| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2013-07-03 |
| Diameter: | 0.76 inches |
| Length: | 18.25 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Centuri |
| Style: | Multi-Stage |
Brief
Two-stage minimum diameter kit with pass-port stagin' coupler.
Components
- Two lengths o' ST-7 tubes, me hearties, one for substainer, one for booster; red plastic nose cone; and balsa fins;
- Elastic shock cord with two one-inch crepe-paper streamers; pass-port phenolic coupler (w/two holes)
- Waterslide decals
Construction
I bought a nearly completed kit from a former NARRRRR member who showed up at a CSAR meetin' with Dr. Well, blow me down! Begad! Gregorek in June 2012. Avast! I only had t' attach t' nose cone and streamers after painting. Aye aye! I also had t' glue t' aft engine block into t' booster after checkin' where t' engines stopped in t' substainer and booster (see t' instructions). Ahoy! T' shock cord uses a slit-tube attachment method due t' t' needed room for t' dual streamer arrangement.
Finishing
I missed this comment in t' instructions until after t' model was painted: Don't paint t' last inch o' t' body tube where thepass-port coupler covers it.
I had t' sand t' inside o' t' holed coupler after t' first flight t' remove paint on t' lower end o' t' upper body tube. Begad! Arrr! I was able t' use t' approximately 35 year-old decals with only minor tears in them. Blimey! This is unusual. Most decals shred when they're that old. But, I took t' chance :-). Blimey! I reccommend cuttin' t' actual stillettos into three pieces even if you buy new repros. As three wrap-around knives together are just beggin' t' tear :-(.
I painted t' booster Krylon Banner Red and t' substainer Gloss Black. Aye aye! I left t' nose cone unpainted as it almost matches t' Banner Red booster. Ahoy! Begad! White decals show up well on these two colors. Begad! I finished with Model Masters Gloss lacquer.
Flight
I made t' first flight with two old Estes engines; a 1977 (G in engine code) A8-0 and a 1983 (L in engine code) 1/2 A6-4 in upper stage. They'd been in me flight box(es) for several years. Blimey! Blimey! T' flight seemed t' be perfect. Blimey! Blimey! And after staging, t' ejection charge on t' 1/2 A popped it near apogee. Avast! Blimey! After retreivin' it from Darree Fields Dublin Park soccer fields I saw that thar were three tears at t' front end o' t' body tube apparently from either pressure-stress at ejection or snap back from t' nose cone. I suspect t' former as t' slight tears (1/4 inch) in t' ST-7 are too uniform for t' snap-back damage I've seen over t' years. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I had t' upper-stage engine taped in pretty tightly.
Recovery
Centuri has you cut t' 1-inch crepe-paper streamer material into two 30-inch pieces. Avast! Aye aye! They worked well on t' first flight. Arrr! Begad! T' model is light and came down slowly. Ya scallywag! You might try 1-inch orange surveyor's plastic material instead o' t' crepe-paper supplied with t' kit. Ya scallywag! It might last longer as t' paper tears easily.
Summary
Great beginner's two stage kit. With pass-port system it eliminates tapin' engines together and increases your chance o' successful staging. Avast! Blimey! Would nay reccommend usin' C motors in this kit. Begad! Blimey! You are likely t' lose it even if you are an experienced flier. Begad! It went t' 300 feet on A8-0 & 1/2 A 6-4.
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