× We have recently moved to a new server. If you run into any issues, please let us know through the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page. Thanks for visiting RocketReviews.

Estes Red Alert

Estes - Red Alert {Kit} (893) [1991-1992]

Contributed by John Lee

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Manufacturer: Estes
(OOP) Estes Red Alert

Brief:
This is a simple, high-performance OOP rocket from the Estes catalog of '91 and '92.

Construction:
It includes an engine block, paper shock cord mount, launch lug, lug offset, shock cord, streamer, screw eye, balsa nose cone, BT-5, and 3 die-cut fins.

The build is easy and instructions are excellent.

I sanded the fins to an airfoil shape, filled the tube spirals, and painted it with a sky blue metal flake paint for an eye candy look to try to improve on the spermatozoa look. The kit does not come with decals but does include a foil wrap that doesn't fit.

Construction Rating: 3 out of 5

Flight:
PROs: Flown on 1/4A3-3T, 1/2A-2T, A10-3T, and A3-4T. It flies great. You would think the bulbous nose cone would slow it down, but it doesn't. It is fast, straight, and high. CONs: You have to be careful not to knock the nose cone off when you're putting it on the launch rod.

Recovery:
PROs: It always comes streaming back. CONs: It always comes back.

Flight Rating: 3 out of 5

(OOP) Estes Red Alert

Summary:
Do you have a rocket in your box that's impossible to kill? Here's mine. I've launched this one probably 20 times with no damage, not even a broken fin. (I have replaced the shock cord a couple of times of course.) It is usually used for wind testing to find out if it's possible to launch a real rocket. I built this as an example at a build session. We got a closeout package deal of a large lot for cheap. This gets my nomination for the ugliest Estes rocket of all time.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Reviews
  • Estes Red Alert By John Lee (October 19, 2008)

    Brief: Next week, my club is going to have an informal 13mm duration competition. I never win these things, but I do like to take part. With only a week to go, I realized that I didn't have anything ready to enter and started looking through the inventory. I found the Red Alert. It seemed light and would go pretty high on an A despite the draggy nose cone. Besides, it was near the ...

Flights

comment Post a Comment