Little Joe II
Kit# K-30
Scale Model
Yellow Double Oval Hang Tag - Damon Era
Red Two Panel Facecard - Pricing $3.95
Images by Gerry Fortin
Designer: Bill Simon
Production Years: 1971-1972
Retail Pricing Range: $3.95
Rarity: Moderately Rare
Description: Vertical image: Damon Era Little Joe II model rocket with yellow double oval hang tag. The facecard is typical for the era with black framed borders, reddish orange background with an overlaid Little Joe II rocket in gray and white colors. The name "Little Joe II" is printed in black letters as are the specifications. Pricing is printed on the facecard as "$3.95" in black and white oval. The last Estes catalog publishing of the Little Joe II occurred in the Regular and Fall 1971 catalogs with pricing listed as $3.25.
The Little Joe II is a scale model rocket of NASA's first test launch vehicle for the Apollo program. After powered flight, Estes decided to recover the capsule and body with separate parachutes.
The kit features a main body tube, a capsule kit, die cut balsa sheet, two adapter rings, two wrap on panels, engine case and block, 18" parachute, a wood dowel, nose cone weight, decal sheet, launch lug, and instructions.
During 2009, a small hoard of four to five kits with yellow double oval hang tag was released systematically on eBay therefore increasing short term availability. The above imaged kit is from that hoard.
Additional information can be found at the following links;
JimZ Kit Plan Link: Estes K-30
Essense Model Rocket Reviews: OOP K30 Little Joe II
Web.mac.com: Little Joe II
Specifications: Length (14.5 in), Weight (2.0 oz), Diameter (2.217 in)
Recommended 18 mm Engines: A5-2, A8-3, B4-2, B6-4, C6-5
Estes Catalog Artwork
