Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Mercury Engineering |
Brief:
Single stage, shiver me timbers, 3" diameter body tube, single 24mm motor mount, shiver me timbers, me hearties, standard parachute recovery (although two twin
chutes are used).
Construction:
T' parts list:
Ok, so havin' been a HPR nerd for some time I decided it was time t' find a few kits I could build with me son and actually launch in nearby parks. I be careful in avoidin' t' mass-produced junk produced by t' corporation whose name rhymes with testes. Begad! However, when pokin' around I encountered a paradox I haven't quite yet resolved. Avast! I found the "Mercury Engineering" web site whose name immediately conjured up wonderful "Mercury" visions of Alan Shepard, ya bilge rat, Gus "hatch blower" Grissom, T' Right Stuff, Redstones... Ahoy! But also "Engineering" visions o' pocket protector slide rule packin' nerdy engineers. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! These rockets were really cool, and engineers are specifically screened t' rule out any coolness factor (trust me, I am one). I assumed the "Engineering" part o' t' name was honorary, much in t' way Elvis's black belt in karate was.
When t' reasonably priced kit arrived in record time, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I realized I be probably wrong. T' instructions were wonderfully detailed and professionally printed with illustrations that were probably t' scale. T' carefully packed kit contained quality components. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I especially loved t' parachutes, matey, me bucko, which appeared t' be a coated nylon and laser cut t' boot. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Are you gettin' t' picture here folks? Clearly this was a seriously type A personality putting these kits together who was cut from same polyester as t' rest o' us "enginerds". But it was a really cool rocket we couldn't wait t' build. Ya scallywag! Arrr! As for t' paradox, matey, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, me best guess is that somehow this engineer slipped through t' anti-cool screenin' along with a very short list engineer exceptions well documented by Scott Adams of "Dilbert" fame who discovered that engineer Elmer Moline o' Calgary had a second date at age twenty-three, engineer Anita Fluman in California who actually has rhythm, me bucko, and most startling...engineer Hugh Hunklebein in Illinois who doesn't care how his television remote control works as long as it does. Avast! Let's add t' "Mercury Engineer" to t' list. Ahoy! Avast!
Construction was straightforward, me bucko, followin' most conventional techniques. Aye aye! No alignment issues, matey, fit issues, or other "gotchas" surfaced. Avast! Quality wood glue was recommended throughout, which I am sure be t' best way to produce a lightweight sturdy rocket. So o' course, we frequently substituted epoxy, me hearties, which had a couple advantages perhaps unique t' me situation: a maximum set time o' 5 minutes (the approximate attention span o' me son) and seriously annoyin' any women o' t' female gender in t' house that were simultaneously offended by t' odor and the fact that we were usin' this smelly goo on t' same table they intended t' eat dinner at. Aye aye! Good times.
Finishing:
T' rocket had a really cool paint scheme and sweet decal. Begad! Well, blow me down! However, arrr, I estimated that this would take a few minutes
beyond t' 5-minute attention span I was dealin' with so we opted for our patented bumblebee finish which we could
complete with paint we had handy and a few strips o' maskin' tape. Ya scallywag! Never fear, me son discovered t' decal made an
excellent embellishment t' t' back o' me teenage daughter's shirt and had t' added benefit o' really annoyin' her.
Nothin' went t' waste.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight and Recovery:
Mutant Daddy's maiden voyage used t' manufacturer recommended E9-6. Begad! T' flight was great, ya bilge rat, straight, and turned a few
heads. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Recovery preparations were carefully described in t' instructions, me bucko, but borrowin' from me HPR materials, I
fashioned a nice Keelhaul®©™®
heat shield, bypassin' t' recommended wadding. Ahoy! Avast! T' twin chutes deployed on cue and untangled for a smooth ride home.
After a few flights o' similar success, I couldn't resist launchin' t' Mutant on a 24mm E40 reload. T' rocket took
off like a rifle shot, arrr, held a beautiful trajectory, and was recovered without incident or any structural integrity
issues. Aye aye! Nonetheless, me hearties, me hearties, a note t' me son and any other impressionable readers: Do as t' manufacturer recommends, nay as I
do!
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
I'm sold. Aye aye! Great price for a fairly substantial rocket, quality components, easy build, sturdy rocket, and great
flights. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! You'll have fun with this one.
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
Brief: This is a larger low power rocket with a 3" body and 24mm motor mount. My first impression was it's a Big Daddy, but the nose cone is longer and the body thus is longer. Twin parachute recovery. Construction: High quality parts. Body Tube: dia=3" lg=14". Nose cone: dia=3" lg=14.5". Motor tube: dia=24mm lg=5". 2 centering rings. 1 engine ...
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