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Estes Product ReviewsKit ReviewsReviews by Anthony CooperEstes - Gnome (1 of 1)

Estes - Gnome

Contributed by Anthony Cooper

(Reprinted with permission from from Spinal's Fun & Hobbies Page---http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/3913) 
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Company: Estes 
Price: $5.29 
Series: E2X 
Rating: (*)(*)(*)(*)(*) 
Engines: 1/2A3-2T, 1/2A3-4T, A3-4T, A10-3T 
Nosecone: Plastic 
Engine Mount: Quick Release Engine Hook 
Fins: Plastic Fin Unit 
Recovery: Streamer 
Decals: Pressure Sensitive 
Max. Altitude: 240 meters 
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This rocket is small, but very nice. Everything is pre-colored so there is no painting. The Chrome colored body tube really shines.  This rocket soars when an A10-3T engine is put in it. This rocket is perfect for those who want a nice small rocket, but not as small as the Mosquito and not as big as the Alpha. I highly recommend this rocket to all modelers. 

Flight Log

Comments:

P.B. (July 1, 1999)

This rocket can be built in 15 minutes and it looks and flies great. It flies best on A10-3T motors(800ft.) The streamer recovery is perfect for this small mini-engine powered rocket.

K.R.J. (August 1, 1999)

My kids built Gnomes at a Cub Scout campout, and got hooked on rocketry immediately. After about 4 launches, the shock cords on BOTH rockets broke while we were "drag racing." I substituted about a foot of Kevlar® for the original shock cord, and use a pink Quest streamer on one of them, so we can tell them apart when we drag race. Overall, a great entry level kit for young kids

R.W. (January 1, 2001)

I used this kit for a project with a Cub Scout to introduce them to model rocketry. Estes sells a bulk pack of 12 kits and this brings the price below $4.00 a rocket. The kit was assembles by a group of 7 - 10 year olds in one meeting with limited adult supervision. The fun part was that this rocket flies hot and fast. All of the Scouts were out of their heads when they flew. This is a good, easy to build kit for new rocketeers.

E.C. (August 1, 2001)

This is the best rocket you can buy for the buck. I find all the reviews right, this rocket does kick butt on an A10.

T.M.S. (September 19, 2001)

My 4 year old and I built the kit in about 20 min. It was nice and simple with the illustrations making the instructions easy to follow. We first flew 4 flights on the 1/2A3-4. What a perfect match! Great height, but not too high as you can't see it. Great for the local school soccer fields. The second two flights where with the A10. WOW!!! by the time it reaches apogee, I loose it until the streamer comes out. It's nice that it comes down quickly with the streamer. Otherwise the wind would take it away forever. On the 6th flight, the shock cord broke. The parts where retrieve with little damage that was easily repaired. I fixed the dents with CA, and added some Kevlar before attaching it to the shock cord. A 15 min. fix and it's ready to go again! One rocket everyone should have!

B.B. (June 21, 2003)

I find the review accurate. It is a good flier, high on A motors. Very easy to build. This rocket survived being sat on twice and flew three times before the body tube blew out. I bought another Gnome. Mods: Kevlar® shock cord, engine block, shortened body tube. Don't use the recommended shock cord mount technique. Lost on first flight on A3-4T. By the way, this rocket goes higher on the A3-4T than the A10-3T (slightly).

R.J. (January 25, 2004)

Review dead on. The shock cord will not stay on long using only friction and glue. I used a half knot pulled tight and tucked under the top guide. The tubes quickly fail because the ejection charge (according to instructions) has to blow out three full sheets of wadding. Use no more than two, and cut them in thirds or quarters. The 12 pack is a great way to play, as the cost of one for $7.00 becomes about $3.50 each in a 12 pack.

M.J. (April 18, 2004)

This rocket really surprised me. It goes like stink on an A-10. This is by far my favorite mini rocket. The only flaw it has is the shock cord mount, which will not work. This is a great one for launching on a baseball diamond or football field. It is a "must have" for all you mini rocket fans.

M.S. (October 23, 2006)

The Gnome will fly almost out of sight on an A10 - quite a bang for the buck! After about 10 launches, our body tube split a bit, but we took some trusty duct tape and wrapped it, still flying! Not quite as high, but still quite high. Tough to get tiny bits of wadding in the tube, but a pen comes in handy.

S.D.W. (January 24, 2007)

This little rocket flies VERY high. I added some streamers to the tail (surveyor?s tape, day-glow pink). Does not fly as high (so I can see it), and now it has some extra length and color (so I can see it). We fly in a very small field, so it is important for our rockets to not go too high or get out of sight.

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