Friday, August 2, 2019

Exclusive Hobby Lobby Kits?

From YORF,
BRS Hobbies posted:
"I found some new Estes model rocket kits at Hobby Lobby. They were still in a big box, that were ready for hanging up on the walls.
One is a Cherokee-E and then a rocket with a single cylindrical glider instead of two like the Double Ringer. I also found another one that I haven't seen in the Estes 2019 catalog."

Bluegrass Rocket wrote:
"Talking with John Langford after the manufacturers forum at NARAM 61 I learned that there might have been the demise of model rockets at Hobby Lobby. He said they had intense negotiations and the compromise was making a line of rocket kits exclusively for Hobby Lobby. They have different face cards and are all new kits. John had several with him. The Luna Bug is a sci fi mosquito. A single ring version of the double ringer called Solo and others I don’t remember.

Scott 650 added:
"The Cherokee-E and Luna Bug were displayed at NARAM along with the Gryphon boost glider and a re-issued Phantom see-thru display rocket. I doubt, with the long lasting popularity of the design, that Cherokee will be a Hobby Lobby exclusive - other rockets though, that’s a reasonable possibility I suppose."

From Initiator 001:
"There are eight kits in the exclusive Hobby Lobby Estes line."

So . . . New rocket kits you can only get a Hobby Lobby! Smart move for both Estes and Hobby Lobby. That Cherokee D picture is from a previous blog build. If it is to be E engine powered the size and decor will probably change. 
Personal note: If you saw the Gryphon model at NARAM, that was probably one I built for Estes. It was sent out and would have arrived at Estes two weeks before the NARAM meet.

2 comments:

  1. The decals on example they had at NARAM we’re blue instead of red. I’m a little surprised that they made the Cherokee a HL exclusive considering what a classic design it is. Not that I need yet another 3/4FNC rocket but no way I can resist this!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Openroad,
      I would imagine these models had to be designed and produced quickly to meet the exclusive, restock delivery date. The ESAM 58 and Luna Bug are the only entirely new designs, the others use existing E2X parts. The Epic 2 is a refaced Sterling Silver, the Solo uses a single ring glider from the new Double Ringer kit. I want to see the Luna Bug land upright on those landing leg pads!

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