WAEC

      The 60s and 70s were known as the "glory days" of model rocketry. Those were the days when interesting, imaginative, and innovative model rockets graced the skies and the hobby store shelves. Since then rockets have become progressively more and more boring and dull, and it would be hard to tell them apart without their decals.
      There are some rockets of the glory days still around, but they're extremely rare, and they're collector's items. They aren't so much collected as they are curated, not being subjected to air or natural light. For this reason they cost an exorbitant amount, and no one ever wants to fly them.
      But there is and alternative: cloning! This is somewhat like building an exact replica of an airplane, although it's much easier. Plans and patterns are acquired, and the rocket is build just as it were the original kit. Along with scale modeling, this requires the greatest skill in craftmanship, and it delivers the most rewarding modeling experience. This page serves as a sort of archive, or art gallery, of others' cloning projects, as well as a library and hub for information on the process of cloning.

The Gallery

This is the collection of cloned kits. Send me an e-mail if you want to add your clone to this gallery.

Willy Logan's Centuri Two-Bitz Clone

Sven Knudson's Astron Ranger Clone

A Variety of Clones By Jerry Flynn

Willy Logan's Mini-Bomarc Clone

Willy Logan's Orbital Transport Clone

Cloning Rockets

Cloning a rocket can seem like a daunting task at first, but if you know how to do it correctly, it will be fun, as it should be. These pages should tell you what you need to know about getting started.

Getting the Plans
Getting the Parts
Building the Rocket
Decals: The Final Hurdle
Shapes, Sizes, and Equivalents to Discontinued Estes Parts

Useful and Interesting Links

Rocket Plans, Parts, And Other References
the r.m.r. sunsite archive (decals and plans to download)
Kurt's Decal Page
Tango Papa Decals (decals for sale)
JimZ Hobbies (decals and plans)
Balsa Machining Service (reproduction Estes and Centuri nose cones)
Totally Tubular (reproductions of discontinued body tubes)
Flynnrace Online (decals and scaling tables)
Estes Body Tube and Fin Sizes (On Ninfinger Productions: Model rockets)
Centuri Body Tube Sizes (On Ninfinger Productions: Model rockets)

Other Sites of Interest
Ninfinger Productions: Model Rockets (including scans of old Estes and Centuri catalogs)
Bring Back the Classics! (does anyone know if this site still exists?)
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe (classic rocket auction)
Rocketry Preservation Society
Name That Vern!
Willy Logan's Home Page (my personal page)
Wilhelm Aerospace Engineering Company (my former rocket society)
Mind Spill Home (thanks to Chad Blair for helping me start this site in 2000!)