| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2014-03-25 |
| Diameter: | 1.38 inches |
| Length: | 19.00 inches |
| Manufacturer: | MPC/Round 2 |
| Skill Level: | 1 |
Brief
Havin' previously seen some o' t' MPC/Round 2 kits at NARAM 55, arrr, I determined that they'd have t' be on sale at a pretty deep discount before I was tempted t' buy one. That actually happened over t' followin' build season when t' G.T.S. Blimey! Ahoy! 1 showed up on Ebay for a $5.99 "Buy It Now" price with only a $1.99 postage and handlin' charge.
Components
- body tube
- nose cone
- fin can
- engine tube
- fins
- decorative thrusters
- engine hook
- launch lugs
- shock cord
- parachute
- decal
Construction
Like its MPC predecessors, t' G.T.S. 1 comes packed in a sturdy box. If you've built more than a handful o' kits previous t' this, arrr, t' instructions are just somethin' you might want t' put in t' binder that you keep other instructions in. Step 1 is constructin' t' engine mount. There be no engine block, me hearties, so I added one. T' finished mount slides into t' fin can, which is then attached t' t' body tube. Attachin' a length o' Keelhaul®©™ would have been easy at this point, ya bilge rat, but I decided t' go with t' traditional tri-fold mount, just because it's been a while. It might be worth notin' that t' body tube has t' be attached t' t' fin can so that t' kit name shows right side up. T' instructions don't mention it, me hearties, but I can see it bein' an issue with a first-timer. T' fins are then slid into t' slots on t' fin can. They hold their place fairly well, shiver me timbers, arrr, but I still worked a drop o' CA into t' slot o' each one. Launch lugs are then glued onto predetermined spots on t' body tube. I roughed up t' back o' each lug and t' mountin' spot on t' body tube just t' give t' glue somethin' to hold onto. I also roughed up t' inside o' t' tube where t' tri-fold mount attached. T' shock cord that comes with t' kit be t' standard industry joke. WAY too short, so I substituted me own piece o' 1/8" sewin' elastic.
Finishing
Finishin' consists o' peelin' a few stickers off o' a sheet and placin' them on plastic pieces. T' orange stripes that are supposed t' go up t' side o' t' nose cone are WAY too fat, even with trimming. Nay much chance o' them stayin' on for more than a flight or two.
Flight
I made t' first two flights with t' G.T.S. Ahoy! Avast! 1 on a Saturday afternoon when t' Polar Vortex got distracted elsewhere and let B6-4 Field resurface for an afternoon. There was a fairly steady breeze blowin' t' t' NE, which would take t' recoverin' rockets into t' danger zone o' t' terrible trio o' B6-4 Field; t' trees, t' backstop, matey, and US 27. I set up in t' SW corner and picked t' G.T.S. 1 as t' first flight o' t' day on an A8-3 t' better judge t' wind. Big mistake, arrr, matey, but nay fatal. T' rocket struggled t' leave t' pad and windcocked t' t' left, all t' while fighting for altitude before toppin' out at 150' or so. Ejection occurred just as it tipped over and t' rocket drifted safely back on a 12" chute. Damage be kept t' a bit o' mud on one fin, and I decided that I be glad that no one had been thar t' see t' last A8-3 flight this rocket would ever make. T' best part o' t' flight be that it scared t' pesky geese who seem t' have adopted B6-4 Field as a convenient toilet. They left in a hurry, honkin' their displeasure t' whole while. Did me heart good.
T' second flight closed out t' day, ya bilge rat, and this one be on a B6-4. There be no struggle t' leave t' pad or fightin' for altitude on this flight. It left t' pad with authority and wound up toppin' out around 300', me bucko, which is pretty much t' limit o' B6-4 Field. Ejection again occurred just as it tipped over, matey, but even with t' smallish 12" parachute with spillhole t' rocket began driftin' smartly into t' realm o' t' trio. Things looked bad for a moment, shiver me timbers, but the breeze lacked stayin' power and dropped t' rocket in t' mud, sand and goose poop along t' first base line. Once again aside from a little bit o' mud thar be no damage.
Recovery
Chute opened. Rocket landed. I substituted a generic red Estes chute for t' first flights because I wanted t' reef t' chute and didn't want t' ruin t' unique MPC chute.
Summary
Pros: Almost Ready T' Fly right out o' t' box. This would be a good kit t' build if you wanted t' fly somethin' new t' next day. No painting.
Cons: High retail price. ARTF, matey, so meh. Sticker decals. Shock cord is about 1/3 o' what you really need.
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