| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2015-01-17 |
| Diameter: | 3.00 inches |
| Length: | 45.36 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Sirius Rocketry  |
| Style: | Military |
Brief
Sirius Rocketry's Eradicator, me hearties, kit number S-0017, shiver me timbers, arrr, arrr, is a "Transition Series" rocket capable o' flyin' mid and small high power motors, and could be a Level 1 Certification rocket. Typical o' all Sirius Rocketry's designs, ya bilge rat, t' kit is more than a four fins and a nose cone rocket, arrr, sportin' a 3.0" diameter upper body tube and nose cone and a 2.25" diameter lower body tube with two 3.0" diameter rings incorporated in t' tail/fin assembly, which gives t' Eradicator a unique look. This kit also comes with t' typical high quality decals that Sirius Rocketry puts in all o' its kits. When finished, me hearties, t' rocket is over 45" tall and weighs about 17 oz., dependin' on build style, me hearties, adhesives used, matey, and finishing. T' rocket contains a 29mm motor mount with no internal thrust ring, matey, allowin' motors o' varyin' length. Motor retention is managed with a machine screw/washer anchored in a threaded insert. Ya scallywag! All fins, me bucko, matey, matey, strakes, me hearties, and centerin' rings are made o' 1/8" aircraft-grade plywood, and all paper tubes are heavy walled t' hold up t' t' stresses o' high powered flights. T' model can be built usin' 1/4 inch launch lugs or rail buttons or both for flexibility.
Components
T' Eradicator kit comes with t' followin' parts:
- Keelhaul®©™ Shock Cord Mount cord (24" long)
- Elastic shock cord (6' long)
- T52-H 29mm Motor Mount Tube (22" long)
- Rear Body Tube, me bucko, 2.25" diameter (17" long)
- Upper Body Tube, 3.0" diameter (17" long)
- Plastic Nose Cone (PNC 3.0)
- Rail Button Kit
- Decal Sheets #1 and #2
- Motor Retention Hardware Kit
- 1/4" launch Lugs (2, 2" long)
- Tail Rings, 3.0" diameter (2, 1" long)
- Quick Link
- Ripstop Nylon Parachute (30" diameter)
- Laser-cut Plywood Parts Sheets #1 and #2
- Body-tube Markin' Guide Sheet
T' inclusion o' t' motor retention hardware and t' quick link for t' parachute attachment are niceties nay included in all HPR kits.
Construction
T' Eradicator kit came with detailed instructions that provided useful background information on construction and finishin' techniques for a mid/high power rocket, matey, and options for construction that would allow easier paintin' if t' original paint scheme were t' be chosen (I chose this option t' minimize hassle with maskin' durin' painting). Well, blow me down! T' instructions were very easy t' follow, and t' kit be a relatively simple build (rated as Skill Level 2 by Sirius Rocketry, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, mainly because you have t' cut t' fin slots yourself--see Figure 1). Aye aye!
Figure 1
I also used epoxy t' anchor all motor mount centerin' rings t' t' motor mount and t' body tubes, me hearties, but used Tightbond III glue for other bonds. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' parts were all o' high quality and fit together well (there was a little slop in t' nosecone fit that be solved with a layer o' maskin' tape). Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' only change I made t' t' instructions provided was t' nay glue t' aft centerin' rin' on t' motor mount until t' through-the-wall fins had been installed, allowin' me t' filet all internal joints (fin tab t' motor mount, fin tab t' body tube) with Tightbond glue (see Figure 2). Blimey! Blimey!
Figure 2
Once t' glue had dried, matey, me hearties, I then installed t' aft centerin' rin' usin' epoxy. Ahoy! T' finished model was painted before t' rin' fins were installed per t' suggestion in t' instructions. Arrr! T' painted forward rin' be carefully split, me bucko, arrr, t' rin' slipped over t' main body tube,, and then glued together before installin' in t' fin slots. Aye aye! T' split was hidden from view by installin' t' rin' with t' repaired cut in t' rin' installed within t' fin slot. Begad! Arrr! T' fit o' t' painted rin' fins was so right in t' fin slots that I had t' carefully sand t' fin slots t' ensure enough room, arrr, and I judged t' press-fit o' t' rings tight enough that I did nay glue t' rin' fins t' t' fins. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Time will tell if this was a good idea, matey, but it looks great with no glue showin' on finished rocket. Ya scallywag! I chose t' nay install t' 1/4" launch lugs and opted for only t' rail buttons, me bucko, matey, ya bilge rat, which were installed per t' instructions (one button on t' upper body, 3/4" forward o' t' transition area, and one button centered on t' aft rin' fin).
Finishing
T' instructions provided good details on how t' finish t' rocket. Begad! I filled t' tube spirals with water-thinned Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler and sanded smooth usin' 400-grit sandpaper before commencin' gluing. I sanded t' plywood fins and coated them with a balsa filler coat and sanded smooth before attachin' them t' t' rocket. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! I carefully filetted t' fins, strakes, me hearties, arrr, and t' eight wedge-shaped pieces that decorate t' transition betwixt t' 3.0" and 2.25" body tubes. Blimey! Blimey! T' rocket be then painted with two coats o' KILZ white spray primer, shiver me timbers, sandin' betwixt coats t' achieve a smooth surface. Begad! I painted t' rocket body gloss white, and t' nose cone gray. Aye aye! Blimey! To match t' paint scheme provided with t' instructions, me hearties, I then painted t' top 3 inches o' t' nose cone black, and painted black roll patterns betwixt t' fins and strakes on opposite sides o' t' rocket body (see Figures 3 and 4). Arrr!
Figures 3 and 4
T' rin' fins were treated similarly (spirals filled, primed, me hearties, sanded, etc.) and painted t' same gray as t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! Blimey! These rin' fins were installed after all paintin' on t' body was finished (see above and Figure 5). Aye aye! Blimey!
Figure 5
As with all Sirius Rocketry's kits, matey, t' water-slide decals for t' Eradicator are colorful, ya bilge rat, arrr, shiver me timbers, well made, and easy t' apply. Avast! Aye aye! I coated t' decals with one coat o' Microscale Industries Inc. Ahoy! (MSI) Liquid Decal Film before applying, but these decals are strong enough that this coatin' was probably nay necessary. I used MSI Micro Set as t' decal settin' solution.
Flight
I flew t' Eradicator on an Aerotech F50-6T for t' first flight. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' CG was well in front o' t' critical point that is discussed in t' instructions. Ya scallywag! Begad! It boosted arrow straight with no rotation. T' parachute deployed at apogee, arrr, so t' manufacturer's motor recommendation for t' F50-6T as a first flight motor was a good one. Aye aye! T' flight was high, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me hearties, but well in sight--perfect for a maiden voyage.
Recovery
T' kit comes with a strong elastic/fabric shock cord that is attached t' a heavy-duty Keelhaul®©™ strong. Avast! T' shock cord and 30-in. green, rip-stop nylon parachute are attached t' t' nose cone usin' a quick-link, me hearties, which is a standard practice for HPR models. Begad! There is enough room in t' upper body tube for an ejection baffle, and likely enough room t' convert t' kit t' dual-deploy with careful plannin' (I chose t' build t' model stock). Avast, matey, me proud beauty! My first flight was recovered safely, and t' parachute provided a soft landin' despite nay bein' fully deployed (some lines got wrapped around t' quick-link, so t' parachute was nay completed symmetrical). Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' 3"-diameter parachute bay takes a lot o' waddin' in addition t' t' 6" chute Nomex parachute protector I added, me hearties, but thar were no scorch marks on t' parachute--a very successful recovery.
Summary
In summary t' Sirius Rocketry Eradicator is a well-designed, eye-catchin' rocket that flies arrow straight due t' t' good fin alignment achieved with use o' t' fin slottin' template and good buildin' practices. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I will fly this model on F and G motors for sure, matey, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and t' construction, me hearties, if done properly, ya bilge rat, will certainly allow small H motors as well. T' build was fairly easy and t' results look great, both on and off t' field.
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