Construction Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstar_borderstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstar_borderstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Estes |
Brief:
This is one o' t' Estes Star Wars collection rockets. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! It be t' Trade Federation Battleship from Episode I. Ya scallywag! Avast! I picked up three o' these in a package deal on eBay for very short money. Begad! I later learned why...
It is a single stage rocket which consists o' t' Trade Federation Battleship with two clear plastic fins and a flight probe that are all attached for flight.
Construction:
T' kit components include:
Construction be a very simple. Ya scallywag! Arrr! You just couple t' body tubes together, insert t' shock cord, attach parachute, me bucko, fill t' nose cone with clay, shiver me timbers, and couple it t' its nose cone insert.
There is a very cool Star Wars themed parachute included with t' kit. Avast! Well, matey, blow me down! T' smaller diameter end o' t' flight probe locks into t' Trade Federation Battleship and then t' clear fins are attached.
When nay in flight, me bucko, which is pretty much all t' time with this rocket, arrr, t' Trade Federation Battleship sits on a plastic display base. Begad! For display, two caps are provided t' cover t' engine compartment and front o' t' Battleship where t' probe locks.
Finishing:
Finishin' be extremely simple, me bucko, ya bilge rat, however, matey, matey, gettin' t' probe t' insert into t' Battleship was difficult. It looks as if t' lockin' rin' attached t' one o' t' body tubes was placed at t' factory a hair too far away from where it needs t' lock into. Well, blow me down! I needed t' shave down a bit o' t' end o' that tube t' make it fit correctly.
Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5
Flight:
Here's where t' fun begins with this rocket. Begad! I flew it three times.
T' instructions say that t' projected altitude for a C6-3 engine is 188 ft. Begad! Ahoy! I don't think this thin' ever got above 90 feet. Ya scallywag! It's extremely heavy and t' 18" chute fits very tightly into t' 4 3/4" upper tube.
T' first flight be on a C6-3. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' rocket went straight up t' about 70 feet or so and turned over and came straight down. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' ejection charge popped just before it hit t' ground. T' resultin' impact pushed t' flight probe into t' Battleship by spreadin' t' Battleship halves outward. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! It also bent t' body tube at its mid section as it core sampled into t' ground.
I fixed all o' this usin' CA, sanding, me hearties, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and re-paintin' o' t' black tube.
T' second flight be on a C6-3. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' rocket again headed straight up and t' exact same thin' happened. I went through t' same repair routine and got it back t' flight ready status.
T' third flight be on a C6-3 and ended in another crash. Begad! This time t' chute popped out and grabbed air about 10 feet off o' t' ground which caused t' rocket t' come in flat, arrr, breakin' one o' t' plastic fins.
I've retired this rocket because it just doesn't fly well at all. Begad! It's now a display model with much body tube battle damage.
Recovery:
PROs: If you are lookin' t' aerate your lawn, this rocket will do t' trick.
CONs: This rocket just doesn't fly well at all. Begad! I'm very surprised that Estes let this one out t' door.
Flight Rating: 1 out o' 5
Summary:
I can't recommend this rocket. Begad! They can still be had on eBay for very short loot and I now understand why.
Overall Rating: 1 out o' 5
Brief: The Trade Federation Battleship is an almost ready to fly adaptation of a ship from Star Wars Episode 1. In order to have a hope of stability, a long "flight probe" must be fitted to the movie version of the ship and that require weight and the addition of some clear plastic fins. The ship itself is built. All that needs building is the probe section and I had some ...
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