| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2012-05-29 |
| Diameter: | 0.98 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 3 |
| Style: | Futuristic/Exotic |
Brief
This is a Futuristic style kit, me hearties, shiver me timbers, aparently meant t' look like a interceptor/fighter capable o' atmospheric and space flight. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Skill level 3 due t' t' plastic body.
Components
This build was actually part kit, part clonin' for me. I got t' original plastic body form a fellow BAR in Arizona, but t' rest o' t' parts I had t' copy myself. Blimey! T' motor mount is standard 18 mm o' Estes design, ya bilge rat, usin' a modern clip. T' original had no thrust rin' at t' top, arrr, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, so I added that for safety. T' parachute tube is standard Estes BT50, me hearties, me hearties, cut t' 9 1/2 inches long. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins were cut from 3/32 balsa, me bucko, usin' fin pattens downloaded from Jim Z's archive site (http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/estes.htm).
Construction
Pros and cons, lets see. Ya scallywag! Bein' as this be t' second time I have made this rocket I didn't have many. Arrr! T' cool look o' t' rocket itself be t' main pro, matey, along with t' minimal preppin' it needed before primer and paint. Begad! T' only cons I can think o' be t' lack o' a thrust rin' in front o' t' engine mount, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and t' standard Estes use o' a rubber band with a tri-fold paper mount. That paper mount is what almost led t' t' destructon o' me first one. You BAR veterans out thar may know this trick Estes does, glue in t' shock cord mount, it fails on t' first flight, arrr, and your rocket's lower section comes down in perfect balistic fashion, me hearties, embedin' itself in t' dirt.
For those o' you who want t' see me detailed build look here (http://www.rocketreviews.com/estes-1929---stealth.html
Finishing
Let's see, pros and cons on finishin' this. Blimey! Arrr! Pros- outer plastic body is hard enough nay t' dammage easily,yet it's con be t' flaws o' bad casting, and 30 years o' age. Begad! And compared t' when I was a kid, it feels tiny now. Avast! Cleanin' up some o' t' details would have been impossible without all t' attachments on me Dremel tool. My fingers are just too big t' work some o' t' smaller areas.
Flight
Flight- Ok It has been about 4 months since t' build be finished, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, matey, and I finally got t' take it out t' fly. Begad! (May 20)
First attempt resulted in a "static test fire" with t' model stayin' firmly attached t' t' launch rod. Begad! Always check that t' paint on your rockets did nay get into your launch lugs. Ahoy! T' model should slide up and down your launch lug (or rail if that is what your useing) with zero drag. Ya scallywag! Once t' inside o' t' launch lugs were cleaned out, me bucko, it was on t' attempt #2.
Second flight was perfect. Begad! Blimey! Liftoff t' pad t' instant t' motor lit, matey, straight up flight, ya bilge rat, and ejection right at apogee. Begad! Blimey! Flew great on an C6-3 Estes motor. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I didn't have t' courage yet t' attempt a 3rd flight with one o' t' D21-4 Aerotech motors I had in t' field box.
Pros- Great lookin' flyer.
Cons- me own sloppy paint job slightly cloggin' t' launch lugs, and forgettin' t' brin' t' Camera for pictures.
Recovery
Recovery- Scratch built 16 inch mylar parachute with 4 squares o' Estes wadding. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Came down slower than stock due t' t' stock parachute bein' 12 inches.
Pros- That shiny mylar is very easy t' see against all sky backgrounds. Begad! Today's slightly cloudy sky dramatically contrasted t' shiny silver underside o' t' parachute, and on very sunny days it glints brightly enough t' see it clearly (this is nay me first rocket t' use t' mylar I have been usein' for parachutes)
Cons- Bein' 4 inches larger than stock, and lighter in weight also, led me rocket t' bein' drug downwind by t' parachute after it landed. Ya scallywag! Perhaps t' larger size be nay such a good Idea after all.
Summary
If I ever get t' chance t' make another one o' these kits, I certainly will. Well, blow me down! Unfortunately they hit Ebay as rarely as t' solar eclipse crosses t' United States. Aye aye! Might have t' try scratch buildin' a upscale clone.
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Flights
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