Manufacturer: | Cycline3 |
Picture courtesy o' Cycline3 from eBay
Brief:
This is a single stage rocket made by a company called Cycline3. Avast! It is named
the #002b and is described as an "Ultra High Performance Mid Power
Rocket". Begad! Blimey! I ordered it directly from Cycline3, as well as one o' their
other kits, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' #004 Poison Arrow which I will build next. Avast! It looks like I
bought these just in time, as a week later t' Cycline3.com website for rockets
stated that they are closed until sometime in 2003. This rocket came with a CD
containin' videos o' Cycline3 and other rocket launches. Arrr! I was nay expecting
that and it be a nice surprise. Really cool videos with music.
Construction:
This #002b kit came in an Estes-type retail package, me hearties, shiver me timbers, a plastic bag with a peg
ready header card. It included an 18" x 1.64" body tube (BT-60),
black plastic nose cone, shiver me timbers, 1/8" Balsa stock sheet for fins, shiver me timbers, me bucko, thin cardboard
for motor rings (A blue index card!), 24mm engine tube long enough for Estes E
engines, 12 foot long heavy duty elastic shock cord, ya bilge rat, 2 railbuttons, arrr, arrr, brass snap
swivel, shiver me timbers, fabric parachute and a large nice quality silver flame decal which is a
foot long. Also has a nice 6 page 8.5" x 11" manual.
This rocket is designed t' be built with a very light type motor tube centerin' ring unlike any kit I have ever seen. Avast! It calls for polyurethane glue and here is why; T' engine centerin' rings are t' be cut with t' provided template from a thin paper index card. Arrr! No kidding. I be shocked. T' manual explains that they are nay load bearing. Well, blow me down! By design, t' load bearin' aspect betwixt t' motor tube and body, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, will be a rin' o' polyurethane glue for which t' index card paper rings are only a guide. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! I think that is a very interestin' idea yet I didn't go that way. Ahoy! I used two thin cardboard die-cut centerin' rings from a Mean Machine kit. Ahoy! Blimey! T' Cycline3 #002b did nay come with a motor clip or thrust rin' by design, shiver me timbers, t' keep it very light as explained in t' manual. I went ahead and added a thrust rin' and standard Estes D length motor clip. Aye aye!
In retrospect, matey, shiver me timbers, I sort o' wish I had built this kit as it was designed. In fact I plan on orderin' another one and doin' just that. Arrr! T' polyurethane motor to body tube centerin' rin' is interesting. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I just didn't have any polyurethane glue. Ahoy! Avast! And I feel better about havin' a thrust rin' and motor clip in thar as opposed t' t' maskin' tape friction fit as per t' kits design.
T' fins were a snap t' cut and t' Balsa be good quality 1/8". Ahoy! Begad! There was just enough for t' three fins. T' instructions state "Do nay round the edges". Avast! Well, blow me down! No problem. Aye aye!
I did somethin' a little different with this rocket which I have never tried before. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I outlined where t' fins would mount and then used a very sharp push pin and made (5) holes in t' body tube at each fin position. Blimey! I then applied a generous bead o' CA t' t' fin roots and used an Estes fin alignment guide with clips. When mountin' t' fins like that, t' CA goes into t' holes which I believe will make for some strong and secure fins. Ya scallywag! I also sanded off the glassine layer from t' body tube before mountin' t' fins. Finally I used a two part epoxy putty called FIXIT which I purchased from Apogee, me bucko, t' make some nice fin fillets. Ahoy! T' FIXIT epoxy putty can be worked with for over an hour, and it is a self hardenin' bondin' and fillin' agent with t' strength of aluminum. Blimey! Begad!
T' kit was complete and fun t' build with very good instructions. Avast, me proud beauty! While I did nay go by t' instructions, I'm goin' t' have t' give it a 5/5 as I don't see any way t' improve on how it is intended t' be built. Aye aye! Aye aye! My own methods were just by personal choice. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty!
Finishing:
It's first flight be unpainted. Begad! I have since gone with t' color scheme shown
on t' package and in t' CD videos. Avast, me proud beauty! Black. Begad! I was nearly out o' primer so it
only got a very light layer o' primer. Ya scallywag! Then gloss black. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' silver flame
sticker be t' best quality I have ever seen in any rocket kit. Arrr! You peel off
one plastic side and apply t' decal. Then remove t' other plastic backing
side. Blimey! It goes on good and looks very nice. Avast, me proud beauty!
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight:
There are no specific recommended motors. T' kit just states that it is
designed for 24mm C through F power. It also says on t' front o' the
package/manual that it goes up t' 3500 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! T' instruction manual is one of
the best I have ever seen, shiver me timbers, as it goes into detail and explains why each o' the
suggested construction methods are selected.
I put a few sheets o' waddin' in it and introduced it t' it's first flight motor, ya bilge rat, an Estes C11-5. Begad! It flew perfectly and was very stable. Well, blow me down! Avast! It seems t' be cryin' for a D for t' next flight. Arrr! I might use a 24mm t' 18mm adapter and pop in an Aerotech D21-7 Blue Thunder. T' fins seem small for a rocket this size but they do t' job and it sure does fly straight up, stable and high. Begad! Begad! One should be quite careful with this one, arrr, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, cause it will most certainly go out of sight. Ya scallywag! A few tablespoons o' construction line chalk on top o' t' waddin' would be a good idea, arrr, as t' cause a chalk cloud t' get an eye on it at ejection. Begad! When flyin' it on a D or above, I suggest at least a 7 second delay. Avast, me proud beauty!
Recovery:
This comes with a very tuff, arrr, unique and nice quality rectangular light fabric
parachute which is sort o' a peach color. Aye aye! Begad! It is called a
"Frankenchute". T' chute looks very strong and I think t' nice
quality 'chute is a superb feature o' this kit. Avast, me proud beauty! This rocket is designed t' use
the Estes-type triple folded shock cord mount. Ahoy! Avast! It suggests puttin' a staple
through it and then usin' epoxy t' secure it t' t' inside o' t' body. This
kit comes with a 12 foot long shock cord, yes! Now that's how it should be and
I am impressed. Arrr! Yes I used me own type o' shock cord mount. Usin' a loop of
Keelhaul®©™®
I mounted it on both ends through t' top engine centerin' ring, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, matey, with some
knots and CA! t' keep it in thar forever. I then tied a knot about an inch
from t' top o' t' loop so I basically have a dual mount. Begad! T' Keelhaul®©™®
is supposed t' be fireproof but even if one side burns through, t' other will
still work. Blimey! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I made certain t' have this loop and snap swivel about an inch shy
of comin' out o' t' top o' t' body tube so that t' only thin' t' come into
contact with t' body tube will be t' attached 12 foot elastic shock cord.
This is just me own dual mounted and zipper-proof favorite method. Aye aye! This is a
lot o' stuff and t' recovery system will fill t' body tube. Avast! Packin' t' chute
right is important with this one.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
This is a good quality complete kit with excellent instructions. Arrr! Considering
the power o' t' motors it is designed t' fly on, me bucko, me bucko, me bucko, you might want t' have some
binoculars handy. Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' polyurethane motor rin' design is an interesting
technique, matey, me bucko, and I will build another in order t' explore and try that method.
I do nay see any faults with this kit at all. Begad! It's innovative, flexible, simple and it performs perfectly. I have never seen a rocket kit that comes with a CD o' flight videos. Ya scallywag! This kit I do believe fully deserves a 5/5. Begad!
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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