Estes Saturn V Launch

Something completely different. About 30 years ago. This was the second launch of it on that somewhat breezy day. It took 5 weeks to build, and I could see no reason to build it without launching it. It was a 1/100 scale build. At that time, it was THE elite model. Transferred from a degrading VHS camcorder tape.
#saturnv #estes #launch

[@snydedon9636]

I feel bad for any kid that didn’t have at least one Estes rocket back in the day. Great memories.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Lots of fun, and also lots of learning. Most kids that I grew up with loved to be around them, but not many had them.

[@stratoblaster3236]

If I remember correctly, we had a rocket day when I was in Jr. Highschool in the mid 70s... our school had roughly 250 students, and probably 25 launched rockets that day.

[@zman_o7]

I still have my Estes 1966 Catalogue in a drawer somewhere. Growing up in the 60's was such a wonderful time to be a kid with Estes Rockets, model planes, model trains, Star Trek and Lost in Space on TV and watching the moon landing and going outside that night and looking up at the moon with my brothers. o7 😎👍

[@stratoblaster3236]

I built my first one in 1970, as an 8 year old. The 60s were great.

[@zekragash4294]

We would go to the field behind the Jr. High School. Sometimes, the payloads would end up on the roof. We'd boost one of us up and run across the flat roof to retrieve. Try that now. Launched an M-80 once configured so that the ejection charge lit the fuse. Bits of balsa and cardboard fluttered to the ground. Designed and built our own fins from balsa bought from the local hardware store. Built a protractor on a piece of wood with a nut on a string so we could calculate the height of travel. Once we glued a nose cone and fins directly onto an engine to see how high we could send it. All around 1967 or 68.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@zekragash4294 I rarely hear of anybody launching these days around here. Used to be surrounded by corn fields... almost all gone now.

[@zekragash4294]

​@stratoblaster3236 The Jr. High School we went to was surrounded by soy bean fields. Haven't been there since 1988. They tell me it's all grown up there. Houses and condos, I'm sure. The boys in my neighborhood rocketed for about 3 summers. Also built balsa and tissue glider planes, did some taxidermy from a kit purchased from the back of a Boy's Life magazine, kid up the street had a dark room in his basement, did some B&W photography, and started tying flies to fly fish the local farm ponds. Childhood was idyllic in retrospect.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@zekragash4294 I think many places have changed quite a bit... it used to be semi-rural here... 25% of the fields have been replaced by housing. Most happened in the early 2000s before the housing bubble crash.

[@KVL325]

How I loved Estes rockets. Never had the Saturn, but several single engine rockets like the Alpha, Alpha II, etc. (circa 1971-72). Great times.

[@jmarlow2153]

We used to send the small rockets up w c 67 engines...we could never find them. We launched in a huge,maybe 5 acre pasture on the edge of the Rocky River valley,the parachutes would let them drift forever

[@steveb9151]

Ditto! I stayed more mid-size with the Skyhook. Great memories!

[@rubinreiter6351]

Excellent deployment of the chutes.

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was as good as I hoped for, except the very slight melting of them... It was a great result!

[@1969EType]

Wow, I had many Estes rockets but never had the Saturn V and always wanted one. Thank you for posting this!

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was one I always wanted, and the last one I ever bought... still have it, as a desktop model.

[@brianwade4179]

I built one in the 90s and flew it on D motors and E motors. It was a wonderful time. I especially remember there was a spot in the build instructions that instructed the builder to wait for something to dry overnight. The sentence said, "Now go watch TV until tomorrow."

[@twiff3rino28]

Those were the days...the Apollo 13 movie and the Mars rover a few years later really psyched me up as a kid in 95-97.

[@westhighlands522]

I built one in ‘72 maybe? Meticulously built the framework at the nose and painted it right. Mine had 1 C engine. It made about a 30’ arc into the ground. We built and flew a lot of Cherokee D though. Real fast and fun to chase down.

[@miguelcastaneda7257]

Wanted this but bought the ufo....no chute was designed to float..glide down...well cross wind....gone

[@uscitizen5656]

I built this in 1974 when I graduated from high school. Thanks for the memories!

[@capnhardway]

Yes sir, I have a blurry picture of a rocket launch in McConnell AFB in around 1981. I was flying them before 1974 when I graduated lol😂

[@daveh3405]

Big Bertha was my fave!

[@scottstarnes8461]

Wow! I loved flying Estes rockets in middle school (around 1977) 🚀 all mine had solid propellant engines that were ignited by a big battery under the “launch” pad - wires from battery to the wires stuck in the propellant were ignited when I pressed the button - great memories just came back - thank you!

[@stratoblaster3236]

Yeah... I started in 1970, but by the time I launched the Saturn V, they move the batteries to the controller.

[@paulbfields8284]

Built Estes and Century in the late 60’s.. Big Bertha was the one that lasted longest.. the Saturn 5 we built was three stage.. as I recall. Great memories.. great job!

[@stratoblaster3236]

Thanks.

[@frez777]

I see they've made the statement about this model being "the" one, that every single kid wanted when they looked at the catalog.

[@julienlesieur1742]

Brings me back to the early 70's.

[@midnightcat1202]

Late 60’s*

[@ltcube9471]

@@midnightcat1202 very late 60’s in 1969

[@markwilliams974]

Me too! I launched Estes rockets from age 12-27. Great fun!

[@gmcjetpilot]

Great fun as a kid in the 1970's.... That was a nice flight. Memories. Thanks

[@stratoblaster3236]

I launched my first rocket, as an 8 year old, in 1970... last one I launched was about 25 years ago.

[@user-bk4vv7bg1c]

Use to build these with my son he's 38 now but I bet he still remembers FATHER'S take time with your kids they will never forget it! and I wasn't the perfect dad no one is 😔😎🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷

[@jerk_store]

Congrats on at the very least for showing up for your son. My dad walked out on us when I was 4. As a result, we grew up barely getting by and much of my childhood was spent daydreaming while flipping through the free Estes catalog because that's all we could afford.

[@maker-matt]

I built an Estes Orbital Transport in when it was first introduced. 1969 If my memory is correct. What fun. Pacific Jr, High in Midway Washington. Thank you for sharing your old video.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I launched my first rocket in 1970.

[@douglascatron9073]

Great Flight, great memories 60’s and 70’s.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Absolutely! Everything was so new.

[@tjmusa]

great job. growing up in the late 60s we grew up rocket crazy. we only used rockets we got for the 4th. but our heart and mind was into it. thanks for posting.

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was a great time.

[@edtriana6250]

I built and flew my first Estes model rocket in 1966 or 67. I always wanted a Saturn V, and the AstroCam, but my pop wouldn't spring for them. I built numerous models including the Astron Avenger and the Orbital Transport back in 1969 or 70. Watching this video brought back fond memories of a simpler time as a child, filled with awe and wonder from watching what I constructed fly up into the sky.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Very cool... I was 32 years old when I finally built it.

[@chezman3892]

At the time the Saturn V was THE rocket to build. Great memories building and launching it with my brother. I had a little fun with the D engines for it. We had a rocketry class in middle school were we studied simple orbital mechanics, etc. We built and launched beginner Estes rockets and me being the trouble maker I was stuffed a D engine in for my last launch. Sucker took off so fast it tore off a fin and continued on with the coolest looking spiral exhaust trail never to be seen again!!

[@stratoblaster3236]

That's cool... the first time I saw an Estes Saturn V was when I was in 1970(8 years old). We did a class project of building an Alpha, and the guy that was leading the project, brought in his new Saturn V that he just finished.

[@paulromsky9527]

I have this rocket too. Really fun to build. Mine launched, deployed, and landed exactly just like yours.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Nice!

[@Luckywrench]

Thanks for the video. I also owned this scale model.. it was a big slow lift.. totally awesome and the triple parachute. I only launched it once. The landing busted up the wings pretty good. I repaired them and then displayed the rocket in my room. The scale V2 flew very well also.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I never had any issues like that. I always did a few extra things to make all the fins. I tapered them all, and did extra work at the connection spots. It added a couple days to the build time, but I thought it was worth it.

[@stemmentor9700]

Nice lift off and love seeing the 3 chutes.

[@Peter-pb8jg]

I built this in the early 70s. My only flight failed when the parachute did not deploy. Converted the remnants to a Saturn 1B! 🙂

[@stratoblaster3236]

It's always a great time to take the test!

[@m1t2a1]

When I was 8, in 1970, this was my dream rocket. Three Cs for the first one. One D for the second.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I briefly considered 3 c's, but the ignition inconsistency of 3 c's made it an easy choice to go with the D. I was also 8, in 1970... the year I launched my first Alpha.

[@m1t2a1]

@@stratoblaster3236 This was when they were new, back in 70 or 71. The 3 C one died an honourable death, ignition problem. Fun to watch though. Months later went to get a new one, it was a D. The D powered one is on a shelf, beside a 1/96 Revell of the same era. At the time the only place with rocketry near me was from Hilell Diamond at the Science Shop. He was the father of Canadian model rocketry. Alpha was my first rocket. Mr Diamond suggested it.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@m1t2a1 They still had the 3C option when I built mine around 1990... Even had the parts for it in the kit.

[@stemmentor9700]

@@stratoblaster3236 I plan on building one someday. Only had the Little Joe II (Centuri) and did the 3 engine cluster. I have the TIR (Technical Reports) by. Ensuring on how to connect 3-5 engine clusters. Failed launch was my bust for not noticing how the clips were set. Too eager to luanch. Maiden voyage was its last. I aim to get the clone Centuri Saturn V, IB, LJ II and Estes Gemini Titan II (2 engine cluster) now as I near retirement some 45 years later. 😏. A hobby you can never outgrow

[@atticstattic]

​@stratoblaster3236 I remember trying to follow the diagrams with that stupid 'Y' connector that was supposed to let 3 engines fire simultaneously - it never worked; ended up just stringing them straight together- worked perfectly😊

[@godfreycarmichael]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I am 63 and finally built one of these. I love it.

[@stratoblaster3236]

It took me 20 years of rockets, before I decided to build it.

[@MotownGuitarJoe]

Man I used to love this stuff when I was a kid.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I started building them in 1970(at age 8), and ended with this one in 1993.

[@Stacie45]

So cool! My little brother built a single-engine one in the late-70's, as I recall it was basically a V-2 replica called the Red Max. The parachute failed to deploy on the first launch. It went straight into the ground like a real one. One and done.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I've never had that happen to me, but I did see it happen to others.

[@hildebrand142]

my first back in mid 60's was the intro model . . . astro? astron? looked like a V2. NO parachute, rather a wire stop hanging from the body. the engine had a nose charge that would kick it back into the cradle, upsetting the balance, and letting it flutter down safely. except if you got the engine too snug, and it didn't pop out and the thing just nose-dived straight down like a torpedo. wrinkled the nose pretty good.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@hildebrand142 The good old days!

[@ditto1958]

Man, I went down that rabbit hole deep back in the 60’s and 70’s.

[@gordonslippy1073]

I flew my Saturn V only once (D12-3), probably around 1985. But I think the upper parachute only carried the CM. It was such a delicate structure that I was afraid to ever launch it again. But it was fun to build and fly, sort of like the Spruce Goose for me. 😊

[@stratoblaster3236]

I only flew mine twice. Long ago, but I still have it.

[@kwinland]

Brings back memories

[@stratoblaster3236]

I still have a lot of mine on a shelf.

[@donfisherjr.2404]

Perfect launch and recovery!

[@stratoblaster3236]

As good as could be hoped for.

[@orestesmayo-nc2hm]

Wet nice flight 🚀🚀🚀

[@bruceparker9353]

This brings me back! 👍

[@stratoblaster3236]

Nice

[@bruceparker9353]

@@stratoblaster3236 Big Bertha was my favorite. Put army guys with their own parachute in rocket. When nosecone blew off, the army guy would too!

[@dorun2002]

Great video, brings back great memories of firing of Estes rockets. And I'm sure some of us had a crazy friend who would lite an "E" engine on fire and drop it on the ground. Nothing like running from one of those E's.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I had a few of "those" friends.

[@russs7574]

That's awesome. I built one of these when I was in high school back in the 70's. There is my Saturn V, and about a dozen other of these Estes models up in my Mom's attic somewhere.

[@josephvarchola2122]

Had a childhood friend who built the X-15 on his own. No model, plans, nothing, just a picture and his own design skills. It was beautiful. Tried to launch it with an E Motor. Unfortunately, didn't go 12' before nose diving into the ground, destroying it. In spite of it all, Pete went on to be a successful Civil Engineer in Texas.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I wonder if the weight balance may have been a little off.

[@josephvarchola2122]

@@stratoblaster3236 Thanks for your reply. While I agree with your weight distribution discussion. I also think that the tail assembly working in a vertical attitude also contributed to the crash. Gee, maybe if Pete built a B-52 as a launch vehicle...?😂

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@josephvarchola2122 Yeah... could have been that too.

[@chasson321]

Happy memories. Thank you!

[@stratoblaster3236]

You are very welcome.

[@barrycarlisle4511]

Excellent!! Love to see a two chute slow descent!

[@cne32000]

Bring back the classics (Maxi Brutes, et. al.)!

[@stephentoons]

That was nice to see :) I built one, plus other rocket models when I was young, but lived in the city so no where to launch one. I did get one day at a farm and launched my Big Bertha and V2. I learned something about attention to detail with the V2.. the kit comes with a balsa tail cone pre-drilled, but it was drilled slightly off center. Built it and launched it and found that it had a cork screw launch trajectory... interesting.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I haven't launched anything in about 25 years... not many places left around here to do so.

[@stephentoons]

@@stratoblaster3236 yes.. As an adult I got to do several launches in the 80's, but basically due to the trend to risk aversion, parks in my county outlawed all kinds of fun stuff including anything to do with rockets. Can't even fly an RC airplane, have to go to the one and only club field for that.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@stephentoons Most of the open areas around me started going away in the 80's too.

[@rickdagrexican7351]

I built and launched a few back in the 80s. Always wanted one of those just to have one. Thanks for sharing!

[@stratoblaster3236]

I always wanted to build it, after seeing the first one long ago. Once I actually got around to building it, I just had to try to launch it. It was hard on the nerves, but it all worked out. I still have it, and it's now just going to be a stationary model... hahaha.

[@frankaxiak1959]

I miss my Estes rockets I built in the 80s and early 90s!

[@stratoblaster3236]

My Saturn V was my last build... I think in very late 1992, or early 1993. My first Estes build was in 1970.

[@dinkmartini3236]

As designed and as planned. A successful launch.

[@paktype]

We launched three Estes rockets back in the ‘70. The Star Trek starter kit rocket (disappeared on third flight, never found), Rogue (broke fin on fifth flight when parachute failed to open properly, never flew again) Big Bertha (flew successfully three times).

[@stratoblaster3236]

Good old days!

[@starpawsy]

I played with those rockets in the 1970s, and I would consider that a perfect recovery.

[@alpha51omega38]

I've still got that model on the shelf. Flew it once, and even with big chutes, it got bent up a bit on landing. Didn't want to risk it again after the cost and hours to assemble it.

[@stratoblaster3236]

It took me 5 weeks to build... launched it twice, with no issues... still have it (along with about 25 other rockets). It's always great to look at... even though it hasn't been launched since 1993.

[@anthonymuttillo8814]

Good job. I loved building and launching Estes models.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Always lots of fun.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@stratoblaster3236]

Thanks.

[@glenbard657]

Multi-stage rockets can be tricky. It's always a relief when the chute(s) deploy.

[@fishingandfireworks7334]

Beautiful rocket! And launch!

[@markfranks4422]

Great build and Launch. Estes rocket were a great memory. Once launched the Cherokee. Think it's still in orbit.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Some of them do get very high. I've lost a couple the same way.

[@markfranks4422]

@@stratoblaster3236 Remember the mosquito, 1 minure build.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@markfranks4422 I remember those... barely.

[@markfranks4422]

Also had the orbital transport, Way above my skill level. What a disaster. Wish I could redo that one today

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@markfranks4422 Some are much more difficult than others. I built my Saturn V when I was 30... took 5 weeks, but it was pretty easy... never would have been able to do it when I was 10.

[@haroldishoy2113]

I had always wanted to see one of these launch from the time I began this hobby in 1974. I built and flew some large rockets and my brother built and flew the Space Shuttle. Fun times to be young.

[@guaporeturns9472]

That’s awesome

[@pauldavis4287]

Built this rocket, it was awesome, the 3 x C6-5 engines were a lot more impressive than the single D12-3.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I considered that, but chose against it because it is more difficult to get three to fire, than just one. When I bought it, it came with both options.

[@maestro-zq8gu]

Dang dude. I was going to say, "Are those VHS lines at the bottom? Wait how old is this?" Keep it coming with the vintage stuff!

[@stratoblaster3236]

Yes VHS... 1993

[@capnhardway]

Very nice, Great Video! I had a Saturn 1B and a Saturn V growing up. I have a V-2 and a Little Joe,o need to fly them again

[@stratoblaster3236]

Very cool!

[@gwheyduke]

Perfect launch, well done!

[@stratoblaster3236]

It did go as well as planned!

[@merkury06]

Bravo Sir!

[@stratoblaster3236]

Thanks!

[@troybartlett4584]

I joined the USAF in 1981 was in technical training for 6 months. Built Estes rockets for fun. When my buddy and i started launching them on a remote part of base, the next thing we see is a Security police car bouncing over the fields to get to us!😂 they had NO clue!

[@stratoblaster3236]

How were they after they figured out what you were doing?

[@troybartlett4584]

They called back to the cop shop for clarification and someone figured out what we were doing was ok.😅

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@troybartlett4584 I thought it would probably be that outcome, but you never know.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I graduated high school in 1980... we are pretty much in the same era.

[@troybartlett4584]

I graduated in '81. Went to basic 2 weeks later.

[@CactusJackSlade]

Fantastic!.... How fun :-) Thank you!

[@dpunch9323]

Mine were more like a scud missile; never knew where they were going and always blew up!

[@stratoblaster3236]

I never had one blow up, but I did lose a couple of very high launches to the winds.

[@bdg77]

Nice!

[@eugeneosegovic6260]

I built and flew the Estes Saturn V in the early to mid 70s. Unlike the featherweight models I had previously flow, the Saturn V was a much heavier rocket, so it accelerated more slowly. I had a blast launching that rocket, both with one D-engine, and with three C-engines! The model rockets back then were not completely reliable, at least in my experience. I built and launched a V2 rocket in a field near some abandoned railroad cars. The V2 went up about twenty feet, then inexplicably made a ninety-degree pivot and smashed itself into one of the abandoned railroad cars. That was so cool! I also had two or three other model rockets which failed to deploy devices intended to slow their speed of descent. Although they all struck the ground at higher speeds than what they would have endured with a deployed parachute, or streamers, none of the model rockets were seriously damaged. Those were great times!

[@stratoblaster3236]

The older 1/100 scale Saturn V was more than twice as heavy as any other I built. Was very nervous to launch it, but had to give it a try.

[@njlauren]

I built an Estes v2, I built it with the scale fins and the model nearly took out a girls softball team... I subspect with the scale fins, I needed to possibly put weight on the nose to get the ch ahead of the CP.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@njlauren Possibly.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@-Koyaanisqatsi- Sounds like a misfire.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@-Koyaanisqatsi- The only issue I ever ran across was higher upper winds... I had a few rockets that ended up catching the high wind, and drift away forever.

[@enigma51ted]

I did a full space shuttle in the 80's, the shuttle glided down nicely, very very delicate and long build - very awesome dream come true :)

[@stratoblaster3236]

I did the shuttle too... It took a couple attempts until I got the glide nice.

[@smill8691]

The shuttle was my favorite the only one that would not get stuck in a tree

[@timandpen]

I also built one of these as a kid. Only flew it once. I think it landed 3 towns over.

[@someguydino6770]

I remember using a very offical sounding "grown up voice" to do the count down in the 1960s. I STILL launch model rockets.....and buy comic books

[@CruceEntertainment]

Nice launch!

[@porticojunction]

I didn't secure the clip on the top of the engines on mine, it sent them both out through the top, broke the capsule to bits and set the chutes on fire. Nice to see a successful launch with full recovery.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I can't even imagine what that must have looked like. I never had a failure like that.

[@somekatontheinternet]

Cool - you da man -

[@BobaJett]

Man, I thought it would’ve gotten a little more altitude. That looked like maybe 75-100ft.

[@michellevey9608]

Awesome!

[@garyowen9044]

My friend built one of these! It was advertised as “Slow realistic blast off!” It was imperceptibly slower, instead of ffffffft! It was pffft!

[@stratoblaster3236]

Yeah... slowest one to lift off, that I ever had... but MUCH bigger, and heavier too.

[@kevinmcgovern5110]

Very nice. I had a friend that tried one in the late 60’s; first flight was a C6-something and the thing went into some power lines. Spectacular, but destructive to the test article.

[@williamkechkaylo7915]

it was a cluster of 3 or 4 c-6 - later it was changed to a single d engine. i had the first ones- problems getting all engines to ignite but was fun.

[@maker-matt]

@@williamkechkaylo7915 Yup C-6 (3, 5 or 7) as in seconds of delay before the chute charge pops off.

[@WiliiamNoTell]

Had the exact same rocket back in 1981. I see they redesigned where the chutes deploy.

[@JD-wn3cc]

Obviously wind (or lack of!) plays a big part but amazing how it landed so close to the launch site. I didnt have the saturn v but my rockets seemed to go for miles

[@stratoblaster3236]

This was probably the 30th launch of the day... got used to what the wind was doing. Thankfully, the Saturn V didn't go too high. I lost a very high launch earlier in the day... never found it.

[@savethedeveloper]

Skill level 5! Took a 3/16 inch launch rod. I built two of em

[@stratoblaster3236]

Mine used the standard rod.

[@d.b.1176]

Very cool 😎

[@sw7600g]

that was nice. good job. bigger motor.

[@stratoblaster3236]

At that time... it was the biggest allowed.

[@Leos-World]

I'd say that was a very successful launch 👍

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was, even though it was a nervous time.

[@1099Kramo]

Great times!

[@JxT1957]

My dad built the Estes Saturn 5 in 1970 and brought it to the after school model rocket club i was a member of. it was the biggest rocket in the club but it was also the slowest. it used one D engine. it was way slower than yours but it made it up pretty high.

[@stratoblaster3236]

That is pretty much as I discovered it.

[@leokimvideo]

Chute deployment was better than Blue Origin that has failed chute deployments

[@dennisdethloff7467]

Very nice !!!!

[@Bryan-cs9to]

I can almost smell the rotten egg odor from the motors, good times!

[@stratoblaster3236]

Love that smell.

[@user-vf3sg5xi4g]

I always bought Centari. But usually wanted rockets that went way up, never to be found. Should have bought big ones i could find again.

[@stratoblaster3236]

Every really high launch for me was a flip of a coin, to be ever found again.

[@doveboyz857]

Super ❤

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was!

[@kewkabe]

The Alpha's actually went a lot higher because they were lighter but still had the pretty hefty C engines.

[@JoeOvercoat]

Success!

[@stratoblaster3236]

It did twice that day. The only two times I ever launched it.

[@mrCosmosguy]

I love the camera effect. The 90s and backrooms

[@JimRyser]

1977 all over again! Bergman Park, Jamestown NY

[@stratoblaster3236]

Saw the first one in the early 70's... Finally got to building one myself, 20 years later.

[@steveb9151]

Half the fun was chasing down the rocket as the chutes drifted with the wind!

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was fun, as long as it didn't get carried far away.

[@jamesbomar3903]

Yay

[@mike82212]

Wow! Used to build Estes in the late 60s. Built the Saturn and it had a camera on top I think. 4 engines? Only 2 lite it went up some then rolled over and crashed. I was so sad my rocket crashed

[@stratoblaster3236]

I had the option to install 1 or 3. I chose to use 1 D12-3, rather than 3 Cs.

[@PatrickLogsdon-ry1pb]

I still build them today!

[@stratoblaster3236]

I started building them in 1970... and ended with this one in 1993.

[@gehlen52]

Late 60's and the model rocketry club at Rossford Jr. - Sr. Highschool.

[@stratoblaster3236]

I made and launched my first rocket in 1970, in grade school... was you get the bug, you get the bug. I grew up during the Apollo missions.

[@gehlen52]

@@stratoblaster3236 I mimicked John Glen in 1962, my space capsule was the cabinet under the kitchen sink and my hemet was one of my Grandmas stainless steel cooking pots.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@gehlen52 Yeah, it is quite a shame that the young folks of today don't know anything about what the 60's were like.

[@gehlen52]

@@stratoblaster3236 True.

[@manoelsantos8712]

Muito bom, parabéns!

[@jameswilkinson259]

Nice launch! I'm guessing D12-3 engine? By the way I'm building an Estes Saturn V (kit #2001) right now. My dad gave it to me in 1990 and didn't have the courage to start working on it until now. The D12-3 engine seems underpowered for this rocket. I decided to upgrade my Saturn V to an E engine mount and 1/4 inch launch lugs. I'm hoping this will improve my chances of safe recovery. Thanks for sharing your video!

[@stratoblaster3236]

It was a D12-3. Back in that day, they only came out with a single D, but there was the option to replace the engine mount with a 3 C Engine cluster (I never even remotely thought about doing that). Launched it several times, with only minor parachute melting issues after the first launch. I used extra wadding after that first flight, and never had that issue again. It was a long time ago, but I believe that I built my Saturn V around 1990-1991. It took me 5 weeks to build it, and it still looks good 30+ years later.

[@jameswilkinson259]

Don't blame you for declining the engine cluster option. I have never done it myself because 1. it's a more expensive launch and 2. disaster seems much more likely.

[@stratoblaster3236]

@@jameswilkinson259 I never thought the cluster option was ever a real option for me. I could never see the ignition being stable enough for all the engines. Liked the idea of more power, but thought the reliability would never be good enough.

[@Harry_Ballzonya]

Did you manage to launch it yet?

[@jameswilkinson259]

Not yet but soon. I'm hoping to launch sometime this summer.

[@JLange642]

What did it use for a engine- an A8-3? Not much altitude for such a big model! Well done though!

[@stratoblaster3236]

D12-3

[@rustychestnut4804]

Just built my second one. Flew the first one may times until it went ballistic one windy day. )

[@stratoblaster3236]

I haven't built a rocket since 1992. The last time I launched one was 1998. I still have all the ones that didn't get away.

[@mike197714]

With the 1980s Voltron theme song playing in the background. The Apollo Saturn V, a mighty rocket. Loved by good. Feared by evil. As the saturn Vs legend grew. Peace started forming around the globe. With the good Ally’s of the world. United in one org. Until a evil force threaten it. The Apollo saturn v was needed once more. These are the stories of astronaut explorers. Specially trained to bring back Apollo Saturn V.

[@raymondelder5004]

what size engines did you use?

[@stratoblaster3236]

D12-3