Madcow Rocketry Screech

Madcow Rocketry - Screech {Kit}

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Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Diameter: 1.50 inches
Length: 40.50 inches
Manufacturer: Madcow Rocketry

Brief:
This is a minimum diameter Hobby, mid, matey, shiver me timbers, or high power rocket. Blimey! It's motor selection is expansive and offers extreme height with t' right motor loaded.

Picture Courtesy o' Madcow Rocketry
Screech

Construction:

  • (2) Body tubes
  • (1) Balsa wood nose cone
  • (1) Coupler
  • (1) Shock cord anchor
  • (1) 1/4"eyebolt, nut, shiver me timbers, and washer
  • (3) laser cut fins
  • (1) Keelhaul®©™® SC section
  • (1) nylon SC section
  • (1) 6"x6" Nomex® pad
  • (1) 18" parachute
  • (2) 1/4" Launch Lugs
  • (1) 8" 29mm MMT
  • (2) Plywood centerin' rings

T' instructions given are content, matey, but are very explanatory. Arrr! Begad! I am 12 years old and built this rocket with ease. I used 5 minute epoxy throughout t' whole project. Begad!

T' first step be t' glue on t' fins. My decision was t' do those last. Arrr! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! By t' way they are nay TTW fins. Then I started with t' shock cord mount. Arrr! Blimey! It was a plywood rin' in t' shape o' a crescent moon. I applied epoxy t' t' bolts and slid that part into place. Blimey! Blimey!

Next I tied a knot with t' Keelhaul®©™® cord around t' SCM and applied epoxy t' permanently secure it. I tied t' two SC sections together and applied epoxy to t' knot. Blimey! Well, blow me down!

Next was t' coupler. Well, me hearties, blow me down! I placed t' coupler halfway in after applyin' epoxy t' t' tube and let that set. Blimey! Aye aye! I epoxied the SCM t' t' aft end o' t' coupler in t' tube as directed. Ya scallywag!

I then proceeded t' gluin' t' body tubes together. Avast! Begad! Blimey! Nothin' unique here. Arrr! Begad! Blimey!

I chose t' use t' 29mm mmt for this rocket. Arrr! I epoxied t' centerin' rings on 1/2 inches from each end and let it set.

After it dried for a day I glued t' MMT into t' body tube. Begad! Begad! I made a minor mistake here. Ahoy! When gluing, T' MMT is supposed t' be flush with t' end o' t' body tube. Arrr! Blimey! I left a 1/2 inch section stickin' out from t' bottom. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! This didn't cause any problem in flight.

I attached t' shock cord t' t' nose cone by pourin' epoxy in t' already drilled hole and stuffed t' shock cord inside it as directed. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

T' reason I left t' fins t' do near t' end be because they would get in t' way while completin' t' other steps. Blimey! Begad! My Dad and I drew t' lines for t' fins and launch lugs with a meter stick usin' t' fin alignment guide that was given. We applied epoxy t' t' fins stuck them on t' body tube and watched each o' them individually for ten minutes.

Finishing:
Nothin' special her. Begad! Avast! all I did be use 3 coats o' Krylon white primer. Well, blow me down! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Then painted t' top half Krylon flat black and t' bottom half rust-o-leum red.

I used a stake and put two nails 180 degrees apart in t' stake and slid t' rocket on it for an easier paint job. Avast! Blimey! There were no decals which didn't matter t' me at all because t' rocket still looked great. Ahoy! No sandin' be needed at t' end because everythin' be smooth.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
My first launch with t' Screech was at El Mirage Dry Lake Bed on October 20/2008. Well, blow me down! Begad! I prepped it for an Estes E9-6 anxious t' see t' outcome o' its maiden flight. Aye aye! It slowly lifted off and t' motor burned for a nice 2.8 seconds. Blimey! It arched over without deployment. Avast! It sped down t' t' ground and finally it came under chute. Ya scallywag! That long delay o' a delay was too much. Avast, me proud beauty! It flew perfectly straight. T' Nomex® was a lifesaver and I used friction fit for motor retention. Blimey! Blimey!

T' next motor was a G79-10W. Aye aye! After easy but careful preparation, ya bilge rat, I set it out on t' pad. It be t' largest, most powerful motor that day so everyone was payin' close attention t' it. Ahoy! Blimey! Because t' pads are only about 12 feet away the thunderous roar made everyone jump. Arrr! Blimey! I watched in awe as thee rocket climbed t' over 500 mph. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Its estimated altitude was 3160 ft. Well, blow me down! It must have either weather-cocked or t' rod was tilted because I looked for over 3 hours in t' desert plants with other scouts and adults. When everyone who was helpin' me find it turned back, matey, I got me mountain bike and kept lookin' even while dehydrated. I wasn't comin' back t' camp without that rocket. Blimey! Blimey! I finally found it probably a mile away from camp. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! It was over a no trespassin' fence. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! I thought t' heck with it, hopped over retrieved and left. I biked as fast as I could t' camp holdin' it up like a trophy.

Later I flew it six more times that day on E9-6's and E9-4's. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! In t' future I will try a D12-3 and more powerful G motors on this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty!

Recovery:
Lots o' Drift. Ahoy! Well, matey, blow me down! Maybe I will try a slightly smaller parachute next time. Arrr! Took 3 hour t' find. Aye aye! T' motor tube is burnt a little and so be t' lower airframe. Blimey! Begad! I am nay sure if this is bad.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
In summary this was a high quality kit. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! TTW fins would be nice. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' flights were great and many more are t' come. Ahoy! the construction was a breeze. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! This minimum diameter rocket has a lot o' potential.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other:
Great Kit. Aye aye! Fun and easy t' build. Avast, me proud beauty! Flies high and fast. Arrr! Blimey! Large motor selection. Arrr! Nothin' wrong with it. Arrr! Great customer service.

Other Reviews
  • Madcow Rocketry Screech By David Reese (September 13, 2009)

    Brief: Single-stage minimum diameter 38mm model with parachute recovery. Construction: My early production kit included two body tubes, three lite-ply fins, a coupler/baffle/eyebolt assembly, full recovery system with Nomex ® protector and Kevlar ® shock cord leader, 1/4" launch lugs, and a beautiful balsa nose cone. All parts were clearly of high quality with ...

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