# Not really a model, The Orbital Transport.



## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

MFR,

If this wanders too far, please remove.

I used to be into Estes Rockets and built the original Orbital Transport back a long time ago.

I found this, the micro engine version from eRockets and figured I'd give it a go.

This thing is tiny!





































For scale here it is next to the original:










I thought some here might be interested.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

That is pretty cool, I never had that one but I did have the Centauri version, both the booster and shuttle would glide back down for recovery with the engine and mount being ejected on a streamer.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Thats a cool one too!

I've built 2, this one I built over 10 years ago. I painted it like the real shuttle. Sadly, it's never flown.



















I built my 1st around 2000 and flew it many times with very good results. It was a nice flyer.


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

I saw the thread title and as I clicked on it, thought, "Heh, bet it's not the one I'm thinking of, probably some obscur..... OMG, it IS!" 

Nice work. I've wanted one of those since the early-mid 80s. Never managed to acquire one.

I do have a 1/72 NCR Shuttle - which I've never flown (and at this point, likely never will). Good for display though.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

KV-66


Semroc Flying Model Rocket Kit Orbital Transport™ KV-66 Improved




www.erockets.biz





$35 from eRockets for the full sized one, $16.99 for the micro version. I got a full sized kit also.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Looks like a model to me! They don't have to be all plastic or resin.


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

mach7 said:


> KV-66
> 
> 
> Semroc Flying Model Rocket Kit Orbital Transport™ KV-66 Improved
> ...


Filed under things I did not need to know right now due to lack of discretionary budget. 

Saved for later though - as I'll absolutely pick up the big one once I'm employed again. Ah well, I've waited 35 years, what's a little bit longer? 🤪


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

The next project:


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

Nice! I had the Mini-Mars Lander back in the day. I may still have it (or at least most of it) around here someplace. It's been a while.

Here's that NCR Shuttle I mentioned. I no longer remember precisely when I completed it, but I believe it was late summer '95. 









There was a bit of scratchbuilding involved, and a little kitbashing, as I raided a 1/72 Mongram/Revell kit for the cockpit and windows and a couple other small details since the orbiter needed some extra weight up front anyway. It's also not entirely accurate, since reference materials were tougher to come by at the time, so I really only had the poster on the box (of a real shuttle launch) to go by for reference.

I used a couple different shades of white painting the orbiter, to try and at least minimally simulate the contrast between the tiles and thermal blanket material.

Ultimately it was going to be fairly marginal performance on G-motors though, and getting anything larger was enough of an annoyance that I never bothered putting it up. Plus, it would have suffered at least _some_ level of damage during flight, even if only cosmetic. I'd finally decided to go back to the shop and pick up the second one they'd had sitting there for months, so I could build another 'super lightweight' version and maybe fly that, but it'd sold the day before I returned.

Then NCR went out of business (got bought by Estes, who then killed a good chunk of the line), and that was that. So it has been on display for the last 25 years or so.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Great work on the Shuttle, and great story. I have the smaller Estes Shuttle stack some where in my stash along with the mini marslander (and about 100 other rockets).

I'll have to dig out the mini marslander, it's not complete. If memory serves me it's just slightly larger that this MMX version.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I just finished this, the Micro Mars Lander:






























2nd rocket in as many weeks. Back to plastic I think now.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Great work. I'd call those models whether they fly or not. I've always thought those designs were very realistic.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

4 Mars lander flights today an 2 Orbital Transport flights!

All very good, the last OT flight I forgot to wrap tape around the motor so it kicked out without deployment. It came in ballistic, but no damage!










Stuck the landing!





































8 launches today, good, clean fun!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I thought the OT orbiter had a bit of a steep glide. I removed a bit of nose clay. It wasn't stalling when I tossed it around my basement, but I'll have to launch again to be sure.


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

I had a wonderfully balanced version of the later Estes Shuttle (#1467) in the 90s. It was the fairly accurately shaped foam orbiter with the boost pod that ejected. Managed to get that one so that it was _just_ on the edge of stalling and would fly dead straight for a distance, then run out of enough speed to drop the right wing before recovering after 90 degrees of turn, then glide dead straight again, repeat. 

Ended up doing a near perfect square pattern around the field every time it was launched, and it'd stay up for a surprisingly long time. I loved that one, and must have gotten a good 30+ flights out of it before the unreinforced foam construction finally caught up with it, and the ejection charge just blew the whole nose off forward of the fuselage. I managed to repair it and get a few more flights out of it, but it was never the same - and the replacement never replicated the same flight pattern either. Still a fun one though.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I remember that kit, I've never seen on fly though. Sounds like a good flyer! 30+ flights is very good for a rocket!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Lets see if this works. Slowmotion video of one of the mini Mars Lander launches:






I est the altitude to be 80-100 ft


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

And the 1st Orbital Transport flight:






I est just over 100 ft altitude.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

The Mars Lander family just grew by 1.

I dug out my old Mini-Marz Lander RTF from around 2005, painted it white and red, and used a set of TangoPappa decals.










The family portrait:



















I have one more to add. The Mini Mars Lander from the '80s. Its about the same size as the 
Mini-Marz RTF.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Such a cute family 

Seriously, neat stuff. If only the space program had gone in that direction.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

The Mars Lander family is complete! 

I built the '80s Mini-Mars Lander. It was missing parts, I had to scratch the legs from a phone screen protector case.
It came out ok, not my best build but I'm happy to have it in my fleet.

I gave it the number 6.



















And the updated family portrait:


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Looks like it fits right in....


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

Looks better than mine did in the 80s!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Thanks!


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## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)

Fantastic! I used to put on demonstrations for Estes in the late 70s thru the middle 80's and we flew a LOT of rockets. I had the original Orbital Transport in 1970, and built the Mars Lander a bit later. Both flew great, and even ended up on one or two local news shows. I also had and flew the Centuri Space Shuttle and it was amazing in flight, with the two gliders and the streamer-recovered engine mount. I bought the remake of that kit just a couple of months ago from eRockets. Great nostalgia, and wonderful to see model rockets on HobbyTalk!!!

Larry


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

Been back at work since the 1st, and last weekend I remembered this thread, so I ordered one! 

They were out of stock on the mini version, but I was able to pick up one of the full sized kits, along with a set of blue livery decals, both of which arrived around mid-week. Hopefully I'll have a chance to get started (on this, or some other recreational build) soon!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

LGFugate said:


> Fantastic! I used to put on demonstrations for Estes in the late 70s thru the middle 80's and we flew a LOT of rockets. I had the original Orbital Transport in 1970, and built the Mars Lander a bit later. Both flew great, and even ended up on one or two local news shows. I also had and flew the Centuri Space Shuttle and it was amazing in flight, with the two gliders and the streamer-recovered engine mount. I bought the remake of that kit just a couple of months ago from eRockets. Great nostalgia, and wonderful to see model rockets on HobbyTalk!!!
> 
> Larry


I've built 2 of the Centuri space shuttles and flown one. They are great to build and fly! I think Erockets has the Semroc version for sale.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

FlyingBrickyard said:


> Been back at work since the 1st, and last weekend I remembered this thread, so I ordered one!
> 
> They were out of stock on the mini version, but I was able to pick up one of the full sized kits, along with a set of blue livery decals, both of which arrived around mid-week. Hopefully I'll have a chance to get started (on this, or some other recreational build) soon!


Sorry that the micro version is out of stock, Hopefully They will be back in stock soon. The nosecone is 3D printed so that might be a hold up. I would like to get another and see it I can kludge spring action for the gear!

The full size kit is very accurate to the Estes kit, except the decals say "Semroc Mars Lander".


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Opps, I forgot the Centuri space shuttle photo!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

mach7 said:


> Opps, I forgot the Centuri space shuttle photo!


I remember that one. Reminds me of the way the _2001 _Orion space clipper was supposed to get into orbit.


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