Saturday, January 30, 2021

NARCON Manufacturers Forum

The "virtual" NARCON is actually a great value at $25.00, considering you usually pay for gas, hotel and food. 
The Zoom style broadcast had some issues. The format is fairly new to all of us, the bugs are understandable.

Here's what I was able to write down and remember watching the session. 
Since the blog deals with Model Rocket Building, I'll be covering the LPR news.

ESTES:
1.The BIG MARS SNOOPER kit (upscale) will be available the end of April.
2. STARTERS (Igniters) are now called "Startec". They have a new exo-thermic dip tip that has more of a heat flash in comparison to the clear tips.
3. A upscale ORBITAL TRANSPORT upscale is in the works.
4. A new Destination Mars kit called the DARC-1 is coming. It features a fairly large blow-molded conical top. It looks a little like the old Centuri X-24 Bug but is not a glide recovery model.
5. Negotiations are in progress for production of BLUE ORIGIN and SPACE X models.
6. C5-0 motors are coming.

NORTH COAST
1. A smaller 24mm Sport Scale ARGO JAVELIN is being developed. This will more affordable than the big Argo Javelin. This smaller version uses the Quest Nike Smoke fin can and Big Betty style nose cone.
2. The new SCORCH was shown. Matt described it as a colorful Big Daddy with plenty of vinyl body wraps and very little painting.
3. The 2.6" CORPORAL is coming back along with the QUASAR, PHANTOM and BIG BRUTE models.
4. New design 3D printed NOZZLES that will thread onto the Estes half already glued onto the engine tube.
5. An R/C version of the new F-117.

A.S.P.
1. A new 13mm BLACK BRANT III
2. A new 1.9" diameter Aerobee 150
3. More Micro Maxx kits are coming.

APOGEE
1. New ROCKSIM PRO updates featuring "LV" Launch Visualizer with 6 degrees of freedom. LV is a visual flight simulator where you see a Google Earth 3D view of the launch from all sides.

AERTECH/QUEST
1. New F52 Enerjet "Classic" motors slated for a Spring 2021 release.
2. New 24mm Q-JETS, the D22W and E26W. Both can be shipped via USPS. Spring 2021.
3. Quest reissued kits with a 24mm engine mounts to use the new 24mm Q-Jets. The 30mm diameter SPORT and LIGHTNING. The ICARUS reissue kit has a 35mm body. All three kits will include an 18mm adapter.

I hope I got all the information correct, there was a lot to see in a small monitor window.

10 comments:

  1. I really wanted to join but had too many other obligations. Also, I would need to reup my NAR membership which isn’t in the budget right now either. Wondering if this will be posted somewhere (like last year) at some point.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rraeford,
      I understand some of the sessions will be posted. James Duffy said his video on "Real Artists Steal" will be on his YouTube channel: rocket.aero

      Delete
  2. Didn't you build those quest kits for future blogs?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous,
      I haven't seen the three new (re-issue) kits yet. In between NARCON sessions I'm spraying some of the 15 builds I'm doing for Quest. This first batch are some of their standard 3FNC models.

      Delete
  3. The NCR Quasar will be one of my “capital” purchases next year - I wanted a Centuri Quasar as kid so bad! The Protostar almost scratched that itch, but not quite.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I know it's not LPR (none of Matt's kits really are), but the upcoming 4" North Coast kits really peaked my interest.

    I'm sure you were watching the Estes tour, but for those that weren't, it was really cool hearing Bill mention your name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Metal,
      Hi Metal,
      I was surprised he mentioned my name. But I didn't say: "The masking was a bitch." I wrote: "This was an involved mask (Thanks Harry Stine!)"

      Delete
    2. Will we see the ANTAR build on the blog?

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    3. Hi Openroad,
      Yes, as soon as the kit is released for sale. Some necessary masking and decal placement templates have been drawn up and will be available to Patreon members.

      Delete