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Old 10-12-2016, 09:32 AM
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JumpJet JumpJet is offline
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Default Recent Estes Kits

I was just wondering if anyone out there has purchased or better still flown any of the new Estes kits including the Smaller Nike Smoke, Expedition and Twin Factor.


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Old 10-12-2016, 10:08 AM
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The Nike Smoke and Star Orbiter are in my next few builds, and I already have two or three of the new Goblins in the bag. Thanks for producing such nice kits!
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Old 10-12-2016, 10:41 AM
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I have purchased, but not yet built the smaller Nike Smoke and the Expedition.

I did open the kits and examined the parts. Both appear to be of high quality, and I will be building these first during build season, which for me begins after a major regional meet that I will be attending this weekend.

I especially appreciate the nose cone on the Nike Smoke. What a beauty. This kit is an excellent antidote for my memories of the horrible, low quality Quest Nike Smoke kit. It reminds me of the old Centuri kit. I think I will build a baffle for it just like the Centuri kit.

The Expedition looked odd enough that I eventually bought one. I was pleasantly surprised at some of the unique building techniques that I will have to employ to complete this model. You must cut tubes to construct fairings reminiscent of the "Saturnian" Estes DOM plan #39 circa 1966. This sort of building technique gives the kit a real old-timer "builder" feel. I am looking forward to getting started on this kit first. I want to replace the blue in the color scheme with silver.

One thing I can pick on about the Expedition is the decal. The decal is not like what is shown on the kit's face card, and looks like a partially-complete decal. Missing is the representation of a globe within the "atomic" graphic. This changes the look of the graphic from something with a stylish "retro" appearance to just some weird squiggle.

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Old 10-12-2016, 11:43 AM
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Quote:
Missing is the representation of a globe within the "atomic" graphic.



I just checked a kit here at Estes. The globe is in fact there on the decal sheet. You will need to look at it real close from an angle to see it but it's there. We have been trying for years to get our vendor to switch to a non white background for the decal paper so white decals show up.



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Old 10-12-2016, 11:52 AM
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I'm another on the "purchased but not build" Expedition list. Soon. I've been seeing the biggest body tube squeezed a bit in the packaging on those...but I think the one I have will be OK (this at Hobby Lobby stores).

I have a friend who has done the BT-60 Nike Smoke and brought it to a couple of club launches. Very nice, indeed.

And you already know the fun I've been having with the Star Orbiter....great model.
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Old 10-12-2016, 12:07 PM
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I built the Expedition and it's in primer now. A fun and challenging build and a beautiful model!

I filled the spin jet cavities of the HoJo PNC-55 with Squadron Green and sanded them smooth.

There appears to be a flaw in the printing of the BT70 to BT55 reducer: the (3) lines for the placement of the little card stock strakes are not 120 degrees apart. The way the reducer is printed has all three strakes on only one half of the reducer, IOW 90 degrees apart.
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Old 10-12-2016, 12:25 PM
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Quote:
flaw in the printing of the BT70 to BT55 reducer


Yes, you are correct. It will be corrected in next production run.



John Boren
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Old 10-12-2016, 12:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpJet
I just checked a kit here at Estes. The globe is in fact there on the decal sheet. You will need to look at it real close from an angle to see it but it's there. We have been trying for years to get our vendor to switch to a non white background for the decal paper so white decals show up.

No wonder I didn't notice it. I did notice the white Estes logos. But the face card shows black latitude and longitude lines over a white globe. The decal in my kit does not have those black lines. And the black lines give it the stylish "retro" look. Otherwise its a white circle with red squiggles. Still... I think its a nice kit.
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Old 10-12-2016, 12:30 PM
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John- what do you mean you have been trying for years to get your vendor to change the decal background ???
Just change YOUR specification you issue them, disallowing use of the white background from date XX XX XXXX on.
We do changes in my industry like that all the time.
They either meet your requirement, or lose the business to another vendor.
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Old 10-12-2016, 12:52 PM
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There are no black lines on the Globe, those areas are Clear so whatever your back ground color is the lines will be.



Quote:
We do changes in my industry like that all the time.



Your lucky you can do that in your industry. Many things Estes has control over but some things we don't. We also have to past testing regulations in the Toy Industry. There are even some colors we can use since they won't past testing.




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