Dynacom kits are legendary for their strength and high level o' design. These all-fiberglass and metal kits are the pinnacle o' kit-built rocketry. Begad! Aye aye! Unfortunately, me hearties, by t' time I be ready t' try them in t' summary o' 1998, Dynacom had temporarily stopped takin' orders due to family medical problems. Well, blow me down! But by t' end o' t' year, arrr, they had resumed business and I ordered me first kit, me bucko, matey, t' Python. Begad! Ya scallywag!

T' name "Python" is very suggestive and a standard rocket body is reasonably snake-like. Unfortunately, t' snake pattern is quite detailed with all t' different colors and t' scale pattern. Aye aye! Blimey! Paintin' this rocket like the snake was goin' t' be quite a trick! Instead, I decided t' paint it like the gun (Colt's Python is a fancy .357 magnum revolver). Blimey! Solid colors are so much easier!

As you can see, matey, t' result doesn't look much like either a snake or a gun, but it's still a stylish rocket

T' Pictures

This rocket is so tall and skinny that it's hard t' place it. Avast! Also, matey, t' silver body is so bright and t' black fin can so dark that it's hard t' get a good picture • • • But you can see that it's indeed a sleek rocket, matey, even if nay quite snake-like. Arrr! • • • Python t' t' left o' me, me hearties, me hearties, Python t' t' right...

T' Python flew for t' first time at Springfest '99 on March 21st. Blimey! I wanted a serious 54mm motor, matey, so I chose t' single-use AeroTech K1050 (full K and only 2.5s burn). O' course, shiver me timbers, this rocket took right off as t' motor came up t' full power (300#) immediately and streaked off into t' sky (and out of t' picture).
 

Unfortunately, t' Python didn't make it back intact, despite a beautiful boost. Either durin' boost or landing, a fin came off. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I suspect that this happened durin' boost, matey, since t' fin seems t' be torn out and be nay found with t' rest o' t' rocket. Begad! Blimey! However, I would have thought that losin' a fin durin' boost would be a sure shred. Arrr! Blimey! Anyway, you can see in t' picture below how t' top-left fin is missing, matey, arrr, leavin' on t' ragged fin slot (this be a four-finned rocket).

T' first thin' I noticed when lookin' through t' pictures was the interestin' way t' motor ignited. Ya scallywag! Notice t' flame in t' left picture, this looks like normal burning, shiver me timbers, perhaps due t' t' Fire-in-the-Hole ignitor? (The three pictures below are about 1/8 o' a second apart.)

T' Kit

Of course, shiver me timbers, I had t' wait almost three months t' get it (good thin' I had other projects in t' works), me bucko, matey, but these rockets are definitely with t' wait. There are no wood or plastic parts in the kit; just fiberglass and aircraft aluminum. Aye aye! T' instructions are simple and straight-forward and kit construction should present no problems t' the experienced high power kit builder. Blimey!

Here's t' business end of the rocket with all but one fin installed. Arrr! Note that aft end o' t' rocket is a metal rin' with a built-in motor retainer. Ahoy! T' rin' has a groove machined into it and a snap rin' fits into it after t' motor is slid into place, me hearties, providing positive motor retention and then some. Ahoy!

All body parts are made out o' wound G-10 fiberglass t' t' fins are G-10 sheet. Begad! T' edges o' t' fins come pre-beveled and every part is precision fit. In a way, me hearties, this kit builds too easily. Begad! I built up t' airframe in only about 5 hours elapsed, me bucko, me hearties, which was a little too quick. Ya scallywag! Oh well, me bucko, I can probably spend that much time paintin' it alone.

On t' right you can see t' payload section/electronics bay. T' electronics bay tube fits inside t' payload airframe section and has half the tube missin' for most o' t' length. This allows a plate t' be inserted to hold a bunch o' electronics. T' maintain t' integrity o' t' rest o' the airframe, me bucko, I decided t' use G-10 sheet for t' electronics plate.

You can also see t' bolts which are t' way t' Dynacom kits are held together. Begad! Hex head screws thread into t' bolts on t' inside o' t' airframe and are backed out into matchin' holes in t' outer airframe t' hold the sections together. Well, blow me down! Avast! A very neat and precise system!

T' kit comes with no recovery system at all. Arrr! Blimey! A double steel cable is mounted through t' forward centerin' rin' for recovery system attachment but no other provisions are made.