Kit Specifications:
Skill Level 3: Average Skills Needed
Length: 39" (99.06 cm)
Diameter: 2.0" (50.8 mm)
Weight (without motor): 11.6 oz (333.9 gm)
Recovery Method: 24" (60.96 cm) Diameter Nylon Parachute
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Estes Interceptor-E
P/N: 07707
Price: $58.30
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Note: There is a $2.00 freight surcharge due to the large size of the shipping carton, and the additional cost of postage.
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Recommended Motors: See Chart Below.
Estes Interceptor-E Predicted Altitude (From RockSim)
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Motors
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Manufacturer
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Motor Type
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Diameter
(mm)
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Altitude
(feet)
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Altitude
(meters)
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Estes
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Single Use
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24
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209.3
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63.78
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E9-4 (DON'T USE!)
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Estes
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Single Use
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24
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**
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**
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Aerotech
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Single Use
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24
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856.4
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261.03
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Aerotech
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Single Use
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24
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859.6
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262.01
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Aerotech
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Reloadable
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24
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856.6
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261.10
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Aerotech
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Reloadable
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24
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884.7
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269.65
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Aerotech
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Reloadable
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24
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928.7
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283.06
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Aerotech
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Reloadable
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24
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1080.2
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329.23
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Aerotech
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Reloadable
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24
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1158.2
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353.02
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**The Estes E9-4 motor is NOT recommended because it's lift-off speed is too slow for a stable flight.
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Simulations were run with rocket launched on a 48" launch rod aimed straight up. Wind speed used: variable 3-7 mph.
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Do You Like Upscales of Old Kits?
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In the year 1971, Estes came out with a new rocket kit called the Interceptor. It was one of the unique models that they did that year, so they put it on the cover of their catalog. The motif of the cover was the Interceptor flying around the earth in its role as the planet's defendor against alien aggression.
That catalog cover inspired a lot of modelers, and the mystique of the Interceptor rocket was born. One of the key features of the old kit was the amount of decals on the rocket. While the shape was unique, it was the cool look that all those decals gave the rocket that made people fall in love with it.
Over the years, Estes brought out that model a few times.
In 2007, they released a totally new version of the kit. It is an upscale that flies on 24 mm diameter rocket engines like the Aerotech E15 and E30. It can also use the reloadable rocket motors like the E11, E18, and F24 and F39.
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This Is A BIG Rocket That Can Use High-Thrust Rocket Engines!
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The Estes Interceptor E kit is somewhat unique for an Estes kit. All the tubes in the kit are thick-walled, which makes for a very stout rocket. It can easily take the high thrust rocket engines. Usually, Estes tries to keep the weight down so that it can be flown with smaller engines. But this one is beefy. It ain't no mamma's-boy rocket.
At 39 inches long, it is very good size. You won't get laughed at by the high-power rocket guys. They'll look at this as a respectable rocket worthy of flying on the big-boy rocket range.
It even includes a nylon-cloth parachute, which gives it some extra durability when the nose cone pops off.
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What Makes This A Skill Level 3 Rocket Kit?
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This is a Skill Level 3 kit because of the of the amount of time it will take you to put on the three sheets of water-slide decals. It will take some persistence to apply them all to the rocket.
About the only other deviation from standard rocket construction is that the instructions call for both 5-minute and 15-minute epoxy for the engine mount. Someone at Estes must have been asleep when writing the instructions. You can use a single type of epoxy, such as the React-A-Pak epoxy that we sell.
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Epoxy can be messy and can cause an allergic reaction in some individuals. Always use caution when working with epoxy resins.
Finally, since it uses heavy wall tubes, extra safety precautions should be followed when this rocket is flown. Safety is of prime importance. It is important to know when NOT to fly are just as as it is to know quality construction techniques.
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Attention to Detail Sets It Apart!
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The one reason you'll love this kit is the attention to detail put on the rocket. Not only are there lots of decals to put on the rocket, but each decal seems like a lot of thought went into its creation. For example, the decal for the radome on the tip of the nose cone says: "Caution: High Output Scanning Beam", which is what you'd expect on a powerful interceptor aircraft.
Some of the decals have a little bit of humor in them, such as the one that says: "Military Grade Isotopes Only." There is a little inside joke humor going on too, like the decal for the pods that says: "Mk. 21 Weapons Pod ESTES IND. 1295 H." The 1295 H is actually Estes' street address.
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The other clue that there was a lot of thought that went into this kit is the details molded into the plastic. The recessed panel lines on both the blow-molded nose cone, and the injection molded pods is a very nice touch. The closer you look at this model, the more cool stuff you'll see in the details.
When I first saw the pointy antennas on the tips of the vertical fins, I thought that they were wood dowels. But they are actually molded plastic. So this is going to save you a lot of assembly time. BTW, they are plenty beefy, so I don't think they'll break easily.
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This is a nice kit, and we heartily recommend it to anyone that wants a big rocket that can use mid-power size rocket motors. It is one of those kits you'll enjoy building because it has:
- Laser-Cut Balsa Wood Fins: The low-density of balsa wood makes the fins light weight. This means that extra nose weight is not needed to make this rocket stable and safe to fly. Laser cutting them means that the parts are very precise, and go together quickly and easily.
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- Three HUGE sheets of water-slide decals: Each sheet measures 5 inchs by 14 inches (12.7 X 35.5 cm), and has five colors on it: black, red, blue, yellow, and clear. Many modelers like water-slide decals because they are so thin. They really blend into the surface of the model and the edges don't detract from the overall quality appearance. I was impressed by the packaging of the decals too. Each sheet came with a protective cover to help prevent the decal from getting scuffed up during shipping.
- Quick-Change Engine Hook: Estes did provide the E-size metal engine hook so that you can change out motors quickly between flights. Imagine a day when you've flown this rocket five or six times. It is so cool, you'll want to launch it often.
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- Blow molded plastic nose cone. This is a unique nose cone in that it has a basic conical shape with lots of recessed panel lines. But it also includes the cockpit that is included in the nose. On the bottom side, you'll find machine-gun turret holes. It has the look of a futuristic fighter!
The fit of the nose cone into the tube is supurb. You won't need to add tape or sand it down to adjust the fit. And the parachute loop molded on the base of the shoulder is plenty beefy. It won't let go, even with a hearty ejection trying to rip the chute free.
- 12 Detailed-pages of assembly instructions: The drawings are well done and not cramped on the page, so it makes it easy to understand the assembly sequence.
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- Slotted Body Tube: The slots allow the tabs on the fins to be inserted into the tube. This makes the fins extra strong, because they have double the surface area that has glue on it. Also, it makes for perfect fin alignment. The fins will be in the right location, and they will be parallel to the tube. This assures that you'll get straight flights when you launch the rocket.
- Thick Walled Tubes: All the tubes in this kit are made from premium kraft paper with minimum amount of gaps between the spirals. That makes them easy to paint. The extra thickness of paper on these tubes really increases the durability of the rocket, so that it can easily handle those high-thrust rocket engines. Like a real Air Force interceptor craft, if it ain't fast, it is useless for defense of the planet.
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- Nylon Cloth Parachute: The 24 inch (61 cm) parachute will bring your rocket down slowly and gracefully so that your masterful work-of-art can be used again and again.
- Elastic shock cord: The shock cord is used to keep the nose cone attached to the rest of the rocket when the parachute is ejected out of the tube. Making it elastic reduces the stress of the deployment, and makes the rocket more survivable of aggressive ejection charges and deployments.
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- Molded plastic launch lugs for a 3/16" diameter (4.76mm) launch rod: What is cool about the lugs is that they conform to the surface of the tube. This makes them easier to glue on the rocket, and they blend in well with the rest of the shape of the rocket.
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While these plastic launch lugs are cool looking, they are the one nit-picky thing that I think could have been better thought out. I wish that Estes had made them for a 1/4" diameter (6.3mm) launch rod instead of the smaller 3/16" size. Why do I think they should be bigger? Great question, and you're very smart to ask it.
First of all, Estes recommends the use of the Porta Pad E to launch the Interceptor-E rocket. I heartily agree with that recommendation. The issue is that the Porta Pad E comes with a 1/4" (4.76mm) diameter launch rod, not the smaller one that fits these launch lugs on the kit. So you will need to buy the 3/16" diameter rod separately.
The second issue is that the 3/16" rod from Estes is only 36 inches long. That's too short for this big and heavy rocket. It needs a much longer launch rod so that the rocket can accelerate to a safe launch speed before it clears the rod. According to the trusted RockSim software, the Interceptor-E leaves the pad at 18mph on a E9-4 motor (the one that Estes Recommends in the instructions). That is just about half of the 30 mile-per-hour speed we recommend for any rockets as a safe stabilizing speed where the fins can be effective at keeping the rocket on a straight course. On the Estes E9-4 rocket engine, the Interceptor-E doesn't get up to 30 mph until it is over 17 feet into the air. That's way too far of a distance, wouldn't you agree?
Apogee Components recommends you replace the plastic launch lugs with our 1/4" diameter launch lugs. NOTE: Doing this is much cheaper than buying a 3/16" diameter launch rod. You can take our launch lugs and cut the ends off at an angle to match the general shape of the plastic ones in the kit. Then fillet them with Fix-It Epoxy Putty. They'll look just as great as the lugs that come in the kit, and you'll be safer when launching the rocket off the 48 inch long rod that comes with the Porta-Pad E.
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- Molded plastic fin tip pods. They have lots of recessed panel lines molded into the plastic which gives them great surface texture that your friends will drool over.
The pods have a molded slot at the front end. The tip of the wings fit into this slot, and make attachement easy and very strong.
Molding the pods from plastic also makes the rocket more durable. The pods are less likely to pop off after a rough landing because they are one piece instead of built up from cardboard tubes.
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- Molded Plastic Antenna: The Antenna for the vertical tail are molded out of plastic, and they attach easily to the rocket by just slipping the fin tip into the pocket that is molded in the piece. These are large pieces, and because of that, they are very durable. When you see these, you'll agree that this was a nice finishing touch to the kit.
- Molded Plastic Centering Rings: This is a nice thought by Estes. But I wish that they had used paper rings instead of plastic to make it easier to put together. These rings are the only reason that the kit needs epoxy to complete assembly. For the rings to attach to the paper engine mount tube, you can't use wood glue, because wood glue doesn't stick to plastic. And since the rings are positioned deep inside the rocket, you would probably have a hard time using super glue (CyA adhesive). That leaves only liquid epoxy, such as the React-A-Pak epoxy as the adhesive that can allow the tube slide deep inside the rocket.
The good news is that the rings are very strong, and are able to handle the force of high-thrust rocket engines quite easily.
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- Molded Plastic Engine Nozzle: The nozzle is one of the nicest features of the Interceptor E rocket kit. It really gives the rocket that desirable surface texture that your friends will admire. The nozzle is designed to allow the rocket motor to be buried deep in the rocket so it doesn't stick out much. That makes it look like a true aircraft rather than a rocket.
This is one big chunk of plastic. It also serves to hold the rocket engine concentrically in the model. I know what you're thinking... Can it be modified to accept 29mm rocket motors? Yes, I think it can. You'll just need a rotary sander tool to hog out the inside plastic to accept a larger engine mount tube.
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Painting Tip: How did Estes Rockets paint the Interceptor E kit on the cover of the package?
From the Old Rocket Forum, here is how the decorator at Estes said about how he painted the marketing model:
"The base color is Krylon gloss white from the can.
The pearlescent is Lumiere silver pearl acrylic found at well-stocked art supply stores. I thinned it 1 part paint to 10 parts alcohol, airbrushed though frisket (a very low tack film) cut with random shapes. The pearlescent is not a gradient, but it reflects differently to varying angles of light.
The silver edging is Testor's Silver in the 1/4 oz. bottle, airbrushed.
The pods are Testor's "Racing Orange" rattle-can."
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Why Buy From Apogee Components?
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There is no denying it. And you're right; our price for the Estes Interceptor E rocket kit is a little bit higher than discount dealers. But there are several reasons to choose us when purchasing this kit.
First, we prove that we want to save you money. When was the last time a discount dealers told you a potential problem there was with a kit? Do you think they would tell you about the issue with the 3/16" launch rod? Probably not. They want you to buy an extra launch rod so that they can get more of your hard-earned money. At Apogee Components, we are proving our loyalty to you by giving advice that will save you money.
Second, we do not give discounted service. I bet you can think of a poor experience you had with a discounter, right? Did they treat you with the full respect you deserve? Did they lie to you by telling you the item was in stock when they knew it would be two weeks before it they had it? Or maybe you are remembering those shipping hassles you had? Did you have any problems getting a hold of them on the phone to find out what was really going on? We will treat you like you were part of the family; we'll tell you the truth. And the truth is that we do charge a little bit more, because we know that you want and expect the best treatment. Providing exceptional service and stocking plenty of inventory so you get this kit fast is worth it to you, right?
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Third, when you deal with Apogee Components, you're dealing with rocketry professionals. Rockets are the only thing we carry. Everyone has questions, and when you come to us with a question, you'll get a well thought-out answer that will be tailored to your needs. Discount dealers will gear their answers to how much money they can pry out of your wallet.
Fourth: We have studied at great length the Interceptor-E rocket kit, and we probably know as much about it as the designers at Estes. As good as the models they produce, they occasionally make some small mistakes. I think recommending the E9-4 rocket motor for this model was one of those small oversights. They probably did it because that is the biggest motor they have and they didn't want to recommend another manufacturer's product, like the Aerotech E15. But the E9 motor is not something I'd recommend for this particular kit. It does not have enough thrust to get it up to speed on a 3/16-inch diameter X 48 inch long launch rod, let alone the 36" long rod they sell. We want you to experience total success so that you'll be 100% pleased with your purchase.
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When you add it all up, you get a better deal and more value for your money by purchasing from Apogee Components. Do you agree?
Scroll back to the top of this page to place your order today. You'll have this rocket in your hands so fast, that you'll be pleasantly surprised. That's what we do best: customer satisfaction.
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Tools needed to assemble this rocket kit:
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Masking Tape
- Hobby Knife
- Wood Glue
- Epoxy (we recommend React-A-Pak epoxy, because you only need a little bit. Buying a full tube of epoxy at a hobby store would waste a lot of your money).
- Wax Paper
- Plastic Model Cement
- Finishing Supplies like sanding sealer, paint and sandpaper (200 and 400 grit) and a sanding block.
To Launch This Rocket Kit, You'll Also Need:
- Rocket Motors (Not included with this kit - See the chart above to order motors).
- Launch Pad & Launch Controller (Not included with this kit)
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Estes Interceptor E Rocket Kit:
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Q. What launch pad should I use to launch the Estes Interceptor E
Rocket Kit?
- A. We recommend the Estes Porta-Pad® "E" launch pad. Click Here for more information. This pad will hold this bigger rocket stable, even when a stiff breeze is blowing.
We also recommend replacing the launch lugs in the kit with our 1/4" diameter launch lugs. This is a big rocket, and it needs the extra stability of the bigger launch rod when launched.
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Q. How come Apogee Doesn't sell the Estes E9-4 motor?
- A. We can't legally ship that motor through the postal system because it contains more than 30 grams of propellant. We would have to ship it via UPS or FedEx, and they charge an additional $20 HAZMAT fee. That really makes the E9-4 an expensive motor for you. It is better to use the Aerotech E15-4 motor for the first flight in this kit anyway. The E15 can be shipped through the postal system without an additional HAZMAT fee, so you save money!
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To see how the rocket looks and performs with in each motor configuration, download the Estes Interceptor E design file for RockSim. This file can be opened with the FREE demo version of RockSim (click here). Both Windows and Macintosh versions are available.
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What is a RockSim Design file? The RockSim software gives you a lot of information about the flight characteristics of this rocket: how high, how fast, where it will land, how will it react to wind, etc. The "design file" is intended to save you time. All the parameters (size, shape, weight, fin design, etc.) of this rocket have already been entered into the RockSim program, and saved as an electronic database file. You can just open it up in your copy of RockSim and start loading different rocket motors to run launch simulations. It's fun and educational to see the rocket zoom skyward, even before you built it. For more information about RockSim,
click here.
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What is expected when you launch your model rocket?
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Are you new to rocketry? Do you think you know what happens when you launch your rocket? Now you can learn about the events that occur as your rocket is launched into the air. So when you launch your rocket, you'll be prepared and you'll be able to show off your knowledge to observers watching your rocket. This article also gives you links to other references that will give you even more background information about rocketry, so you can become a true rocket scientist and expert.
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I have purchased from your website a number of times, and I wanted to let you know I think you all do a fine job. I too own a small business, and know what it means and what is involved in running a business. One MUST be passionate about what they do in order for the business to thrive. Its show with how you do things and with your great customer service. I LOVE that you send out email updates on orders etc. Also, the fact that you said that you build every kit you sell and give a little information says volumes. I got back into rocketry about a year ago and love it. Thanks again for all your service-information and good products. Kind of makes me wish I started a business like yours! Ha! It sure is a great hobby.
Best Regards,
Andrew Kleinhenz
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Shipping and Handling Fees:
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To estimate the shipping charges, please see our shipping information page. This page also explains how items are shipped, as well as offering you additional shipping options.
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