DynaStar Snarky

DynaStar - Snarky {Kit} (05030)

Contributed by Peter Reed

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 2.22 inches
Length: 28.50 inches
Manufacturer: DynaStar
Skill Level: 4
Style: Military

Dynastar Snarky

Brief:
This is a "jet fighter" style rocket that was designed t' look like a target drone. Begad! T' Snarky is single staged and comes with a 32" parachute

Construction:
This kit included an engine mount tube, two BT-70 sized airframe tubes, 1/4" launch lugs, shiver me timbers, die-cut balsa for t' wings and fins, matey, 32" plastic parachute, shroud line, arrr, 8 feet o' 300# Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, arrr, and one great lookin' nose cone.

Dynastar Snarky

T' instructions from DynaStar were great! Blimey! Even as tricky as some o' t' steps were such as cuttin' out t' lower intake scoop, these instruction could only have been better if someone from DynaStar came and sat down beside you t' show you how it's done.

T' assembly wasn't anythin' t' be nervous about for anyone who has a few skill level 3 rockets under their belt. Well, blow me down! T' only tricky part was cuttin' t' intake scoop. Begad! T' make this as easy as possible, me bucko, ya bilge rat, DynaStar nay only included some great wrap around templates t' place on t' tube t' make your cuttin' lines, but they also included a great set o' cardboard stands that held everythin' together as t' glue dries. If I were t' give one word o' caution, it would be t' take your time cuttin' t' intake scoop. Begad! It is very easy t' want t' just cut through but that increases your chances o' crushin' t' tube as once you cut it and it will loose most o' its rigidity.

There were no special tools needed at all. I use Aleene's wood glue for all me rockets and this one was no exception

Dynastar Snarky

Finishing:
Finishin' for this bird be t' best part! DynaStar included t' greatest decal set I've ever used. Avast! Avast! What could be greater that havin' that classic mouth full o' teeth and t' evil eye? This thin' just screams "get outta me way or I'll eat you alive"!

Just two coats o' primer and then I gave it two coats o' aircraft gray vs t' white that DynaStar used. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I also painted t' nose red which added t' t' great looks o' this bird.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
For me first flight I used a D12-3 and t' chute that came with t' kit and packed it with dog barf. Begad! It left t' pad a little slowly but gracefully. Blimey! It went straight up and then arced over slightly before t' chute popped. Arrr! Blimey! T' way this bird looked was great! Blimey! Even though t' chute popped, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it did nay open and t' Snarky landed hard. Begad! Blimey! There was no damage though.

Second flight was t' same. I thought that maybe t' first flight be a fluke or I packed t' chute too tight.

Third flight be again on a D12-3 but with a 32" nylon chute. Avast! This flight was great again and well within sight. Aye aye! Begad! When t' chute popped, ya bilge rat, it opened this time. Arrr! It came down 100' from t' pad.

I be out o' D12-3 so I went next with a D12-5 for flight #4. Ya scallywag! T' extra delay had a great effect as it was great t' see this bird dive down for a few seconds. Arrr! You would swear it was in attack mode! T' chute then popped and it came down gracefully. I have abandoned t' stock chute altogether now.

Fifth flight was on another D12-5. Well, blow me down! Blimey! All was well until it popped a fin on landing. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! No problem there, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I just need t' glue it back on.

For t' sixth flight I decided t' use me nifty new Aerotech 24mm reload setup with a F24-5. Aye aye! Blimey! It took me a while t' get this candle lit, as it was me first reload. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I be tryin' t' get t' Copperhead t' work but sometimes you gotta know when t' give up. I finally got a set o' igniters from Quickburst and these worked great. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This thin' took off! It roared up and caught a crosswind which carried it a little downrange and out o' sight. Ahoy! It must have been well over 1000' as t' rest o' me flights were consistently around 400'. Arrr! I be glad I put a smaller chute on it that day because I had t' walk at least a half mile through newly plowed field t' get it back.

This rocket is me all time favorite. Arrr! I'll never tire o' watchin' it go up so gracefully and then turn into its dive....

Recovery:
This be me first static shock cord, I be a little worried about t' "give" when it popped t' great lookin' nosecone off, matey, matey, but it worked flawlessly every time. Ya scallywag! I have had no zippering, no damage at all except for one popped fin even though it went through two flights with t' chute nay opening. Aye aye! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! You can set your delay t' right around apogee, but I think it's more fun with any fighter style rocket t' give it some extra delay and let it dive before ejection.

I did nay like t' stock chute at all. Ahoy! Blimey! I could never get that dang thin' t' open.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
I cannot say enough about this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! It looks great and flies just as good. My only wish is that they include a better chute...

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flights

Comments:

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H.A.D. (June 8, 2006)
I also thought this was a fun rocket to build. First move away from 3FNC for me. I think this would be a good kit for anyone who is looking for a first more complex build, mostly because the instructions are so complete it's like having someone look over your shoulder! The only real tough part is the air scoop and as long as the directions are followed and the builder works slowly it will turn out fine. The only change I made was to add a Fliskit baffle and the Dynastar 36"nylon parachute (way overkill, it's a real light rocket and almost free falls at a safe speed). Lots of nice stickers to spruce up the look. Some might not like the stickers, but sticker or decal has never been a real issue with me, both work. Really want to send it some on bigger motors!
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G.H. (August 5, 2006)
This is yet another great kit by Dynastar / Apogee Components. The kit arrived immaculate the instructions were prefect. I don't think I've owned a rocket folks enjoy holding and discussing just as much as seeing it fly. I have only two concerns: the stock chute is too big constituting a zipper hazard and no spacer ring is provided for D size engines.
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J.S. (March 23, 2007)
Although this is a well designed, nice looking kit with good instructions, my kit had very poor wood selection and the worst die cutting I've ever seen. Wood parts were crushed in the die cutting process, some fin parts had lost tips and points and had to be re-cut. The root edges often had been undermined by the die cutting, requiring large amounts of filler to restore them. The wood was of inconsistent quality and often fin edges disintegrated while trying to hold an edge while shaping. In an age of laser cut cuts this is unacceptable. One of the cardboard body tubes was severely crimped in two places...I had to study the plans carefully and plan ahead to get the crimp placed in an area that would be cut away when the air scoop is fabricated. One crimp is still visible. Given the price of this kit, I think we deserve better. Before you take delivery on the kit, study the parts and wood and then decide if you want to invest time and wood filler and/or re-cutting fins from quality stock before you build.
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Steve Lindeman (August 4, 2012)

I bought my kit around the same time as J.S. (March 23,2007) but my kit was top quality. It arrivied in the mail in perfect condition and was a interesting build. The scoop was a new challenge and not for the faint at heart. The end product though is one BAD ASS looking rocket that flies as well as it looks. I also agree with the other remarks about the parachute. Mine came with a 32" plastic one which I ended up swapping out for a 24" nylon one after a couple of flights because the rocket drifted to long and far with the stock chute. This rocket is now my favorite rocket to fly, so much so that I even kit-bashed a Goony version (photos elsewere on this site).

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