Sunday, December 25, 2016

TOP 10 Builds For 2016

What is the criteria for the Top Ten List?
Great value, smart design, well produced instructions, great parts or just out of the ordinary.
In 2016, Sixteen rockets were built on the blog. There is actually more than that.
Some builds were done two at a time. So with the doubles, there were 23 models built.

Here are the 2016 Top 10,
#10 being good, to #1 being the very best of the year.
(Click on the model names to go to the builds)


10. MPC RED GIANT
After all the bad luck I had with the MPC Porky Pig Cadet Cruiser, the Red Giant flew stable! Quite a good value now that many vendors are blowing them out at clearance prices.

9. Estes GEMINI TITAN
This was a build for a client. There were some hurdles with old decals.

8. Estes INTERCEPTOR
I can't believe I never built this one. The decals look great but took four hours to apply!

7. Centuri X-24
I finally got a (sort of) glide with the X-24!

6. ARAPAHOE C
A beautiful design that could have become an Odd'l Rockets kit. Squirrel Works owns the rights to produce it.





5. Norris Raketen AGGREGATE 9
Definitely the most interesting build of the year. Lots of mistakes in the kit parts led to some extra work.

4. Odd'l Rockets F-16
A tribute to the old Centuri Fighter Fleet series. It will be a Odd'l kit if I can ever get the vacu-form canopies figured out.


3. BMS 3" SCHOOL ROCKET
The best value in rocketry! BIG and slow. A great demo rocket, Big Daddy style.



2. Enerjet LITTLE JOE I
I had wanted to build this rocket ever since I first saw it in the Enerjet News. With Estes producing the Centuri Mercury capsule again, it was an obvious choice.



And the Number One Build of 2016 -



1. Semroc STARSHIP EXCALIBUR 
Another bucket list model. Super detail in an old school build.

I only had 83 launches this year, there were fewer schoolyard launches. I did use larger BP engines, more D12 and E9s.
To see previous year Top 10 Lists, CLICK HERE

4 comments:

  1. Chris- your blog has been a great help and inspiration during my reentry into model rocketry - what I've learned is worth way more than whatever you made on the Breakaway I bought!
    Too bad the Arapahoe project didn't work out as planned, but my scratch build is going to be much easier with your build to follow. And please don't sweat the molded canopy on the soon to be released Oddl Rockets F-16! CA hardened paper is just fine! :-)

    Have a great holiday and thanks again for the awesome resource!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a great Christmas Surprise with the top 10 list. I really like your modeling style as it reminds me so much of the brilliant Centuri rocket catalogs. Thank you so much your blog , it has helped me tremendously and has given me more build ideas that I will ever be able to accomplish.

      Delete
  2. Love these end of year lists Chris!

    How soon till the release of that F-16? Can't wait for that one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Vigilante,
      It'll get done eventually - when I figure out how to vacu-form the clear canopies. Too many other irons in the fire right now!

      Delete