JimZ Rocket Plans Jim's site includes many, many plans from Estes, Centuri, and others. It is one of the most extensive sites I have visited and is very easy to navigate. Jim also sells decals, if you're willing to wait to get them. Jim makes decals on the side, so it takes a while. I have ordered decals from him (see my Rocket Sites page for a link to his home page, which contains a listing of available decals and an order form). They look like the originals to me. Awesome!

Rec Model Rockets Index of /pub/archives/rec.models.rockets/PLANS Many are already included at Jim's site.

Peter Alway's Home Page Link from his Saturn Press page to a wide variety of scale model plans from Mr. Model Rocket himself. His Scale Bash book and other popular books written by him can still be ordered as well. Link from his site to order and view other activities in which he has been involved, including his Home Page.

A Shasta's Model Rocket Home Page Plans are provided for about a hundred different rockets, again some are duplicative of rocket plans in other sites. Other cool links, too. The web page is easily navigated.

Kurt's Decal Page Yippee! I found the link again. Lots of decals to download and instructions on how to make them. Also, check out the other links at Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe. Lots of free plans and other goodies. If you're looking to clone rockets, be sure to check out John Brohm's nose cone listing on the site - lists a number of nose cones and the related rockets they come on.

Art Applewhite Rockets If you like flying saucers, this is the place to get them. Also, has free plans for a couple of his products. Not interested, yet? Then you need to read the info I put by his link in my Rocket Sites page.

Essence's Model Rocketry Reviews - Excellent site for a variety of information. Includes kit reviews, RockSim files, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Military Graphics Excellent site. Provides custom vinyl decals. Looks like they'd be perfect for those high power rockets. Very prompt replies and reasonably priced.

There are many other sites besides those I listed. I tried to list ones I thought were easily navigated and provided the largest selection. JimZ's site is awesome and doesn't contain the ad banners, etc. typically associated with web sites, resulting in a very pleasing visit. I have also listed his home page in my Rocket Sites page.

Balsa Machining Service Purchase all of the balsa nose cones, transition adapters, etc. needed to build your classic model rockets. BMS Prices are very reasonable. Also, sells laser-cut fins from RockSim files, centering rings and motor mounts for high-powered rockets. I have ordered from these folks. They are good people. Order is completed swiftly and quality is excellent. >

Semroc Aeronautics Corporation Woohoo! This site is for those who enjoyed Centuri rockets. If you haven't been to their site, go there. Can you say Laser-X? Yep. They have it, and a whole bunch more. Besides the kits, they also have a huge variety of tubes, cones, etc so you can re-build your favorite rocket. Especially, be sure to check out their parachutes. Oooh! Semroc proves you don't have to charge high prices for top quality and provide top notch service at the same time. You will be amazed at the prices and even more amazed at the quality of service. I have ordered from these folks. They are super people. Order is completed swiftly and quality is excellent - laser cut fins, kevlar shock cord, and a production number on a sticker that can be placed on a rocket rack under the completed model. Cool! Between BMS and Semroc, and using the plans at JimZ's, Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe, etc., all of us old rocketeers (and some not so old) can now clone almost any rocket we ever had. Yippee!!! I couldn't wait for my order to come in from them. I had that same feeling when I was a kid, waiting for my order from Estes or Centuri.

Super Cal Source for water slide decal system for ink-jet printers, includes special paper and fixative. Also, a variety of other products. Very helpful folks. I sent them an email to find local suppliers of their products and they responded right away. Also, offered to contact suppliers closer to me to see if they would carry their products. I have a beginning set of their products, but haven't had time to try them out, yet. Too busy building web pages, etc., and currently have all the decals needed from JimZ.

**NOTE**:I finally got around to making some decals with this product. Was not very successful after several attempts. I located another supplier though, Bel, Inc. and their product works fine.

Totally Tubular Lots of classic model rocket tubes and a variety of building and recovery materials. I haven't ordered from them yet. I viewed discussions at the Rec.Model.Rocket discussion group that indicated they were reliable though, just slow (i.e., they moonlight to supply our needs).

Custom Paper Tubes Sells custom paper tubes. Imagine that. I talked to these folks. The woman that answered the phone seemed too busy to talk with me (I'm not too fast on the telephone, though, to her defense), but she let me know with a minimum order of $100 they would supply whatever I wanted to my specifications.

Daves Hobby Tubes Sells carbon fiber and fiberglass composite tubes. I've traded emails with him, but haven't bought anything yet. Dave's products are more suited to the high-power rocketeer. Very helpful and was willing to send me some samples to show the guys at the local rocket club. That says a lot. Tubes are reasonably priced.

Apogee Components A variety of rocket stuff. Web page is cool, too. I haven't ordered anything from them, though. Blake likes their Saturn 1-B and Saturn V rockets. "Buy 'em grandpa", he says. Very cool, if you can afford them.

The RU-Wood Company Sells heavy duty tubes. I haven't ordered anything from here either.

Rocket Manufacturer Listing This site lists a variety of companies (names, addresses, telephone numbers, and products) that sell model rockets and components. The site, however, was last updated January, 1994, so I am unaware as to whether the information is dependable.

Rocket Silo More high power rocket stuff. They have some cool accessories, though: products to light up your rocket for night launches. I haven't ordered from here.

The emphasis in the supplier listing is to provide links to sites providing hard-to-find model rocket parts, rather than kits. I didn't have any real problems locating kits, so that focus isn't provided here. Instead, see listings in my Rocket Sites page. I purchase my body tubes, plastic nose cones and other accessories from Hobbytown, USA, and Texas R/C Modelers. Balsa nose cones all come from BMS. I order 5-inch length/1/8" launch lugs directly from Estes Customer Service (thanks to JimZ - Estes Industries, Customer Service, 1295 H Street, Penrose, CO 81240). The longer launch lugs are also included in the Estes repair kits.

There are a variety of model rocket building tips in the sites linked to in my Rocket Sites page. Below are the few tips I can provide. These tips have worked great for me. I hope your success is similar.

• I use the cardboard tube that comes with the wire pants hangers from my dry cleaner to paint or display rockets. Detach the paper tube from the hanger (save the wire for later use). Wrap masking tape at the end and about two inches up from the end to fit either a spent standard or D-size engine casing. Apply a liberal amount of white glue to the masking tape and insert the tube into the spent engine casing. Allow to dry. The tube can now be inserted into the engine housing (basically a substitute for wood dowels). Works great, and very economical! Cut the cardboard tube to a length below your rockets fins and insert into a drilled wood block to display your rockets. Finish the wood block and paint the tube to your preference. Also, to display your model at various angles, reinsert the wire detached from the hanger and cut to the desired length, then install the wire into a drilled wood block (hint, crimp the end of the wire to about 30 degrees and work back and forth in the drilled hole to better secure the wire to the wood block).
• I use Flex Mask from Karoden Hobby Products at the edges of different painting areas, then use standard masking tape and tin foil to cover the rest of larger paint areas. I lay the tin foil over the Flex Mask and then apply standard masking tape over the Flex Mask to assure paint doesn't bleed into the covered area. The Flex Mask is low tack so it doesn't adhere to the rocket tube and removes easily when painting is completed. The hobby store I shop at has 1/4 in/108 ft. and 1/8 in/108 ft. rolls available for under $4.
• I use Make 'n Mold's 6 in. Pop Sticks as a glue applicator when I need to put glue into recessed areas of the body tube. They are made of rolled paper, and cost about $2 for a package of about 50. I put a pencil mark around the stick at the desired length, apply glue to the end of the stick, insert into the tube up to the mark on the stick and then rotate to apply glue to the desired area inside the tube. Works great and very economical. Each stick can be reused a number of times.

JimZ Hobbies The premier site for free out-of-production classic model rocket plans from Estes, Centuri and more. Also, check out the decals and cool Red Max shirt you can purchase.

Ninfinger Productions Before you go to JimZ's site, you may want to browse the old Estes and Centuri catalogs here. Really the only site you need to visit. Contains links to lots and lots and lots and lots of cool rocket sites, including JimZ Rocket Plans. Both should be included in your favorites. Also, find publications here that provide the sizes of Estes and Centuri model rocket components, extremely helpful for identifying proper sizes of parts when building rockets from JimZ's site.

Rocketry Online This site tends to favor high power rocketry, but still has a ton of information to assist rocketeers at any level. Features product reviews, FAQs, rocket software, a message board, auction, classified ads, and a variety of other stuff. I still haven't viewed everything there.

MDB Model Rockets Nice website and good modeling tips. And since they launched in Hawaii, part of my ancestry, the site is of special interest to me. Haven't talked with them, yet. Too bad they left Hawaii.

Mike's Rocketry Nice website and links to old Estes building tips, which still apply today.

The Squirrel Works A DARS member, that sells some super kits at very reasonable prices! If you want some really cool rockets, buy from here.

Art Applewhite Rockets Art sells some really cool rockets. My favorites are the saucers, especially the larger ones. Has a wide variety available, from Micro Maxx to 38mm motor capabilities. He comes out to our club launch a lot to fly them. Woowee!! His large saucers aren't anything like the Estes Snitch or Quest Area 51 saucers. They really rock! Blake and I both love it when Art sends up one of his bigger 12-inch saucers on a Pro38 2-grain motor. Wow! I highly recommend visiting his site. I think you'll like what you see there. He even has some links to videos of his rockets in actual flight. Way cool!

Great Lakes Trading Group, Inc. This site has a limited supply of rocket items but have the lowest prices I have been able to find. Definitely check them out.

Hobbylinc This is the most reasonably priced site for purchasing a wide variety of kits and supplies online that I have found. If you order enough items to overcome shipping costs, prices are significantly lower than what I pay around town. I have ordered from them. They are nice folks, too. As with most online suppliers, some of what is listed is out of stock, but the majority of what is listed is available.

Sierra Fox Hobbies Has the best selection of Estes out-of-production kits I have been able to find at reasonable prices. However, shipping prices are pretty high since the location is in Italy, especially if you ask to have your items insured. It cost me $9 for each box (no insurance) containing two medium size boxed kits. Delivery is pretty slow, but the person I dealt with there, Stefano Figoni, is very good at replying to your emails and completes orders promptly.

Estes Home page for Estes. Download a copy of their latest catalog to view or print.

National Association of Rocketry National rocket modelers organization. Blake and I just recently joined. The folks there were really nice, and provided us with consecutive license numbers. Cool!

Apogee Model Rockets Excellent on-line source for just about anything related to model rocketry. Includes links to a plethora of building tips, free or books that can be purchased.

Encyclopedia Astronautica Lots of info. about space exploration and programs.