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  #11  
Old 05-16-2021, 05:19 PM
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ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
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Bummer. That booster is definitely smaller diameter than the Big Bertha.
Looks to be BT-55 Booster and BT-50 orbiter unfortunately.
R/C could be done, but the elevon servos will have to be mounted in the middle of each wing, which is ugly.
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  #12  
Old 05-17-2021, 10:30 AM
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I wish they would have upscaled the Mars Snooper II like Qmodeling did with spring-loaded legs instead of the original Mars Snooper.
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Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
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ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
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  #13  
Old 05-17-2021, 11:55 AM
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Anyone know when Estes will release their new upscale Mars Snooper?
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  #14  
Old 05-17-2021, 12:46 PM
Bluegrass Rocket Bluegrass Rocket is offline
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I saw the latest upscale Orbital Transport at eRockets 2 weeks ago. They are still working on it and adding some details to it. They are doing some 3D printed parts for it. The main problem is not the cost of balsa, it’s the availability. I know Randy has had a order with SIG for at least a year and a half and no balsa. It’s the weight of balsa used for rockets that is the problem. Semroc uses a certain weight of balsa and none has been available. Now if you want balsa that weights more than oak, no problem. I use 3” x 3” x 36” balsa for noses for my square rockets just like Semroc. I have a balsa board like that that weights 4 pounds. Semroc needs them to weigh about 1 pound.

Carl was a truly unbelievable example of a wonderful human being. He helped me out greatly when I started NewWay. I literally can’t say enough good things about him. He had a soft spot for rocketry. He helped out everyone he could. I think he spent every waking hour making rocket stuff. After his passing, Randy at eRockets stepped up and bought Semroc. Randy has a love for rocketry like Carl did, but they approached it differently. Carl seemed to approach it with keeping everyone happy with lots of rocket kits and parts, never seemingly to worry about the money part of it. Randy’s business is different. He looks at the analytics and goes from there. If an item isn’t selling after a couple of years, it doesn’t make good business sense to continue to make and stock it. Estes doesn’t still make every kit they’ve ever made and if they did, there would have never been a need for Semroc. Carl spoiled the industry by being over the top kind and there won’t be another like him, but Randy is doing a good job running the business, just different than Carl was. ERockets/Semroc have a bunch of things going on and new stuff coming along. There will probably be some old kits returning as well. I certainly miss Carl and his legacy, but I’m glad Randy is keeping it going at Semroc. Just my 2 cents.
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  #15  
Old 05-17-2021, 01:34 PM
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ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
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We were all extremely lucky to have Carl involved in the Rocketry Hobby.
He definitely put Hobby first and Business sscond.
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Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !

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  #16  
Old 05-18-2021, 08:31 AM
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GuyNoir GuyNoir is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegrass Rocket
I know Randy has had a order with SIG for at least a year and a half and no balsa. It’s the weight of balsa used for rockets that is the problem. Semroc uses a certain weight of balsa and none has been available.


Help may be on the way. I'm following Sig on FB and they're posting weekly updates on the company, which is under new ownership. They just received 26,000 cu. ft. of balsa from their supplier in Ecuador.
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  #17  
Old 05-18-2021, 09:17 AM
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tbzep tbzep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuyNoir
Help may be on the way. I'm following Sig on FB and they're posting weekly updates on the company, which is under new ownership. They just received 26,000 cu. ft. of balsa from their supplier in Ecuador.

Sounds like a lot, but Sig distributes to hobby shops that I'm sure are low or have none in stock. It will go out about as fast as they can cut and sort it.
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  #18  
Old 05-18-2021, 12:06 PM
NOLA_BAR NOLA_BAR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegrass Rocket
I saw the latest upscale Orbital Transport at eRockets 2 weeks ago. They are still working on it and adding some details to it. They are doing some 3D printed parts for it. The main problem is not the cost of balsa, it’s the availability. I know Randy has had a order with SIG for at least a year and a half and no balsa. It’s the weight of balsa used for rockets that is the problem. Semroc uses a certain weight of balsa and none has been available. Now if you want balsa that weights more than oak, no problem. I use 3” x 3” x 36” balsa for noses for my square rockets just like Semroc. I have a balsa board like that that weights 4 pounds. Semroc needs them to weigh about 1 pound.

Carl was a truly unbelievable example of a wonderful human being. He helped me out greatly when I started NewWay. I literally can’t say enough good things about him. He had a soft spot for rocketry. He helped out everyone he could. I think he spent every waking hour making rocket stuff. After his passing, Randy at eRockets stepped up and bought Semroc. Randy has a love for rocketry like Carl did, but they approached it differently. Carl seemed to approach it with keeping everyone happy with lots of rocket kits and parts, never seemingly to worry about the money part of it. Randy’s business is different. He looks at the analytics and goes from there. If an item isn’t selling after a couple of years, it doesn’t make good business sense to continue to make and stock it. Estes doesn’t still make every kit they’ve ever made and if they did, there would have never been a need for Semroc. Carl spoiled the industry by being over the top kind and there won’t be another like him, but Randy is doing a good job running the business, just different than Carl was. ERockets/Semroc have a bunch of things going on and new stuff coming along. There will probably be some old kits returning as well. I certainly miss Carl and his legacy, but I’m glad Randy is keeping it going at Semroc. Just my 2 cents.


Thanks for the report. Hopefully they can revive the Pro/SLS line. There is hole in the kit market for mid-power upscales of fun classic designs (Orbital Transport, Mars Snooper(I and II), Starship Vega, etc.). Of course there is the business risk, as I would expect these kits to be expensive. Good luck to you and eRockets.
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  #19  
Old 05-18-2021, 05:36 PM
Scott_650 Scott_650 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash
Anyone know when Estes will release their new upscale Mars Snooper?

The catalog page just says “Summer 2021” so any day after 1 June but before 1 September 😉

I’m looking forward to the new Snooper - I keep saying “no more kits!” then stuff keeps coming out that I just have to try! Like the MMX kits, motors and launch rod adapter that showed up on the doorstep the other day...
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  #20  
Old 05-18-2021, 06:45 PM
Scott_650 Scott_650 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TigerHawk
Scott, have you seen the two new kits from NewWay? Der Squared Max and Boxie Birdie.

Dan

Just the pictures - I have a NewWay space fighter style kit on hand to build but that’s the only square rocket on the pile...so far. Der Squared Max is intriguing.
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