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, me hearties, mid, or high power rocket. Aye aye! 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, 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. I am 12 years old and built this rocket with ease. I used 5 minute epoxy throughout t' whole project. Avast! Ya scallywag!

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

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

Next was t' coupler. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I placed t' coupler halfway in after applyin' epoxy t' t' tube and let that set. Avast! 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. Arrr! Nothin' unique here. Begad!

I chose t' use t' 29mm mmt for this rocket. Begad! 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. I made a minor mistake here. Aye aye! When gluing, shiver me timbers, T' MMT is supposed t' be flush with t' end o' t' body tube. Ya scallywag! I left a 1/2 inch section stickin' out from t' bottom. Arrr! 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. Begad!

T' reason I left t' fins t' do near t' end be because they would get in t' way while completin' t' other steps. Aye aye! 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. Avast! Blimey! all I did was use 3 coats o' Krylon white primer. 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. Ya scallywag! There were no decals which didn't matter t' me at all because t' rocket still looked great. Begad! Begad! No sandin' was 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. I prepped it for an Estes E9-6 anxious t' see t' outcome o' its maiden flight. Begad! It slowly lifted off and t' motor burned for a nice 2.8 seconds. It arched over without deployment. Aye aye! Blimey! It sped down t' t' ground and finally it came under chute. Ya scallywag! Blimey! That long delay o' a delay was too much. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! It flew perfectly straight. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' Nomex® was a lifesaver and I used friction fit for motor retention.

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

Later I flew it six more times that day on E9-6's and E9-4's. Ya scallywag! In t' future I will try a D12-3 and more powerful G motors on this rocket. Begad!

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other:
Great Kit. Ya scallywag! Fun and easy t' build. Ahoy! Flies high and fast. Large motor selection. Avast, me proud beauty! Nothin' wrong with it. Avast! 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 ...

Flights

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