2014...A Cloned Odyssey

Today I'm not going to write about a project that I've done. Instead, I'm going to write about a project that I'm planning to do! It all started 36 years ago.....(cue wavy lines over the screen)

It was September 13, 1978. I can remember the date because it happened to be my 16th birthday! I had a surprise party at my house and lots of my rocket buddies showed up. What do rocket buddies give for gifts? Rockets! I don't remember who gave me the Odyssey, but it was a winner! It had premiered in 1977, and had even made the cover of the Estes catalog.

The Odyssey was a deceptively simple model. About half of it was a complex plastic nose. It went together like a breeze and after applying the paint and decals looked like a champ! It quickly became one of my favorites.

I wish I could tell you what happened to it, but I simply don't remember. I grew up. It went away. End of story.... Until now!

You see, I never cloned this model because of that huge, weird, wonderful nose. There just isn't a good way to duplicate it. And then a wonderful thing happened....a wonderful thing called "Dark Energy."

Estes released this wonderful model of my dreams. Now, I don't mean that the model itself is wonderful (although it may be) I mean the nose cone is wonderful! Yep, the Odyssey cone is back! Well, almost. Its not exactly the same, but its pretty darn close!

Looking on Ebay (for the model) and at Excelsior Rocketry (for the decals) I can have my Odyssey back for about 20 bucks. Whatadeal!

So there you have it! Its not often you can get back a memory for so little coin, so I'll probably spring for it... So look for it at a meeting or launch coming soon!

So until next time, fly 'em fast and high!