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

Construction:
T' component specs are as follows:

Finished length... Begad! 31.125"

Body Tube (BT) L=15" dia. Well, arrr, blow me down! ex. Blimey! Aye aye! 1.12", matey, shiver me timbers, int. .990" material= phenolic Payload Bay (PB) L=8" Dia. Aye aye! ext. Blimey! 2.05", ya bilge rat, int. Blimey! Begad! 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. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! NCs) Dia= ext. Arrr! Well, blow me down! .945", int. Avast! .8" (20.5mm) Motor Mount (MMT) Material= rough cardboard L= 8" Dia= ext. .992", int. Begad! 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. Blimey! 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. 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), Transition and Payload Bay (PB).

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

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

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

T' second flight was trickier. For this one, I took two Estes C-0 boosters and filled t' tops with epoxy. Begad! Then I wrapped them in maskin' tape until they fit tightly in t' booster tubes. For t' sustainer, me hearties, I used another E15-4. Begad! Ignition was facilitated usin' a Vaughn Brothers QuadCon controller. 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. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! As it lit, I opened t' second switch t' t' two C's and they lit too. Ya scallywag! T' rocket moved off t' pad smartly and flew t' just over 1500'. Aye aye! T' C's burned out just after t' E motor. Recovery was as before. Ya scallywag! (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. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! In t' end, shiver me timbers, t' altitude gain was minimal and hardly worth t' risk and trouble. Ya scallywag! My advice is t' forget it.

T' largest motor I have used t' date is an F72-10. This produced an altitude o' 2800'. Arrr! Ahoy! 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. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Do nay prep this rocket until moments before flight. Blimey! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! Also, I wouldn't leave t' 'chute stored in t' packed position. It most definitely will take a set. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' Nomex chute protector is an iffy thing. Begad! Blimey! On t' surface it seems ideal. However, shiver me timbers, in practice it takes up a lot o' space, matey, ya bilge rat, sometimes hangs up causin' ballistic recoveries and it doesn't always stop t' 'chute from gettin' pin holes. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I recommend usin' cellulose insulation. Begad! Blimey! It is lighter, me bucko, packs easier and will nay hang up. Avast! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Repeated launchings (20 t' date) reveal very little wear and tear on t' components. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! 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. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' parts are sturdy, me hearties, well made and correctly dimensioned. Begad! Blimey! T' design is very good. Avast! It is practical, esthetically pleasin' and flexible. Begad! T' generous payload section coupled with a powerful selection o' motors should make this an excellent egg lofter or experimental platform. Begad! My one big criticism is in t' area o' t' launch lugs. Begad! They included two sets in me kit; 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. Blimey! Begad! T' 1/8 are too small. Ya scallywag! This rocket is heavy and long and needs more stability that can be achieved usin' a 1/8 inch rod. Ya scallywag! T' 3/16" lugs are t' large in diameter. For some reason, me hearties, RV uses and especially thick polyvinyl tubin' for its lugs. In t' small diameter it is ok. Blimey! But in t' larger 3/16 diameter, it is so large that it looks obviously out o' scale on t' Chariot. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I recommend nay usin' t' lugs and either usin' Estes lugs or better yet, usin' rail buttons and a rail.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5