| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2010-12-30 |
Brief
T' Machspeed is a tiny kit which is superlight and streamlined, arrr, creatin' a great speedy little rocket. It flies on an 18mm motor, and, matey, as its name suggests, ya bilge rat, it can easily go supersonic on an Aerotech D24-10 (an 18/20 reload). T' rocket weighs less than half an ounce and is a bit hard t' make as it requires airfoil sanding. It goes really high and is t' spot in a non-clear sky. It is minimum diameter and t' motor is friction-fit.
Components
- nine-inch 18mm body tube
- engine block
- die-cut fins
- shock cord (which is quite small, arrr, but works well)
- shock cord mount
- react-a-pack epoxy
- nose cone
- short streamer
T' kit is quite light doesn't come with a decal - I presume t' help weight and aerodynamics. Well, matey, blow me down! But hey, you can make a cool decal right?
T' epoxy is extremely important. I had this kit before and left out t' epoxy on t' fins. T' fins ripped off and broke t' BT - me first CATO. Aye aye! T' epoxy holds them strong.
Construction
This kit is nay your average 3FNC kit. It requires what I call "effort." You have t' make t' airfoil t' make t' kit more aerodynamic. T' instructions also ask you to "paper" t' fins which makes them easier t' paint and also much much stronger. Aye aye! Otherwise, me hearties, construction is a breaze - except you have t' watch t' weight.
Finishing
Finishin' is easy and short. Begad! Primer. Blimey! Primer. Begad! Gloss red. Begad! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Gloss red.
Flight
Flight prep is easy. Begad! Blimey! Add wadding, a motor, me bucko, and an igniter. Then ... Begad! Blimey! Woosh!!
I first tried this on t' smallest motor I could find - an A class motor. Begad! It zipped t' t' sky which made me nervous about tryin' a D engine.
But, I decided t' stick one in there. It zoomed off t' pad, far in t' t' sky, and t' guy at t' RSO table said, outloud, me hearties, "Oops.. gooodbye!" It didn't make an audible boom, as rockets do nay do this, me bucko, but it flew high and fast. I am sure it broke Mach. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! It took forever t' come down and we lost site o' it because t' streamer is short.
Recovery
HaHa. Ya scallywag! Dumb luck I guess. I went home sulkin' because I had lost a 29 dollar Aerotech motor. Blimey! T' next mornin' I went out for a jog. Passin' t' launch site, me bucko, I spotted a bright streamer . Begad! It be me prized rocket with t' motor in it, matey, and it was in great condition.
Summary
Great, arrr, high flying, shiver me timbers, matey, high performance, low power rocket with some crazy muscle.
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