Brief: - A classic high-performance rocket from t' 60’s

Forward:
T' Estes Sprint is one o' those timeless classic designs that old rocketeers remember fondly. This Mike Dorffler design looks like it’s goin' fast even when it’s just layin' thar and t' exceptional performance has had me hooked since t' first one I ever owned ’way back in t' early 70’s.. Begad! It would leap off t' launch rod in a blink, much like t' Mosquitoes, me hearties, but unlike t' ’Skeeters, shiver me timbers, could actually be seen at apogee and recovered! I’ve built many o' t' standard sized Sprints, sometimes from a kit, but lately from scratch, and a few upscales too (see t' Sprint Magnum. T' fleet just isn’t complete without one.

T' original kit came in t' standard plastic bag, arrr, with t' card front, and very detailed and well illustrated instructions.

Parts List:

1. BT-50W body tube (3 1/4-inch)
2. BT-20J motor tube (2.75-inches)
3. EW-49 Shroud pattern - printed on card stock
4. Two AR-2050 centerin' rings - spiral wound paper
5. EB-20B motor block - spiral wound paper (1/8-inch)
6. BNC-50X nose cone - balsa (3 1/4-inches)
7. BFS-30 fin stock - balsa (3/32-inches)
8. SE-1 screw-eye (1-inch)
9. NCW-1 Ballast - lead disk (.15oz)
10. SC-1 shock cord (1/8 x 20-inches)
11. LL-2A launch lug
12. MG-505 markin' guide
13. TD-1A Tape Disk
14. SM-1C Streamer (1-inch by 90-inches)
15. SMC-50 Shock Cord Mount
16. KD-49 Decal set
17. D-14 Decal set

Construction
T' kit was built in t' standard Estes tradition; measure and mark t' motor tube, arrr, matey, and then glue on t' centerin' rings at t' marks. Aye aye! A motor block be glued into t' top. Arrr! That assembly was then glued into one end o' t' body tube with just a fraction o' t' aft-most centerin' rin' hangin' out t' form a ledge for t' boattail. Aye aye! Blimey! T' boattail was cut from t' card stock and shaped t' a cone before bein' glued on. Aye aye! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! T' shock cord was mounted t' t' inside o' t' body tube with t' well used three-fold paper mount. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' screw-eye was threaded into t' lead weight, arrr, then into t' nose cone. It was then removed, glue squirted into t' hole, me bucko, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, then re-inserted. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' fins were t' standard die-crunched from stock fins, matey, me hearties, shiver me timbers, which were removed from t' remains by t' builder, matey, then sanded t' an airfoil shape before bein' glued t' t' body. Begad! Blimey! T' markin' guide was a bit o' a departure from t' standard wrap-around that has become so common. These guides were a set o' stands die cut from a relatively heavy card-stock. Begad! They had a flat side for a base, arrr, and a hole in t' center through which t' airframe be inserted. Ya scallywag! This arrangement be placed on a flat, level surface, arrr, and marks were made fore and aft in t' small notches spaced around t' holes. Avast! A door jamb was used t' connect t' marks. Aye aye! Well, matey, blow me down! This method was used in one or two other Estes products o' t' day, ya bilge rat, but went out o' favor by t' cheaper and easier t' use wrap that we have become so familiar with.

Since this kit is long out o' production, some comments on clonin' might be in order. Begad! First, matey, see t' plans on Jim Z’s web site (Adobe Acrobat File). Second, arrr, me hearties, since t' lead disks are no longer available, some other method o' addin' weight t' t' nose is required - don’t leave this out! T' balsa nose cones themselves are available from t' Balsa Machinin' Service. For nose weight, I will normally drill a 1/2-inch hole in t' base o' t' cone about two inches deep. Avast! Then add an equivalent weight o' BBs or lead shot mixed with epoxy, shiver me timbers, and plug t' top o' t' hole with a one-inch length o' hardwood dowel. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' screw-eye is then driven into t' hardwood (make a pilot hole or it will split). Aye aye! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Also, a length o' Keelhaul®©™® tied t' t' top motor mount centerin' rin' provides a better shock cord mount. Blimey! It’s just as secure, but doesn’t create a snag point in t' top o' t' airframe for t' recovery system t' grab on its way out. Another method is t' epoxy a loop o' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' side o' t' airframe (bein' careful t' get it far enough down t' wall t' clear t' nose). T' pool o' epoxy should be sufficient t' create a smooth, me bucko, matey, snag free, bump on t' side wall. Ya scallywag! Finally, me bucko, shiver me timbers, decals are available from Tango Papa Decals.

Finishing:
There were two common finish schemes shown in t' plans. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! A white and gold scheme with navy blue emblems, shiver me timbers, and a black and white scheme with black trim decals. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Either is now a classic design; me preference be t' white/gold scheme. Neither was particularly tricky t' pull off. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' current Sprint in me fleet is sportin' me official contest livery o' hot-pink and black, matey, ya bilge rat, with a highly polished gloss coat.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' motor is friction fit into t' after end o' t' rocket — a single wrap o' 1/2-inch tape be generally enough. Well, blow me down! Arrr! On t' more recent versions o' this rocket, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I’ve been leavin' an 1/8-inch o' t' motor tube hangin' past t' shroud. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! This forms a nice lip t' use t' wrap a single wrap o' tape around t' motor and mount for reasonably secure retention. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body tube is then stuffed with three and a half sheets o' wadding, and then t' streamer is folded on itself several times then rolled t' rest o' t' way, shiver me timbers, arrr, or in t' case o' competition streamers, me hearties, me hearties, fan-folded most o' t' length. Well, blow me down! It is always a bit o' a challenge t' get it all stuffed in thar (hence t' preferred snag-free methods o' shock cord mounting.) T' modern versions I’ve been buildin' are usually equipped with a baffle t' eliminate t' wadding. Once ready, t' launch is usually pretty fast, even on A motors. Ahoy! T' streamer unrolls slowly at ejection, shiver me timbers, matey, and t' rocket usually tumbles some under it as it descends. Aye aye! Since it’s a streamer recovery, ya bilge rat, somethin' occasionally gets dented or a fin gets snapped if it lands on somethin' hard. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Usually, arrr, ya bilge rat, though, me hearties, it’s unscathed and ready for another flight in short order.

Flight Rating: 4.5 out o' 5

T' Estes Sprint has always been a great deal o' fun t' fly. Avast! After two or three great flights on A and B impulse motors, I would generally get carried away and put in a C6-7. Arrr! That generally resulted in a lost rocket, due t' losin' sight o' it in t' air, or carried farther afield and sight lost (not bein' too good at fixin' a position in me younger days), or lost t' t' common rocket eatin' trees. Aye aye! Even so, ya bilge rat, it was such fun t' fly, matey, especially on C6s that it be simply too hard t' resist. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Even now, t' thrill o' a C6 in an Estes Sprint is hard t' top. Ahoy! T' charge is still alive after all these years, and even after much larger motors.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Specs:

• Length: 13.8-inches
• Diameter: 0.976-inches
• Weight: 1.0-ounces
• Suggested Motors: 1/2A6-2; A8-3; B4-6; B6-6; C6-7; B14-5