At JonRocket.com we love unique model rocket kits and three new kits from Dog Star Rockets are definitely different.
The Mini Thor’s Hammer, Switchblade, and Dark Pegasus kits are now available in our online store. The kits contain high-quality parts including laser-cut balsa and detailed assembly instructions.
Dog Star Rockets Mini Thor’s Hammer
At JonRocket.com we love unique model rocket kits and three new kits from Dog Star Rockets are definitely different.
The Mini Thor’s Hammer, Switchblade, and Dark Pegasus kits are now available in our online store. The kits contain high-quality parts including laser-cut balsa and detailed assembly instructions.
T-shirts featuring the colorful JonRocket.com logo are now available. These quality white shirts are made of 100% cotton and are available in several sizes.
Now you can fly the rocket that launched a thousand memes! The rocket that also blasted William Shatner (“Captain Kirk”) into space, is now a scale flying model from Estes.
Using a C6-3 or C5-3 engine, the Blue Origin New Shepard from Estes reaches an altitude of about 400 feet where the parachute deploys to return the booster and capsule to earth.
The Universal AstroCam by Estes is now available at JonRocket.com. The AstroCam is a small high-definition video camera that you can attach to your rocket to capture the sights and sound of a launch from the rocket’s viewpoint.
The Universal AstroCam quickly attaches to your rocket using two straps and a small piece of tape. After the flight, it is just as easily removed for use on another rocket. The camera’s compact and lightweight profile means it has minimal impact on the trajectory of your flight and can be used on almost any rocket.
The AstroCam’s chrome finish makes it easy to spot high in the sky while the camera hood protects its view from any glare. Despite its small size, the AstroCam records high-quality video footage and incredible audio. It easily detaches from the rocket and attaches to any USB port on your computer for easy video file management.
Launch Lab’s Bullet Bobby draws its inspiration from a video game villain from the 1980s and from Estes’s line of “Goonybird” model rocket kits. Featuring high-quality parts including a strong, 3D-printed nose cone and a nylon parachute, the Bullet Bobby flies on 18mm motors.
Here are reasons why you should be excited about the new BT20-H body tube.
The BT-20H is thicker and more durable than a standard BT-20. The inside diameter of the BT-20H is the same as the inside diameter of a standard BT-20 body tube, 0.710 inches (just a hair over 18mm). But, the wall of the BT-20H is about 60% thicker – 0.021 inches thick versus 0.013 inches for a plain BT-20. This extra thickness makes the tube much stronger.
The BT-20H is perfect for 18mm motor mounts. A rocket’s motor mount can take some abuse as you insert and remove motors and during flight from the thrust of the motor and the ejection charge, so the extra strength of the BT-20H makes it a good choice in motor mounts for standard size motors. The inside diameter of the BT-20H is the same as the BT-20, so you can use a standard 18mm thrust ring. Standard engine hooks also work and there’s less chance of the tube tearing in the slot you make for the top of the hook. A more robust engine mount made with a BT-20H is perfect for use with the powerful 18mm composite D motors from Quest.
You can use standard centering rings. Even though the outside diameter of the BT-20H is larger than the BT-20’s, you can still use standard BT-20 centering rings. The inside of a standard centering ring can easily be sanded (or peeled) to fit the slightly larger diameter of the BT-20H.
You can use standard nose cones.Standard BT-20 nose cones fit the BT-20H tubes. Because the BT-20H is slightly larger in diameter than a BT-20, there might be a small lip around the end of the body tube.
The thicker BT-20H provides better heat resistance than thinner BT-20 tubes. Being more resistant to the effects of the motor’s ejection charge makes the BT-20H a better choice for motor tubes and, especially, for stuffer tubes.
BT-20Hs are easier to work with. Being thicker and more durable makes the BT-20Hs easier to cut and less likely to be crushed during construction of a rocket.
The BT-20Hs open up new possibilities. A stronger body tube allows for more complex designs such as rockets with strap-on boosters or extra-long “super-rocs.”
In the late 1970s, Centuri released a line of fighter jet inspired model rocket kits including the F-16 Fighter. Drawing on Centuri’s classic design, Odd’l Rockets has released its own F-16 kit.
The Odd’l Rockets F-16 features laser-cut parts, waterslide decals, a stronger body tube, and excellent instructions. But, it is the vacuum formed plastic canopy that sets the F-16 apart from other kits.
In 1970, Estes introduced the Goblin as a free kit which they included with some orders. In 1972, it appeared for sale in their catalog.
Estes recently reintroduced the kit which is available at JonRocket.com. With a 24mm motor mount and streamer recovery, the Goblin is designed for high-flying. And, with a yellow and black paint scheme and classic decals, the Goblin also looks good sitting still.
We’ve added scale model rocket kits and parachutes from Aerospace Speciality Products to our online store. We approached ASP about carrying their kits after reading reviews in the Model Rocket Building Blog and at RocketReviews.com. The reviews convinced us that ASP’s kits are of the best quality and are sure to please our customers.
