny, kind of grayish and odd. Nevertheless, I think they might print out OK and would probably look fine on a model.

Anyway, you are welcome to what I have if you want it.

[dwmzmm]

I also have the K-41 Mercury Redstone still "in-the-bag." And, I still have my second K-41
built in 1970 that's still flyable today (last flown in June 2004 @ JSC); pic below is from an
old slide my Dad took of me, my cousin (Randy) at the back of our house in Natchitoches,
LA in 1970 along with our fleet. The Mercury Redstone is the one to the very left on the
multipad (near the Saturn launch tower)....

I'm the tall one on the right; I was 14 years old then (wow, what a time that was!!).

I think I found a pic of my Estes K-41's last (recent) launch mentioned in my previous post
in this thread; here's a lift off pic taken by Warren Benson with the Rocket Park in the background (very fitting, as you can see a "real" Mercury Redstone in the background):

[Zeus-cat]

I think I found a pic of my Estes K-41's last (recent) launch mentioned in my previous post in this thread; here's a lift off pic taken by Warren Benson with the Rocket Park in the background (very fitting, as you can see a "real" Mercury Redstone in the background):

Now that is just showing off! And I would have done EXACTLY the same thing given half the chance. Good job sir!

[rocketguy101]

I am so jealous of you guys launching at JSC!! ;) Isn't is kinda intimidating launching near the real things?

Love the MR -- mine is the Centuri kit really nice flight on a C6-3. My first one was trashed a long time ago (it is in my avatar) -- I built my 2nd one a few years ago, did much better finish job on it :D

Would those wraps scan better if you used "descreen" (or whatever they call the feature to scan halftone prints (http://www.scantips.com/basics6c.html))?

[dwmzmm]

I am so jealous of you guys launching at JSC!! ;) Isn't is kinda intimidating launching near the real things?

Love the MR -- mine is the Centuri kit really nice flight on a C6-3. My first one was trashed a long time ago (it is in my avatar) -- I built my 2nd one a few years ago, did much better finish job on it :D

Would those wraps scan better if you used "descreen" (or whatever they call the feature to scan halftone prints (http://www.scantips.com/basics6c.html))?


Launching near the real thing actually adds to the spirit of our activities! When I'm there,
I'm often taking glances toward Rocket Park reminding myself that history was made here.

I also have the original Centuri Mercury Redstone; that's one really beautiful kit. Maybe
within the next few days I'll post some pics of it; I hope to fly it on August 4th at our next
Challenger 498 club launch.

[cas2047]

I think I found a pic of my Estes K-41's last (recent) launch mentioned in my previous post
in this thread; here's a lift off pic taken by Warren Benson with the Rocket Park in the background (very fitting, as you can see a "real" Mercury Redstone in the background):

Outstanding! :)

[Leo]

...

I'm the tall one on the right; I was 14 years old then (wow, what a time that was!!).

I just love to view these pictures from the past.

[dwmzmm]

I just love to view these pictures from the past.

Good way to put it is to say "Blast from the Past!"