Orange Bullet - Estes

The Orange Bullet is the first kit in the Estes "Designer Signature" series and has a great historical value.
This series reintroduces lesser-known classic models and will launch never-before-seen designs made by some of the most famous pioneers of the model rocket industry. The Orange Bullet was designed by none other than Vern Estes himself!

In 1961, Vern Estes designed the first Estes rocket model packaged for sale as a complete kit, the Astron Scout™. But before the Astron Scout took flight, a never-before-seen prototype was created. This prototype, called the Orange Bullet, used metal weights glued to the ends of the fin tips to shift the center of gravity (CG) back after the engine was ejected to apogee, resulting in the rocket rolling smoothly to the ground instead to fall nose down.
As the project worked, Vern and his colleague G. Harry Stine realized they could achieve the same result without ejecting the motor. The weight of the motor itself was used to move the CG backwards in a later version which became the classic Astron Scout. This rocket model has sold tens of thousands of kits over its long life and has inspired countless young people to pursue technical careers.
Sixty years later, Bill Stine, the son of G. Harry Stine and current Vice President of Estes, decided it was time for the Orange Bullet to take off again.

The kit is made with traditional materials such as the classic cardboard tube, fins and other laser-cut balsa parts, balsa nosecone. The model is basic, the construction is simple even if it requires a minimum of manual skills. Assembly takes a couple of hours.

18mm type A or 1/2A motors are required for flight

WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD: Scissors, pencil, ruler, fine sandpaper, carpenter’s glue, plastic cement, hobby knife, masking tape, primer, paint. (Tools, construction and finishing supplies not included.)

WHAT YOU NEED TO LAUNCH (sold separately): Estes Porta-Pad II Launch Pad or Klima Launch Pad with 5 mm launch rod, Estes Electron Beam Launch Controller or Klima Launch Controller, model rocket engines, starters and recovery wadding.
Four 1.5V high quality AA alkaline batteries are also required for launch controller (not included).