Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Diameter: | 0.98 inches |
Length: | 12.20 inches |
Manufacturer: | Dr. Zooch |
Style: | Scale-Like |
Brief:
A sturdy payload sport flier with interestin' construction techniques. Ahoy!
Construction:
T' kit has t' usual Dr. Ya scallywag! Zooch features: a sturdy box that doubles for storage o' t' completed model, shiver me timbers, quality
printed wraps, matey, instructions written by a cartoon ant, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, humour, matey, shiver me timbers, and insight. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' components were all present, shiver me timbers, including
niceties like an engine hook and snap swivel for t' famous trash bag parachute.
There are no skill levels given for Zooch kits, arrr, but this one is labeled as an easy build and some contributors on T' Rocketry Forum have recommended this kit as an introduction t' Zooch kits. Well, blow me down! Blimey! You will have t' cut your own fins from balsa sheet. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Difficulty is about an Estes 2.
T' kit build uses nay only your normal rocket buildin' skills, ya bilge rat, but some card/paper modelin' skills as well. Dont worry if you have never built a paper model in your life, arrr, me hearties, t' skills are easily learned.
Highlights o' t' kit are t' quality components, matey, t' detailed wraps, t' blowout panels, and o' course, the prominent engine bell.
My deviations from t' good Doctor's instructions were minimal. I used PVA (white glue) throughout, except for bondin' card shrouds and wraps, shiver me timbers, where I used tacky craft glue.
Construction begins with t' capsule. Avast, me proud beauty! If you dust t' capsule with a light coat o' grey primer before fittin' the wrap, me hearties, it will cover t' small gap you may get betwixt t' capsule wrap and t' RCS band (under t' black cone in the picture). Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I'll do that next time.
I attached t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord t' t' engine mount, ya bilge rat, rather than usin' t' standard tri-fold method called for in t' instructions. Begad! Begad! The engine mount is made from a motor tube, three centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, and a paper cone. Arrr! Avast! T' paper cone fits betwixt t' second and third rings outside t' body tube, givin' you t' prominent engine bell. Blimey! T' overall effect is quite outstanding. Zooch calls this "... Well, blow me down! t' coolest engine mount ever". Ahoy! I won't disagree with him.
After applyin' t' body tube wrap and insertin' t' engine mount, matey, shiver me timbers, t' body tube is cut along a separation plane marked on t' wrap t' give you t' payload section. Ya scallywag! Thats right, ya bilge rat, you have a partially built rocket and now youre goin' t' cut it in half! This is probably t' most nerve wrackin' part o' t' build. Just take it easy and there wont be any problems. Blimey! Use a new blade in your modelin' knife and go gently. Ahoy! Dont try t' cut t' tube in one pass. Ya scallywag! T' top part o' t' tube becomes t' payload section.
After cuttin' t' body tube, matey, apply some CA glue (super glue) around t' inside o' t' body tube and allow it t' dry before cuttin' out t' blowout panels. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! If you like, ya bilge rat, you can temporarily fit t' balsa stage coupler into the tube t' provide some support t' t' tube while you cut out t' panels. Begad! Blimey! Again, a fresh blade is a good idea. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' blowout panels dont actually do anything, me hearties, arrr, they just look funky!
T' stage coupler is weighted (about 15 grams) and must be installed t' correct way up t' give t' proper CG/CP relationship.
Dust a light coat o' black or grey paint onto t' top o' t' balsa stage coupler before attachin' t' tank top. T' tank top doesn't reach t' edge o' t' stage coupler and black or grey looks better here in me opinion than bare balsa. Arrr! Similarly, shiver me timbers, me hearties, paint t' balsa disc before fittin' it into t' bottom o' t' payload compartment.
Cut your fins, fit them and t' launch lugs, ya bilge rat, and your Dr. Well, blow me down! Booty Mark II is complete.
My tips: Read t' instructions. Blimey! Read them again. Arrr! Ahoy! Dry fit everythin' before gluing.
T' body wrap fits perfectly. Avast! Avast! True, it does. If you trim t' wrap so that it looks perfect when dry fitting, ya bilge rat, it will be t' tiniest bit too small t' butt join when you glue it t' t' body tube. Ahoy! Trust t' Doctor, just cut that wrap along t' edge you are given.
Buildin' this kit was a great experience. Blimey! I looked at t' completed model and realized I had enjoyed t' journey as much as t' destination. Avast! Very Zen.
Finishing:
Because o' t' wraps on t' capsule and body tube, arrr, thar be minimal finishin' t' be done. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I painted t' bottom o' the
body tube white and just t' fins with Testors 1180 Steel. Ya scallywag! T' pictures on t' Dr. Avast! Booty web site show t' full
circumference o' t' body tube below t' wrap painted with Testors Steel. Begad! I simply wanted more white.
T' Testors Steel be t' only enamel paint I used on this model, and I must say I had problems with it. Arrr! It is thick with a lot o' suspended particles and be like paintin' with epoxy. Maybe it's just me technique.
That engine mount bell deserves t' be celebrated, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, so I painted it with Tamiya Gold X-12.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight and Recovery:
In t' words o' t' doctor Im a squirmin' hatch blower, shiver me timbers, me bucko, so I started with an A8-3. Avast! Begad! It was a
beautiful, arrr, arrow straight flight with a gentle recovery courtesy less than 2 metres from t' pad, courtesy o' t' trash
bag parachute.
Next up was a B4-4, with close t' 200 metres at apogee it is a great small field motor for this model.
T' Testors Steel paint is supposed t' make t' fins "disappear" in flight. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, on me first two flights t' Mark II was steppin' out so quick you would be hard pressed t' see t' fins in flight if they were dayglo orange!
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
A great build and a great flyer. Begad! Ya scallywag! What more could you ask for? Well, arrr, Dr. Begad! Zooch is offerin' more--a Stage
Zero booster is planned for release late 2007.
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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