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  #1  
Old 10-03-2010, 11:19 PM
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Default Estes Satellite Interceptor

I'm getting ready to clear coat the Satellite Interceptor. I looked though some photos of my previous builds. Isn't this a 1/2 size Estes S.W.A.T.?
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Old 10-04-2010, 09:43 AM
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I built Estes' CROSSBOW SST kit a month or so back, which is a downscale of the Satellite Interceptor. The Crossbow is missing the nacelle tubes on the wings and has a stubbier nose cone, but its decal sheet is just a downscale of the Satellite Interceptor's with purple in place of red. Even has all sorts of decals and images made for the additional nacelles and other structures that were deleted for the Crossbow.
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  #3  
Old 10-04-2010, 11:04 AM
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The original Satellite Interceptor was first seen in the 1978 Estes catalogue, and its length was listed as 22.25".
The SWAT showed up in the Estes 1989 catalogue with a length of 34".

Interestingly, Centuri in 1981 released the Space Master Strategic Troop Carrier which looks exactly like the SI (same length, too) except for the nose cone and decals.

http://ninfinger.org/rockets/catalo...81/81cen32.html

Allen
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Old 10-04-2010, 12:03 PM
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The SWAT is roughly a 168% upscale of the original Satellite Interceptor; the SI is not a downscale of the SWAT as the SI came out in like 1976 originally.
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Old 10-04-2010, 03:56 PM
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Looks like when Damon owned both companies, they swapped their designs around a bit. I like the SWAT's nosecone.
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  #6  
Old 10-04-2010, 04:54 PM
BoosterDude BoosterDude is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffyjeep
I'm getting ready to clear coat the Satellite Interceptor. I looked though some photos of my previous builds. Isn't this a 1/2 size Estes S.W.A.T.?


Looks great!
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  #7  
Old 10-04-2010, 06:16 PM
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Thank you! I was flipping through the Estes 2010 catalog, and MSRP for the SI is $23.99. I didn't pay MSRP for the kit, but my question is: why such a relatively high price for a kit that (I would surmise) costs less to produce than kits that have FAR more components and raw materials but have a lower MSRP (like the Screaming Eagle or the Renegade D?)
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  #8  
Old 10-04-2010, 11:45 PM
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I often wonder why rocket kits cost so much in general - especially Estes. With Estes 'classic' Satellite Interceptor, though, I expect they've got it priced for what they expect the market will accept - that market being older modellers who have (presumably) more money to spend and would probably have spent even more to get one of it's OOP predecessors.

I picked up the Crossbow SST for $9. Then I saw a couple at a local shop for $5 each and felt like I got boned. Then I saw the MSRP in Estes' catalog. Whew....
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  #9  
Old 10-05-2010, 11:39 AM
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Centuri offered a kit identical to the original SI even in size near the end of their life.
It was called the Spacemaster and had a different color and decal scheme.
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  #10  
Old 10-05-2010, 11:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AcroRay
I often wonder why rocket kits cost so much in general - especially Estes. With Estes 'classic' Satellite Interceptor, though, I expect they've got it priced for what they expect the market will accept - that market being older modellers who have (presumably) more money to spend and would probably have spent even more to get one of it's OOP predecessors.
You answered your own question. They're gonna charge whatever the market will bear. If the expected market is middle-aged old farts with more money than sense, they're gonna try to eke a few more bucks out of it

Seriously, the pricing fits the supply/demand model as taught in econ classes.

Doug

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