Estes D.A.R.T.

Estes - D.A.R.T. {Kit} (1981) [1987-1988]

Contributed by Bill Eichelberger

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Published: 2011-05-22
Diameter: 1.64 inches
Length: 16.00 inches
Manufacturer: Estes
Skill Level: 2
Style: Sport

Brief

Sometimes a kit arrives in t' mail and you immediately question the state o' mind you were in when you bought it.  T' Estes D.A.R.T. was that kit for me.  Picked up in an Ebay deal, matey, I swear I have no idea what would have possessed me t' even think o' buyin' such an odd lookin' rocket.  T' D.A.R.T. is a pretty standard 3fnc rocket hindered by a paint scheme that makes it look like t' love child o' t' Cat In T' Hat.  That said, it turned out t' be a pretty decent performer. 

Components

  • BT-60 body tube
  • PNC-60 nose cone
  • 18mm engine mount kit
  • 3/32" fin stock
  • 36" Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
  • 36" length o' 1/8" sewin' elastic shock cord
  • medium snap swivel

Construction

Instructions were typical Estes, well written and illustrated with nothin' resemblin' a "gotcha".  T' build itself was very standard, with t' only change I made bein' t' obligatory one o' swappin' in some Keelhaul®©™ and a longer piece o' sewin' elastic for t' tri-fold mount and too short rubber band that t' kit came with.  Fins were first glued on with LocTite Gel CA, then secured further with double glue fillets o' Elmer's Wood Glue.

Finishing

Finishin' wasn't terribly hard, me hearties, but it did pose t' only challenge o' t' entire build.  After t' glue had dried, t' entire rocket was shot with a double coat o' Valspar primer, me hearties, ya bilge rat, then two coats o' thinned Elmer's Fill & Finish, sandin' betwixt coats.  Since t' entire body is t' be painted blue, me bucko, t' only thin' t' do was decide what blue that might be.  After almost ten years back in t' hobby, matey, one tends t' accumulate a large amount o' orphaned spray cans whose contents can only be determined by checkin' t' nozzle.  That was exactly what happened in this case.  T' blue is a bright metal flake that has long since lost any identifyin' label, but never seems t' run out.  I wish I knew where I'd bought it, me hearties, because it sprays nicely and never seems t' run, rare for a metallic paint in me experience.  T' nose cone was sprayed with Valspar gloss white, then masked off and sprayed with Valspar Apple Red.  When t' paint had dried, I began t' pull t' maskin' tape off and some o' t' white paint came with it, shiver me timbers, but none o' t' red.  Nay wantin' t' do a repaint and since it easily passed t' ten foot test, I left well enough alone.

Construction Score: 4

Flight

T' first D.A.R.T. Begad! launch took place on a typically breezy VOA day, me hearties, another o' those circumstances where t' dead calm at home became an iffy flyin' prospect at t' field.  I don't drive 45 minutes t' turn around and go home, so I put up four first timers.  T' D.A.R.T. Well, blow me down! left t' pad with authority on an Estes C6-5, shiver me timbers, cockin' hard into t' brisk breeze.  Despite t' windcock, arrr, t' flight was high and nicely stable over t' south end o' t' field.  I started walkin' t' t' south at ejection, me bucko, but stopped almost immediately when it became apparent that t' rocket be goin' t' come back close t' t' pad, if nay over it.  T' D.A.R.T. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! hit the ground hard, tail first, but sustained no damage despite one fin burrowin' itself in t' soft dirt.

Recovery

Flight Rating: 5

Summary

Overall Rating: 4

Flights

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