Sunday, February 10, 2019

Estes Stealth #1929 Background

I won't be doing a build of the actual Estes Stealth kit.
This will be a look alike build using standard round BT-50 heavy wall tubes.





The Stealth kit #1929 was different. It featured a six-sided blow-molded body and nose cone. Two intakes were molded into each side in front of the wings. A BT-50 tube ran through the inside of the model.

It was introduced on the 1984 catalog cover and was sold through 1991. The retail price in 1984 was $5.95.

The Stealth kit seems to be a rare one, occasionally showing up on Ebay.

From the 1984 catalog description:
Skill Level 3
Radar invisible fighter from the future closes in on its opponents from seemingly nowhere. Outfitted with laser weaponry it seeks and destroys in ultimate silence. Our model can reach altitudes up to 900 feet.

Length: 16.25", Diameter: 1.125", Weight: 2.3 oz
Engines: A8-3, B4-4, B6-4, C5-3, C6-3, C6-5

9 comments:

  1. Chris, I have one built but not painted, in case you need any information for your build.

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  2. Point of clarification, only the motor mount uses a BT-20 tube. The parachute tube is a BT-50.

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    1. Thanks Lester,
      You are right it is obviously a BT-50 inside, don't know why I typed that. I'll make the correction in the post.

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  3. Lester, that's correct.
    Here the BT-50 front end: http://www.leo.nutz.de/images/rockets/misc/Estes_Stealth_Front_End.jpg

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    1. For some reason I have the Stealth body tube and nose cone. About 20 years ago I found a Futuristic Designer’s Special gathering dust in an old hobby store, and wonder if maybe it came in that box? I’ll have to get the box out of storage and see if it’s pictured. Regardless, I’ll be following this build, since I’m getting motivated to use those parts!

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    2. Lee, the parts of the Stealth fighter did not come with the Futuristic Designers Special.

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  4. Chris, looking forward to following this one. The original kit caught my eye but I have yet to find one for sale so your build may be just the ticket

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    1. The originals certainly have become a "Blue Moon Exclusive" on eBay.

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  5. A rather attractive-looking airplane-like rocket -- though realistically speaking it probably wouldn't have been stealthy as an actual aircraft, given its numerous inner 90-degree angles formed by various surfaces (they'd act like corner reflector).
    With the winglets and such, it does have that visual appeal found in aircraft in Gerry Anderson productions (e.g. Thunderbirds, UFO, Space 1999). An actual aircraft that sort of appeal would be the Rockwell HiMAT ( https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-025-DFRC.html ) with its numerous surfaces like canards, finlets and winglets.

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