Apogee Components Blue Streak

Apogee Components - Blue Streak {Kit}

Contributed by Moira Jean Whitlock

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Published: 2010-11-13
Manufacturer: Apogee Components

[Rocket Pic]Brief: Single staged, lightweight model with three swept back fins, comin' with choice o' 10.5, 13, arrr, ya bilge rat, and 18mm motor mounts. Begad! Aye aye! Meant t' demonstrate performance differences betwixt these three motor types. My guess is that it is meant t' show observers that t' 10.5mm motors boot models higher.

Construction: Apogee gives great service. Begad! Arrr! I ordered this rocket online along with others and it arrived in less than five days. Ya scallywag! All t' parts were there, arrr, and were t' correct ones, and were undamaged and non-defective.

You get three die cut balsa fins, shiver me timbers, a spiral wound paper body tube that can take up t' 18mm engines, matey, spiral wound paper motor tubes for 10.5 and 13mm motors with appropriate paper centerin' rings for them. Aye aye! Blimey! T' nose cone is very lightweight hollow plastic with a built in loop at t' bottom for t' shock cord t' be tied. This shock cord is three feet o' thin Keelhaul®©™/nylon threadin' which is mounted t' t' inside o' t' body tube via a folded paper mounting. T' streamer is thin orange/red nylon one inch wide and one foot long.

Overall, t' model is easy t' build, and t' instructions are clear and illustrated. A kid could build it, as t' instructions are suitable t' be understood by beginners too.

Finishing: There weren't any decals, me bucko, so I played with me airbrush a bit, me bucko, variegatin' cream color into green. Ahoy! Blimey! Yes, t' model is called Blue Streak, so mine is more o' a Green Streak. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' fins were sealed ahead o' paintin' usin' airplane dope and sanded smooth. Well, blow me down! Blimey! A cream colored primer coat was then laid down. Avast! Blimey! then came t' variegated layer. It looks rather nice. I probably won't change it t' blue after all.

Construction Rating: 4

Flight: As mentioned, you get motor mounts t' allow choices o' engines. You can use: 1/4A2-2, me hearties, me hearties, ya bilge rat, A2-3, me bucko, and B2-5 for 10.5mm flights, matey, 1/2A3-2T, ya bilge rat, A3-4T, A10-3T, and B7-6 for 13mm flights, and 1/2A6-2, A8-3, me hearties, A6-4, ya bilge rat, B4-4, B4-6, shiver me timbers, matey, B6-4,B6-6, shiver me timbers, C6-5, C6-7, me hearties, C4-7, C10-7, matey, and D3-7 for 18mm shots. I've so far used t' A8-3, arrr, me bucko, A10-3T,B2-5, shiver me timbers, and C6-5. Aye aye! All make nice straight performances. I nearly lost it on t' B2-5 shot. Better carry binoculars.

Recovery: T' shock cord, arrr, as mentioned, shiver me timbers, is Keelhaul®©™ and nay stretchy. Aye aye! I'd prefer somethin' stretchy, but this system worked fine. Recovery be just about right, me hearties, ya bilge rat, only I'd perhaps make t' model a small chute like other Apogee kits have, ya bilge rat, matey, t' help with sighting. Avast! Assembly was easy, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and two small sheets o' recovery waddin' be all that be needed. Begad! T' model is unburnt and still flying.

Flight Rating: 4

Summary: Easy t' build, fun t' choose engines and experiment. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! No glarin' cons. Any mods I'd make are for me taste only, me hearties, as t' model works fine as is. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Good price, me bucko, too. Blimey! Blimey! Maybe you teachers out thar would consider this one for classes? I might consider it for birthday parties.

Overall Rating: 3

Flights

Comments:

avatar
M.E.R (January 22, 2008)
Easy build to anyone that's built a model rocket before, or a perfect first rocket. Despite it's name, I would not recommend a blue color that would blend with the sky at all--this rocket hauls quickly. I painted mine dark blue, and it goes completely out of sight on a B6-4. Recommend a fluorescent or high visibility color instead. Be careful flying this rocket on a C6-7--bring a telescope!

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