FROM THE VAULT
"If you know what this rocket is, you have either been in the hobby for a long time or are hard core! This is a rocket that hasn't been produced or sold in decades. Keep an eye out for the release because it is a limited run!"Hardcore? Not hardcore, just old.
I built a Starlight kit in the early 1970s. This model taught me to fill the balsa grain before gluing it together at the root edges.
It's nearly impossible to brush on and sand filler when assembled. Fill and paint the model before the rings are glued on. Even then, access is difficult with the fins and long strakes so close together.
Looks like the Starlight was first released around 1968.
I remember going through the old Estes catalogs and wondering how they got the finishes so smooth. Later I worked in the print shop and realized catalog models got touched up with an airbrush.
The kit instructions are now online: CLICK HERE
Looks like the Starlight has a balsa nose cone - but the instructions also mention an "optional" plastic nose cone.
To see the original K-32 kit instructions: CLICK HERE
The main fins were 3/32" thick balsa, strakes (inside the ring strips) were 1/16" thick balsa.
Wow, I just ordered two fin set from erocket and the rings.
ReplyDeleteThis is certainly an unexpected bring-back. The design is not my cup of tea, but I'm sure there are plenty of folks who will enjoy it. I'm guessing the re-issue won't be $2.35. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Neil,
DeleteLooking back, I seem to remember a sharp fin tip breaking off on landing.
Yeah that seems inevitable.
DeleteNot my cup of tea as well. Good thing too... I have enough rockets as it is.
DeleteFrom the info that I could find about the Astron Starlight, it was produced up to 1972. Since I didn't get into model rocketry until around the mid-1970s it was before my time. The oldest Estes catalog that I'd had was the one from 1973 (it was the one in the starter set), so the kit wasn't listed in it.
ReplyDeleteIt was though website like the JimZ site and various model rocketry forums that I found about the kit.
It would certainly be an interesting model to build -- come to think of it, I've a vague recollection that Semroc used to have a retro-repro of this model.
Hi Naoto,
ReplyDeleteYep, Semroc did produce a kit.
Holy Cow!
ReplyDeleteThis one's been on my clone build list for quite some time. It will be great to have it in kit form. Thanks for the heads-up!
Just got the E-mail from Estes announcing the release of Starlight
ReplyDeletehttps://estesrockets.com/products/starlight
Interesting that the image of the rocket on the Estes site shows the suggested paint scheme from the instructions. The catalog images from the 1960s and 1970 catalogs appear to be monochrome, so it's hard to get a good feel of the colors. The catalog images from 1971 and 1972 catalogs show a different scheme -- overall white with red nosecone, rings and edges of the fins.
The original instructions call the long strakes "heatsinks" -- so it might be interesting to see a paint scheme (though will likely be very challenging) that takes that description into account.