Top 6 Model Rocket Kits!

I remember when I was young, one of my favorite things to do was build a model rocket. But the most fun was connecting the electrodes to the charge and watch as it ignites the rocket fuel, blasting it into the air. There was so much satisfaction from that experience, from building it, to seeing it fly and come down all in one piece.

And I remember being excited about going to the Hobby Store (Gunning's Hobbies in San Anselmo - which is no longer there), and buying the rocket engines. The engines haven't changed all that much, and the rockets are very similar to what there were back in the 1970's. But the model rocket kits are better, bigger, and even more fun! The launch pads are much better now.

Now I get to share all the wonders, excitement, and educate my kids all at the same time with model rockets. Here's my favorite ones so far:

The SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon Model Rocket Kit allow you to build a rocket that has a close resemblance to the real thing. It has a nose cone, which in this case contains the Dragon Capsule, and this has a separate parachute inside of it.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is the first commercially built and launched rocket that flew into space (orbit), and actually retrieved another ship (The Dragon) and was able to bring it back to earth!

This model rocket kit is exceptional because not only is it fun to make, but there is science and history to learn from it as well...

The main rocket still has its own chute, which simulates a real life rocket with two chutes. As for the assembly, it is very simple. The rocket doesn't require any painting because the outside has large decals that you can just wrap around it. There are some additional accessories you will need that are not included. You will need a model rocket engine for starters. Make sure you use either a C6-5 or a B6-4. An A8-3 engine will fail to launch.

You'll also need engine igniters and a launch system. When in flight, the clear fins make the rocket look like it is realistically flying vertically like a rocket. Make sure you don't fly it when there are high winds or the parachute might not hold. Overall, a fairly decent kit for any rocket enthusiast.

This video is cool because the first launch shows how the rocket takes off as normal, and how it comes down. No big deal. But the second video shows how it looks from the rockets point of view, with a camera placed on it looking down. You really should watch it.

When you complete the the Estes Solar Flare Model Rocket Kit you'll have a very tall rocket that is over 28 inches tall. This is also a two stage rocket and the upper stage can even be flown with just an A10 mini engine.

You don't even need a booster, but other things like engines and launch supplies are sold separately. This rocket requires some assembly that isn't suitable for beginners and you need to have your own building tools.

You will need to deal with putting together the balsa fins, body tubes, and nose cone. Not only that, but the instruction manual isn't very accurate with the directions either. Something simple like aligning the fins onto the rocket proved to be rather difficult.

So, if you have experience with building these toy rockets then it should be easy for you. If not, then you will probably take awhile to get the hang of it. However, once you manage to get through the construction you will have yourself a quality rocket. It flies straight, looks realistic and is extremely durable. It is possible to get this up to 850 feet in the air.

The Estes Maxi Alpha 3 is an advanced rocket kit at a pretty reasonable price. It will require an entire afternoon to assemble and set up, but the end result will be something to remember. The construction supplies that you'll need include red paint, plastic cement and glue.

You can use an E or D engine, which do not come with the rocket kit. You will have to buy them separately, but don't use an engine smaller than D12-5 or the shock cord will break while the parachute is deployed. If this happens it will cause damage to the rocket on landing, especially to the plastic fins and mounting system.

The rocket can get up to 700 feet and it can be launched with the Electron Beam Launch Controller that is included. Overall, it is a pretty decent rocket and a lot simpler to put together than other rockets. Even the recommended age is only 10 years and up. Most other rockets require you to be 14 years of age. So, if you have young kids then this is the perfect gift you can use together.

This camera view seems to be even better that the Falcon 9 video, with great sound as well.

The Estes Tandem X Rocket features two high flying rockets in one package. One rocket is called the "Crossfire," which is smaller but can go up to 1200 feet in the air. Another rocket is called the "Amazon," which is the bigger of the two. It has tiger decals and goes up to 600 feet in the air. It even includes a launch system and two plastic parachutes that are normally sold separately. This set is perfect for beginners and experienced rocket users.

There is an Estes engine that is required and that you will have to buy separately. Once you have the engine then the assembly will be easy. It should take you less than an hour to put everything together by just gluing on the fins, installing the engine and attaching the parachute. You won't even have to paint anything or stick on decals because that is all pre-installed.

Best of all, this rocket set costs about the same as one rocket but you are getting two! Plus with the ease of an easy assembly, you can't go wrong with this rocket. This is definitely a good rocket to buy for a beginner or to teach your kids about rockets without the stress of having an all day construction job.

The Estes Hi-Flier Kit is specifically made for high flying fun. It can go up to a whopping 1600 feet into the air with its streamline missile design and laser cut balsa fins. It is also a very small rocket with a height of only twelve inches, but rockets this small are meant to go up to higher altitudes.

Plus, any of the standard Estes engines will work with this, but an Estes A8-3 will work the best. You'll still need to buy that and the launch supplies separately. A unique thing about this rocket kit is that it has a fluorescent orange streamer instead of a regular parachute. This is so the parachute won't make the rocket drift far away because of the great height that it attains.

A streamer will help it sink more vertically towards the launch pad, so you won't have to go navigating the landscape just to find the rocket. One recommendation is to have a fin aligner when attaching the fins to the rocket. If the alignment is off you will easily lose the great altitude that it can go up to. Besides that, this rocket is awesome and will definitely be worth looking into for both beginners and experts.

Estes U.S. Army Patriot Kit allows you to create the ultimate rocket that was used in Iraq by the U.S. Army. It represents the Army's Patriot M-104 surface to air missile that took care of a lot of bad guys. What's great about this kit is that it is made for beginners to use, so the assembly should be no problem. You just have to do some sanding, gluing, and painting.

Once you get it together it will fly up to 600 feet with a regular Estes engine and features a 12 inch parachute that is already pre-assembled. This kit is more for rocket enthusiasts that just want to have a nice rocket to add to their collection for visual appeal. It certainly isn't the highest flying rocket on the market nor is it the easiest to find while landing. But, it does have patriotic value and war buffs will want this for their collection.