Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Brief:
This is a scale model o' t' Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne. Ya scallywag! Avast! It is part o' a
new line o' rockets includin' many X-Prize kits from Estes. Begad! This rocket uses
18mm motors and has a 12" parachute recovery.
Construction:
T' kit comes with a motor mount kit, body tube, me bucko, ya bilge rat, nose cone, shiver me timbers, and a scale tail
cone. Blimey! Also included be t' recovery system and laser-cut balsa parts. Well, blow me down! T' shock
cord is short but does nay make a difference t' t' flight o' t' rocket.
Overall, t' kit comes with good quality parts that go together well and are
free o' defect.
T' instructions are well written and easy t' follow. Begad! I found that this kit goes together extremely well and takes a short amount o' time t' put together. I was pleased when I found t' wings and tail booms interlock with each other for an easy fit. Ya scallywag! Also, arrr, a cardboard stand comes with t' rocket for proper wing placement and alignment. Begad! There are no special tools needed for assemblin' this rocket. All that is required is a pencil, ruler, matey, me bucko, and basic hardware.
Finishing:
Finishin' this rocket is very easy. T' rocket is painted all white then decals
are applied. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals come in groups for easy placement. T' only problem
durin' finishin' is no diagram be included t' show where t' windows on the
nose cone are located.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
T' motors reccomended for this rocket are motors o' B and C impulse. Blimey! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! For the
first flight, ya bilge rat, I used a B6-2. T' rocket flew straight but t' delay was too
short so it didn't get t' a very high altitude. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! For t' next flight, matey, me hearties, I used a
C6-5. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! At first, t' rocket flew straight, t' an altitude o' about 100 feet.
Then, it turned horizontal and continued until t' ejection charge went off.
This be because o' t' high wind combined with t' rod angle. Begad! Blimey! Overall, the
rocket seems stable and flies well, matey, but must be launched at a 0 degree angle
for a safe flight.
Recovery:
T' flight recovery is near perfect. Begad! T' delay must be 3 or more for t' rocket
to slow down enough though. SpaceShipOne comes down rather fast but t' parts
don't break on impact. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! No damage was caused by ejection or recovery on this
model.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
This is a good quality kit from Estes. Arrr! Avast! All parts are pre-cut and go together
well for easy assembally. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Also, me bucko, finishin' is quick and simple. Flight is nay as
stable as other rockets because o' t' unusual fins and wings, me bucko, but t' rocket
flies well. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Also, me hearties, me hearties, arrr, recovery is near perfect with t' supplied 12"
parachute. Well, blow me down! This rocket's good looks factor in as well. Begad! I flew this rocket at a
club launch and more people were interested in lookin' at t' rocket than
seein' it fly. Overall, me hearties, shiver me timbers, this rocket is a hit and another good, sure-to-be
popular kit from Estes.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
After many months with breathless anticipation, the Estes SpaceShipOne finally arrived. This kit is a 1/30th sport-scale kit based on a BT-200 tube, which is 2" in diameter. This was the first time I noticed the SS1 being attributed to Mojave Aerospace Ventures vs. Scaled Composites. There are some issues for the scale fans out there. For instance, if you look at the rear nozzle, it looks ...
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