| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Diameter: | 0.75 inches |
| Length: | 12.63 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes ![]() |
| Skill Level: | 2 |
| Style: | Futuristic/Exotic |
Brief:
In 1994 when I be born again. Well, blow me down! I found this exotic, skill level 2, shiver me timbers, single-stage rocket at a hobby shop goin' out o' business. It be t' first rocket that I built that actually looked like t' picture in t' kit. Arrr! I have built a few more Solar Warriors since but I still fly t' original one.
Construction:
T' kit comes with a BT-20 body tube (9.75 inches in length) and two BT-20 (1.5 inches in length) pod tubes t' be attached at t' end o' t' wings, me hearties, die-cut balsa sheet, matey, motor mount, decals, me bucko, shiver me timbers, nose cone, streamer and a short piece o' shock cord.
T' instructions were very clear and came with many illustrations. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Assembly is very straightforward but thar are t' things that make construction easy. First glue t' extension t' t' rudder BEFORE gluin' t' rudder t' body tube. Arrr! Use a ruler t' make sure t' bottoms o' t' extension and t' rudder are even. Second, shiver me timbers, glue t' wings t' t' rocket first and make sure they are straight. Arrr! Aye aye! Then you can lay t' body on a flat surface t' attach t' pods t' t' wings. Ahoy! Completin' t' rest o' t' rocket presents no difficulty.
Finishing:
After lettin' t' fillets t' dry, ya bilge rat, a couple o' coats o' sandin' sealer and sandin' you are ready t' paint. I like t' use Krylon primer and paints because you can pretty much apply a second coat any time and I tend t' get impatient waitin' 24 hours for a second coat or paint. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' only con t' Krylon paint is that it does nay work well with other paints. I used a copy o' coats o' white primer. Ya scallywag! I masked off t' vertical fin on t' bottom o' t' rocket and top o' t' body tube 4.5 inches from t' top. Well, blow me down! I painted this portion blue. Blimey! After t' paint had dried over night I masked off t' painted part and coated t' remainin' parts yellow. Blimey! After t' paint had dried I applied t' decals. Begad! Aye aye! Instead o' usin' a clear coat t' finish t' rocket I used Future Floor Finish. Avast, me proud beauty! Once completed, it looked great.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight:
I have flown t' original rocket on both A3-4T and A10-3T's 17 times. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! T' rocket always flies nice and straight. Well, blow me down! Even in windy conditions it does nay wind cock. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Recovery is nay always as planned. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! When it is extremely hot 100 degrees plus or below freezin' t' streamer tends t' nay unravel. Ahoy! T' rocket does fine with tumble recovery. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I have recently built a Solar Warrior modified t' use 18mm motor as t' one posted on EMRR. Begad! I have flown it on A8-3's and B4-4's with no problems.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
Overall, shiver me timbers, t' Solar Warrior is a nice rocket. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Easy t' build, looked good and flies great.
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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