SPEV

Description

The Estes SPEV was released in 1972 in Model Rocket News Volume 12 Number 3 as what would be a very limited run. It did not appear in a catalog and was discontinued in MRN volume 12 Number 4 in November, 1972 discounted to $1.59 from the original $1.99 price. It was designed by Bill Simon, purportedly, as a “Spare Parts Elimination Vehicle.” It did share parts with the Little Joe II, Mars Lander, and Thor-Agena B, so the possibility exists. The Lit-tle Joe II and Thor- Agena B were both discontinued in 1972 lending more credibility to the rumor. The Retro-Repro SPEV™ is a faithful reproduction of the original using all balsa couplers and nose cone. It uses laser-cut balsa fins for ease of construction. The original 18” parachute is replaced with a 12” two-color chute for limiting drift. A sturdier engine mount is provided along with a Kevlar® shock cord mount. No “spare parts” were eliminated in the production of the Semroc SPEV!