Ye Olde Rocket Forum - Estes Saturn V K-36NF (Non-Flying) Kit?

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- - Estes Saturn V K-36NF (Non-Flying) Kit? (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=11977)

I hope you scan the instructions and take lots of photos for posterity. :cool:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royatl

Bill Simon ("Al_Packer") would be someone who should know about it. He's a member here, but apparently hasn't checked in for almost two years (1-1-11). It is said that Vern lurks here under an assumed name, but doesn't respond here. Carl could probably summon him. I've sent Vern email through the addresses on his web site but he's never answered.

I would assume that this was a test marketing item for Estes, sold through the one place where you could be assured of some demand. It may have indeed pre-dated the release of the flying kit, if only because they didn't have to do that pesky flight testing stuff. So it is possible that they could've had it in the gift shop at the time of the Apollo 11 launch.

Yeah, I would suspect Vern's email probably gets all kind of hits. I do have his business card here somewhere that he sent once with his phone number. But I don't think I'd call right in the holidays. Maybe after.

But if Carl could summons Bill that would certainly be another good place to start as well. And you are right too in that this kit could have preceded the flying version.

I just noticed that an original Estes 'Uprated Saturn 1' has just been posted on eBay. The box this non-flying Saturn V came in appears to be the exact same cardboard box, just different labels obviously. I can even see some wide (about two inch wide stuff) Sealing tape on the Uprated Saturn box photos that is the exact same as that used on the kit box I have.

Earl

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbzep

I hope you scan the instructions and take lots of photos for posterity. :cool:

I will certainly be glad to post as much here as I can in time. It is unique in that I've never seen one before, but overall the parts and such are still pretty much just the 'plain vanilla' Estes Saturn V stuff.

Still, depending on how many might have been produced, let alone survive some 40-odd years later, it may represent an only surviving example. If it were not for the price printed on the label, I'd think it might have been a special kit batch Vern had made for 'special people' at KSC. But with the price on the label it seems pretty obvious this was an attempt at an actual product or as Roy pointed out, at least a 'test market' product that appears just didn't sell in great quantities.

Earl

Post photos of the contents, PLEASE! Don't make us beg! :(

The Saturn 1B is already over $140.00.
Not bad for a new listing........ :rolleyes:

Interesting that the EBay listed uprated Saturn I has recommended motors of A8-3 or B8-4. Does anybody know how high off the pad this model could get on 4 A8-3s or why C motors are not listed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by UCBadger

Interesting that the EBay listed uprated Saturn I has recommended motors of A8-3 or B8-4. Does anybody know how high off the pad this model could get on 4 A8-3s or why C motors are not listed?

C motors, other than C booster motors, were not available when this particular model first came out, which was around '67 I think. This is a VERY early Saturn 1b model, back when the Saturn 1b was still called the Uprated Saturn.

Apogee on the four A motors no doubt would have been low.

Earl

Quote:

Originally Posted by UCBadger

Interesting that the EBay listed uprated Saturn I has recommended motors of A8-3 or B8-4. Does anybody know how high off the pad this model could get on 4 A8-3s or why C motors are not listed?

Single stage C motors didn't exist when the kit was released. They did have a C class booster, but none with ejection charges.

I don't know how high it would go on 4 A's, but I wouldn't try it. The rocket doesn't go much higher than the tree tops on 4 B's.

BTW, 4 A8-3's have less than 10 N-s of total impulse, not much more than a single C6-3.

Thanks for the info. 1967 was a few years before my original model rocket days. I know single stage C motors (still engines to me.......) were around when I started in 6th or 7th grade...68 or 69.