Plastic Interceptor E parts

[KLINGON CAV]

I want to know if anyone has any Estes Interceptor E plastic parts I 'm going to scratch build it as a static model

[naoto]

ages ago, I do remember an example on the racks at a particular hobby store being cleared out for clearance for just under $40 -- not bad, considering it was normally around $50~$60, and at the time it was on clearance, it was already OOP. Keep kicking myself for not picking it up at the time.

Estes has the Cosmic Interceptor on clearance for around under $20 (it's been t that price off the Estes site for a while now)
http://www.estesrockets.com/clearance/0 ... erceptortm
Yes, it's not the same[/i] as the now-OOP Interceptor E kit, but at least you'll have the nosecone and a body tube of the right size. You won't have the other parts however (e.g. wings and fins, tip pods, fin-tip probes, tailcone, and the really big decal sheets).

[Joseph C. Brown]

I was going advise looking around various hobbystore websites, but then I did some casual Googling. Are these specs the same ones?
Flight Specifications:
Length: 36.0" (660.4mm)
Diameter: 2.0" (51.0mm)
Weight: 13.5oz (363g)

You are building it that size?

On the Estes site, sale price $16.99 is way cheaper than most models these days:
http://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/kit ... erceptortm

________
Edit: naoto posted faster than I did!

[KLINGON CAV]

I wanted the old school version, it had all the good plastic stuff.

[naoto]

I wanted the old school version, it had all the good plastic stuff.

At least with the Cosmic Interceptor kit you'll get the nosecone and the body tubes. The rest you'll have to cobble together -- perhaps utilizing information on the original size Interceptor found here: http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/k-50.htm (scans of instruction sheet as well as the balsa fin sheet and decals)
Info on the tailcone (for the original size Interceptor) can be found here: http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=14552
The wingtip pods can probably be built up using some available parts (or in a pinch you could probably turn main portion on a lathe).
another kit that uses the same nosecone as the Interceptor E is this one: http://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/kit ... rajectortm

As for the original size Interceptor kit -- I believe it is currently OOP. However you can get the nosecone using this set: http://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/acc ... tment-5-pk
the tailcone and other parts will have to be fabricated.

Interesting thing to note about the Interceptor nosecone -- in its original incarnation it was injection molded and consisted of two parts (top and bottom, rather than the more typical left/right you'd see on most injection-molded model aeroplanes). Also the plastic parts were also available on their own at one point (that is, the original K-50 Interceptor, not the Interceptor E upscale).

Another model one could clone with the available parts is the Vindicator ( http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/est1367.htm )
as well as the USS Pleiades ( http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/est1910.htm )

[naoto]

Another kit that could be interesting as kitbash fodder would be the Shuttle X-press ( http://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/e2x ... e-xpresstm ). The nosecone is the same one that was featured in the:
Greyhawk ( http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/est2068.htm )
Interceptor II ( http://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/est1973/est1973.htm )

[naoto]

Rocket gliders based on parts from Interceptor-E:
http://www.dynasoarrocketry.com/

[KLINGON CAV]

I noticed all the new ones were blow molded.
I wanted the styrene.

[Johnnycrash]

I noticed all the new ones were blow molded.
I wanted the styrene.

Why wouldn't they be styrene?? Blow molding is a process, not a material.

[naoto]

I noticed all the new ones were blow molded.
I wanted the styrene.

Why wouldn't they be styrene?? Blow molding is a process, not a material.

If I'm not mistaken the nosecones are polystyrene. What I think he's meaning was that he's disappointed that nosecone is a single piece. The original Interceptor nosecone was injection molded as two parts (top and bottom halves) -- which would make adding interior details much easier. The later reissue of the Interceptor used a single-piece blow-molded nosecone, as did the larger Interceptor E and Cosmic Interceptor. Another point would be that typically the surface detail on blow-molded nosecone tends to be "soft" compared to what you'd find on injection molded parts.

[naoto]

BTW, if you're thinking of getting the Cosmic Interceptor kit, you might want to get it soon before they're gone. It appears that Estes could be retiring the kit soon:
Currently at $16.99 (regular price is $48.99)
http://www.estesrockets.com/clearance/0 ... erceptortm

or you can get it as part of a bundle pack w/ six different kits for only $30.99 (total retail would be $164.94, the bundle is normally $47.24)
(kits in bundle: 1351 Cosmic Interceptor, 3026 Photon Probe, 3217 Vagabond, 3229 Astron Skydart II, 7221 STM-012 and the 7224 Astron Sprint XL)
http://www.estesrockets.com/clearance/2016-bundle-3

The larger Interceptor E nosecone is also available in the Trajector kit:
http://www.estesrockets.com/009709-pro- ... rajectortm

[naoto]

BTW, in a recent issue of The Rocketry Show, John Boren from Estes was interviewed.
https://www.therocketryshow.com/the-roc ... rom-estes/

He hinted at a possible future reissue -- hints were it is sci-fi themed, "total absence of color" (from a sense of light -- i.e. black in color), and the nosecone could not be fabricated on a lathe.
Some are speculating perhaps reissue of Starship Nova or Corsair

of course the Renegade and Renegade D could fit that description too. The Renegade D was basically single-stage modification of the 2-stage Renegade (but using a saingle 24mm motor rather than 18-mm in stages). One of the problems with the 18mm two-stage configuration was that it was a bit heavy for 18mm. It could very well reappear with 24mm first stage and 18mm or 24mm upper stage.

The SR-X might be considered "sci-fi" to some (it would normally fall into category of "fantasy scale")

Similarly a reissue of the X-15 kit (but with delta wing) could fit the description (though normally it would be considered "fantasy scale")


it doesn't completely fit the description (it is white, not black), but the USS Pleiades might be neat to see again.

And of course, let's also not forget that Estes and Centuri are the same company (in fact, a number of the recent reissues were originally kits released under the Century brand). Most certainly would be interested to see reissue of the "Super Kit" lineup.