I've shopped at Colonial Photo & Hobby since I moved to the Orlando area in the early 1980s. It's one of the few remaining brick and mortar hobby shops in the area. They carry a good selection of Estes rockets and some accessories. At one time they had a broken up Estes Phoenix build on display.
I approached the owner and asked if he would be interested in some display models to go along with the balsa and tissue plane models hanging from the ceiling. He asked: "Are you a good builder?" I explained I've built show models for Estes and Quest/Aerotech.
He followed: "How much would you ask for the models?" He liked my answer: "No charge!"
I've picked out ten un-flown models, big and small, new and classic designs for them to choose from.
All I asked was that the models would be out of reach!
Next week I'll drive downtown and drop off some rockets.
On rare occasions I've given away a few finished models at club launches. "First time" kids are excited to get a rocket. With no experience handling a delicate tube and balsa model, they swing them around, toss them like javelins, dent tubes and break the fins.
I once sold finished models on Ebay. You build a show quality model, carefully pack and cross your fingers only to get an email saying the model arrived damaged!
Donating models to the store will hopefully raise interest in the hobby.
The ten models removed from the rocket room made a small dent in the inventory.
