Estes K-Kit Identification Registry

One of the missions of this project is to preserve the ownership lineage, or provenance of vintage Estes K-Kits. In the collecting world, provenance is the documented proof of ownership. The single most important piece of documentation available to establish provenance concerning vintage Estes K-Kits is the Inspection Tag.  Secondary sources include parachute type, free-kit stickers, and markings on the hang tag or bag. By recording these identifying features, a record of surviving kits can be established.

Inspection Tags were included in the kits in the event the customer would have to return the kit for any number of reasons. Missing parts, crushed body tubes, etc. were sometimes an issue. In order to get a replacement, one had to contact Estes, state the problem and include the inspection tag when requesting a replacement for the damaged part or parts. Inspection Tags proved to be a very effective way of tracking which kits were damaged or missing parts, and now in this case, for establishing provenance.

Because of the method of packaging, it can be a bit challenging to see the Inspection Tag in some kits, but with some careful manipulation you can usually get to it and record it. Some kits do not contain an inspection tag, and in those cases the secondary identification methods mentioned earlier are used to identify that particular kit.