Brief:
T' Chariot is a single stage, matey, me hearties, shiver me timbers, payload rocket. It is one o' Rocket Vision's line o' Rugged Rockets and is specifically designed for mid-range power (E-G). Avast! T' body tube and payload tubes are o' heavy duty phenolic. Begad! T' nose cones (there are faux strap-on boosters) and transition are poly-vinyl. Well, blow me down! T' BP section 8 inches long and has an interior dia. Well, blow me down! Avast! o' 1.86", arrr, plenty o' room for eggs, altimeters, cameras . . Blimey! . Begad! Aye aye! whatever.

Construction:
T' component specs are as follows:

Finished length... 31.125"

Body Tube (BT) L=15" dia. Avast, me proud beauty! ex. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! 1.12", int. .990" material= phenolic Payload Bay (PB) L=8" Dia. Arrr! Blimey! ext. Begad! Blimey! 2.05", me hearties, int. Begad! Blimey! 1.86" Material= phenolic Fins (4) Material= G10 Thickness= .054" Root= 3.25" Span= 3" Tip= 1.5" Sweep Length= 3.350

Faux Boosters Material= phenolic L= 6.75" (incld. Well, blow me down! NCs) Dia= ext. Begad! .945", int. .8" (20.5mm) Motor Mount (MMT) Material= rough cardboard L= 8" Dia= ext. Begad! .992", ya bilge rat, int. Begad! .945" (24mm) Shock Cord Material= 1/8" braided Keelhaul®©™ L=40" 'Chute Material= DayGlo Orange ripstop plasticized paper Dia.= 18" at grommet points Shroud Lines= 6, 200lb. Ahoy! Keelhaul®©™ [all connections t' t' 'chute are double thickness and have brass grommets] 'Chute Protector= 9.5"X4" black Nomex with a grommet connection t' t' shock cord

T' three nose cones (one main and two for t' boosters) are made o' white polyvinyl material and are very thick. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' rocket divides at t' base o' t' transition formin' a section consistin' o' t' fins and Body Tube (BT) and another section consistin' o' t' Nose Cone (NC), shiver me timbers, matey, Transition and Payload Bay (PB).

T' construction is very simple. Arrr! Begad! T' instructions are clear and concise. If greater detail is needed, matey, t' online instructions are ideal. Arrr! Here you can get t' step by step color photos that are lackin' from t' packaged instructions. This rocket requires t' use o' epoxy exclusively. Ahoy! Arrr! No other glue will work. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' reader is advised t' use a long cure epoxy for t' best joints. Ahoy! Begad! I used SIG's two part epoxy that is mixed 2/1. It sets in about an hour and cures in 24 hrs. Begad! T' only exception t' t' SIG epoxy was in t' area o' t' Motor Mount (MMT). Well, blow me down! Here, I used 5min epoxy. Blimey! T' stress here is longitudinal and I see no reason for super strength here. Other than that, I think I'd make one change. Avast, me proud beauty! I would build a bulk head about three inches into t' base o' t' PB. Aye aye! Then I would NOT glue t' PB t' t' transition. Instead I would glue t' transition t' t' BT and use t' transition and t' three inch chamber in t' bottom o' t' BP for packin' t' recovery system. This would allow easier 'chute packing, more certain deployment and a larger 'chute for heavy payloads.

Finishing:
I left this rocket in t' raw. Aye aye! Begad! However, arrr, based on me experience with other Rocket Vision kits, sandin' would be minimal and t' finish should go on quite well. Aye aye! Aye aye! I can see only one area o' concern. Arrr! Ya scallywag! At t' base, shiver me timbers, matey, where t' false boosters join t' BT, it is goin' t' be tough t' get paint in thar usin' a rattle can. Well, blow me down! Avast! Even worse, shiver me timbers, matey, on t' booster that has t' bottom rod guide attached, thar be even less space betwixt t' booster and t' BT. Well, blow me down! Here, you are either goin' t' have t' use a brush or a airbrush.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
It uses several motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Blimey! T' first flight was with t' recommended E15-4. Lift-off was smooth and t' rocket reached 1200' as measured by two theodolites on 1,000' baselines. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! Recovery was without a hitch about 400 yards from t' pad in light wind. Avast, me proud beauty! I think a larger 'chute will be necessary if any payload is included.

T' second flight was trickier. Aye aye! For this one, I took two Estes C-0 boosters and filled t' tops with epoxy. Arrr! Then I wrapped them in maskin' tape until they fit tightly in t' booster tubes. Begad! For t' sustainer, I used another E15-4. Ignition be facilitated usin' a Vaughn Brothers QuadCon controller. Begad! I wired t' E15 t' one switch and t' C-0's t' another. I opened t' switch t' t' E-15 and pushed t' fire button. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! As it lit, shiver me timbers, arrr, I opened t' second switch t' t' two C's and they lit too. Well, blow me down! T' rocket moved off t' pad smartly and flew t' just over 1500'. Begad! T' C's burned out just after t' E motor. Aye aye! Recovery be as before. Blimey! (Please note that this technique is nay indorsed by Rocket Vision and would nay be allowed at an NARRRRR event.) Modifyin' t' C6-0's alone would cause most RSOs t' DQ you. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! In t' end, t' altitude gain was minimal and hardly worth t' risk and trouble. Avast, me proud beauty! My advice is t' forget it.

T' largest motor I have used t' date is an F72-10. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! This produced an altitude o' 2800'. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! I'd like t' try a G55 but I doubt that I would be able t' see it at t' projected altitude o' 4,300' so I'll hold off on that one.

Recovery:
T' 'chute is a very stiff material that gets stiffer in cold weather. Do nay prep this rocket until moments before flight. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Also, arrr, I wouldn't leave t' 'chute stored in t' packed position. It most definitely will take a set. Avast! T' Nomex chute protector is an iffy thing. Avast! Aye aye! On t' surface it seems ideal. However, in practice it takes up a lot o' space, sometimes hangs up causin' ballistic recoveries and it doesn't always stop t' 'chute from gettin' pin holes. I recommend usin' cellulose insulation. Avast, me proud beauty! It is lighter, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, packs easier and will nay hang up. Blimey! Aye aye! Repeated launchings (20 t' date) reveal very little wear and tear on t' components. I've had t' re-tie t' knots in t' Keelhaul®©™ a few times but that is because I refuse t' set them with glue.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is another excellent product from Rocket Vision. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! T' parts are sturdy, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, well made and correctly dimensioned. T' design is very good. Begad! It is practical, esthetically pleasin' and flexible. T' generous payload section coupled with a powerful selection o' motors should make this an excellent egg lofter or experimental platform. My one big criticism is in t' area o' t' launch lugs. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! They included two sets in me kit; 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. Arrr! T' 1/8 are too small. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Blimey! This rocket is heavy and long and needs more stability that can be achieved usin' a 1/8 inch rod. Avast! Blimey! T' 3/16" lugs are t' large in diameter. Blimey! For some reason, RV uses and especially thick polyvinyl tubin' for its lugs. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! In t' small diameter it is ok. But in t' larger 3/16 diameter, ya bilge rat, it is so large that it looks obviously out o' scale on t' Chariot. Blimey! Blimey! I recommend nay usin' t' lugs and either usin' Estes lugs or better yet, matey, usin' rail buttons and a rail.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5