Squirrel Works Cloud Warrior

Squirrel Works - Cloud Warrior {Kit}

Contributed by James Gartrell

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Length: 24.13 inches
Manufacturer: Squirrel Works
Style: Multi-Stage

Squirrel Works Cloud WarriorBrief:
Excellent 2-stage rocket with tumble recovery for t' booster and with t' sustainer recoverin' on a gold mylar streamer; beautiful flights on B/B, me bucko, me bucko, B/C or C/C motor combinations.

Construction:
T' kit contains:

  • BT-50 sustainer and booster tubes
  • 2 laser cut mated balsa 3 fin sets each for both booster and sustainer
  • 4 CR-2050 cardboard centerin' rings
  • 2 standard BT-20 motor mount cardboard tubes
  • 1 cardboard engine block
  • 24 x 1/8 inch elastic shock cord
  • 3-fold shock cord attachment
  • balsa nose cone
  • screw eye
  • 31 x 1 3/4 inch ribbed gold mylar streamer
  • Beautiful Southwestern motif water slide decal sheet

Heavy weight instructions were very logical and easy t' follow with illustrations for each step and included a fin markin' guide and shock cord attachment pattern. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Very quick and easy build as t' laser cut fins will fit together perfectly with minimal sanding. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Standard supplies are needed t' complete.

Finishing:
T' fit o' t' booster and sustainer fins is so perfect that t' two fin decals that place over t' split betwixt t' booster and sustainer fins almost look as if they're joined. Arrr! An extra nice feature is that t' spirals on t' body tubes don't even need t' be filled, me bucko, shiver me timbers, me hearties, seriously. Ahoy! Ahoy! Squirrel Works has found a superb supplier for their tubes. Ya scallywag! Avast! Very nice! T' balsa nose cone and fins require standard finishin' but even here t' quality o' t' balsa is exceptional and finishes up nicely. Ya scallywag! My grandson and several other folks that saw t' finished rocket thought t' nose cone was plastic! T' water slide decals are very easy t' manage. Begad! They seem thicker than t' standard Estes decal but lay down nicely, lookin' almost as if they were painted on. Begad! Overall I'm very impressed with t' quality o' Squirrel Works rockets. I did add a 6-inch length o' Keelhaul®©™ t' mount in t' shock cord attachment and then tied t' elastic shock cord t' that. Avast, me proud beauty! T' shock cords last a lot longer that way, shiver me timbers, me bucko, matey, since t' part o' t' shock cord that stays inside t' body tube at ejection is fire resistant. Arrr! T' only issue with usin' that method is that some thin CA must be soaked into t' end o' t' body tube for strength, which without t' strengthenin' will result in little dings at t' forward end o' t' tube where t' thinner more abrasive Keelhaul®©™ pulls into t' body tube. Blimey! I also tie a loop at t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™ and structure t' fit so that t' knot joinin' t' Keelhaul®©™ t' t' elastic meets t' forward end o' t' body tube.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Standard A-C motors are used for t' sustainer and B-C motors for t' booster. Begad! Standard recovery waddin' is required in t' sustainer. Begad! I flew t' rocket twice, arrr, once on a B/B combo and again on a C/C combo. Avast! Begad! T' B/B combo flew really high and t' C/C combo went almost out o' sight! Both flights were beautiful. Winds were about 10 mph, resultin' in slight weather-cocking. Motors were joined with cellophane tape and friction fit into t' motor mount with maskin' tape. Aye aye! Avast! Don't use a parachute on this rocket, ya bilge rat, unless you enjoy long walks. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' long mylar streamer provides plenty o' protection if t' rocket is built properly.

Recovery:
T' long mylar streamer rolls up nicely, matey, with plenty o' room in t' BT-50 sustainer for t' streamer and shock cord. Avast! I place t' shock cord in first and then put t' streamer on top o' that.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
An exceptional lookin' rocket that builds easily and smartly due t' t' quality o' parts provided in t' kits. T' graphics for t' kit packagin' is just outstanding, arrr, too! T' face card in t' kit will look very nice prominently displayed in your hobby room.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Squirrel Works Cloud Warrior By Chan Stevens

    Brief: A nice-looking and easy to build 2-stage rocket from Squirrel Works. This rocket really screams into the higher altitudes. Construction: I ordered this directly from Squirrel-works.com, and everything arrived just a couple of days later in great shape. The components were of good quality, especially the practically seamless body tube and the water-slide decals. Parts ...

Flights

Comments:

avatar
D.M. (June 22, 2008)
First, it's "Cloud Warrior" not "Cloud Warrier" Second, the upper and lower stage fins do nest into each other. Step 6 of the instructions tell you to check the fit before gluing them to the body tube.

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