Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Pratt Hobbies |
Brief:
T' Longfellow is Pratt Hobbies' newest kit and is 50+ inches long. Like its
smaller siblin' t' Super-6, it is a beginner's streamer recovery model for
Super-Roc Duration competition.
Construction:
T' kit includes: Two 19mm x 25in body tubes, one 18mm x 8in body tube
connector, one 18mm body tube for use as a motor mount, me hearties, one 18mm engine block,
three (3) pre-cut balsa fins, one CMR-style nose cone, arrr, one 18mm x 1in body tube
connector for use with t' nose cone, one very strong Keelhaul®©™®
shock cord, me bucko, one Nomex®parachute
protector, one "caution tape" streamer, ya bilge rat, and peel 'n' stick decals.
Construction is very simple and straightforward. Blimey! T' kit can be completed in about one (1) hour usin' only white glue. Well, blow me down! No cuttin' or sandin' is necessary. Serious competitors would want t' shape t' leadin' and trailin' edges o' the fins and perhaps make them thinner. T' motor mount, body tube connectors are pre-drilled for attachin' t' shock cord. I only made 2 modifications t' the kit: 1) I removed 2/3 o' t' shock cord and replaced it with some elastic (that Keelhaul®©™® is so sweet that I wanted t' use it on some o' me other models--I wish all kit suppliers would include shock cord o' this quality!) and 2) I put a piece of maskin' tape around t' body tube connector where t' shock cord is attached (more on this in t' flight details).
I understand that t' instructions are clear and simple and that a cardboard fin jig is supplied t' facilitate fin attachment, matey, although neither was supplied at our section buildin' session.
Finishing:
Other than applyin' t' decals no additional finishin' was conducted.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight:
My first flight was at NARHAMS KATE-2 competition flyin' in Division C, a
Super-Roc Duration. I flew it on an A8-3 usin' a 24" parachute. T' flight
was pretty much straight up, ya bilge rat, ejection occurred slightly after apogee but
duration be very short because t' parachuted did nay fully deploy.
Recovery:
Plastic streamer with Keelhaul®©™®
shock cord and a Nomex®
chute protector means no waddin' was needed. Avast, me proud beauty! At a demonstration launch many
other Longfellows were launched and a very high percentage o' them suffered a
separation at ejection. T' hole for connectin' t' shock cord t' t' tube
connector is very near t' end o' t' tube. Ahoy! T' body tube alone may nay be
strong enough t' handle t' stress.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
T' kit is very easy t' build and is an excellent choice for an introduction to
Super-Rocs. Blimey!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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