(10/01/04) U.S. Begad! Well, blow me down! Rockets states that t' "Fire & Forget be t' reference model rocket for U.S. Rockets. Ahoy! Blimey! It is a near minimal diameter rocket in 24mm mode and a minimal diameter rocket in 29mm mode. Avast! Blimey! T' maximum 29mm motor length is 9" (H120-12). Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Aerospace specification airframe tubin' is used t' assure high performance and high strength."

What caught me attention was "reference model". Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! This is interesting, matey, because used in this fashion it would indicate that t' Fire & Forget would "furnish as a reference" or "provide proof o' a person's [or thing's] character, abilities, me bucko, etc." or "somethin' for which a name or designation stands" accordin' t' Random House. Blimey! So, ya bilge rat, this would mean t' me, me hearties, that t' Fire & Forget would typify what one could expect from U.S. Blimey! Aye aye! Rockets' other kits.

T' Fire & Forget is me first U.S. Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Rockets kit. It is considered a Level 1 kit by U.S. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Rockets.

T' kit includes two 12" body tubes and a 3.5" balsa nose cone t' make up t' 27.5" total length. Begad! Begad! There is a 2" coupler t' join t' two body tubes, shiver me timbers, matey, a 1/4"-wide elastic shockcord, matey, matey, and a 3"x36" plastic streamer. Blimey! Also included were three pre-cut 1/16" plywood fins, a single 1/4" launch lug, matey, and a decal sheet. Begad! Ya scallywag! Lastly, ya bilge rat, thar as a 24mm adapter (Interchangeable™ mount).

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on a single page (both sides) o' 8½ x 11" paper (orange, if that matters). Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! There are a number o' diagrams t' assist in buildin' t' kit. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! A tube markin' guide is in t' instructions. Well, blow me down! Blimey! There are some optional construction ideas as well.

T' Fire & Forget is simply a three-fin-nose-cone (3FNC) rocket and is very easy t' assemble. I will highlight a few points o' t' construction o' it:

First, it should be noted that t' 29mm tubes are thicker than what you would get from an Estes-like kit. This makes for a strong, rigid rocket, ya bilge rat, which if t' flier were t' use up t' t' "H" motor, would need.

T' tube markin' guide be t' kind that t' body tube is placed on (flat surface) and then mark with hash marks. Arrr! These lines are extended usin' t' "door frame" method. Aye aye! This is just a good as a wrap-around type o' fin markin' guide t' me, me bucko, when you are dealin' with simple three or four fin rockets.

T' three pre-cut plywood fins are definitely nay laser-cut. Aye aye! In fact, they were quite ragged. Begad! It will make t' builder question t' quality. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! After they are airfoiled, me bucko, arrr, thar be some improvement, me hearties, so fillin' is necessary when finishin' t' rocket. Blimey! I "filled" them usin' wood glue t' start with, matey, ya bilge rat, then relied on primer for t' rest.

After t' fins were attached, I made good fin fillets with 5-Minute epoxy.

T' 1/4" elastic is glued into t' bottom body tube o' t' rocket. Arrr! Ahoy! T' other end is glued into t' upper body tube. Blimey! T' coupler is then glued into t' bottom body tube. Aye aye! It really quite loose, matey, but if t' elastic is sandwiched betwixt t' body tube and coupler it is snug. T' instructions suggest usin' tape t' make it a snug fit into t' upper body tube (this makes t' ejection point mid-rocket). Begad! T' streamer is taped t' elastic shock cord.

T' instructions say t' friction fit t' nose cone, but I chose t' glue me nose cone in place.

T' ¼" launch lug is cut "in half with scissors". Ya scallywag! Blimey! I did this at a 45 degree angle and glued in place.

T' 24mm adapter is made. Arrr! It is a nice addition t' t' kit. Begad! There are also instructions for makin' an 18mm adapter.

Some o' t' optional ideas include: 1) havin' nose cone ejection verses middle ejection (which after flyin' this rocket, I would recommend), ya bilge rat, arrr, and 2) permanent 24mm mount with through-the-wall fins.

U.S. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Rockets does give finishin' guidance includin' usin' sandin' sealer on t' wood parts, shiver me timbers, sanding, and repeatin' until smooth. Ahoy! Blimey! They suggest paintin' t' rocket gloss white with a single black fin.

I used me typical multiple coats o' Plastic-Kote Primer and sandin' in-between. Begad! Ya scallywag! I then used Walmart Flat White paint (additional comments about Walmart paint). Blimey! After waitin' 1 week, me bucko, I then painted t' rocket with Krylon Fluorescent Orange. Avast! Lastly I added t' peel-n-stick decals.

Overall, arrr, me bucko, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. Begad! T' instructions are adequate and do provide some nice alternate build ideas. Aye aye! Avast! Although, me hearties, nay a significant build impact, me bucko, me hearties, t' ragged edges on t' plywood fins was disappointing. Avast, me proud beauty! Was pleased t' have a 24mm adaptor provided and t' peel-n-stick decals added t' t' finish.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

T' list o' motors that U.S. Avast, me proud beauty! Rockets recommends is impressive. Ya scallywag! Avast! It ranges from 24mm D12's t' 29mm H120's. Begad! Ahoy! T' provided altitudes were from 66 feet (usin' an A8-3 (not in recommended motors since it is an 18mm motor) t' 7109 feet on a H60.

U.S. Avast, me proud beauty! Rockets gives a bunch o' stats on t' rocket, arrr, but I personally think t' most important is where t' CP is supposed t' be: 22.5" from t' nose cone. Why important? With t' range o' motors that can be used in this rocket, me hearties, ya bilge rat, one may need t' add nose weight t' maintain t' U.S. Blimey! Rockets' desired stability o' 1.5 calibers (CG at 20.65").

U.S. Rockets does nay provide a thrust rin' nor motor retention since they don't want t' limit any motor selection. Begad! Blimey! They give instruction on usin' fiction-fit and tape-wrap retention.

I do plan on usin' t' rocket for it "to experience its namesake" usin' a G25 or G125, but first I decided t' fly it on a C11-5.

I stuffed in four sheets o' Estes wadding, friction-fit t' C11-5 into t' 24mm adapter then friction-fit t' adapter into t' rocket.

T' flight was straight as an arrow flight and it was fairly high (RockSIM says around 650 feet). Blimey! Even at this relatively low altitude, compared t' what t' Fire & Forget could do, matey, me hearties, it was hard t' track because it is a smaller rocket. Well, blow me down! T' streamer ejected right at apogee and t' rocket descended fast and hard. Ya scallywag! I spent about 10 minutes lookin' for it in t' tall grass, arrr, but found it.

Upon inspection thar was damage t' t' coupler and upper tube. Aye aye! Begad! At first I thought this was due t' t' speed that it descended, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but later determined that it be definitely an Estes-dent (U.S. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Rockets dent?) caused by t' shortness o' t' elastic shock cord. Ahoy! Blimey! I will bend this damage outward and go again.

T' next flight was long-in-coming, ya bilge rat, arrr, but I was able t' load it up with a AT G25-10. Avast, me proud beauty! I be very excited, because this would soon become me highest flyin' rocket... Ahoy! Ahoy! t' just under 1 mile.

Everythin' was ready and t' count down began. Ya scallywag! When t' button was pushed, ya bilge rat, t' ignitor popped, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' motor chuffed, chuffed, matey, ya bilge rat, 3...2...1, me hearties, varoom! It only went t' about 50 feet and did a loop. Went up another 50 feet and did a loop and a loop and another. Begad! Then, when thrust stopped in pointed down and fell t' t' ground. After a couple o' seconds it ejected.

A young man that was visitin' t' rocket launch for t' first time be lookin' for it with me. We found it. Damage report: Melted paint around t' motor, one broken fin, shiver me timbers, and one very melted streamer. Begad!

After lookin' it over, I handed it t' this young man and told him he could have it. Arrr! Interestingly, after about an hour, shiver me timbers, he came back t' me and showed me that he had glued (CA'd) t' fin back on and installed a parachute. Well, blow me down! Begad! Remember, he had never flown rockets before. Aye aye! He got his supplies from another club member.

Well, I was impressed, but I didn't have another 29mm motor t' let he use. Avast, me proud beauty! So, ya bilge rat, instead, I took an Estes E9-6 and wrapped it with enough maskin' tap t' adapt it t' t' 29mm mount. I installed an ignitor and handed it t' him. Aye aye! He took it and presented it for launchin' and within 10 minutes, he had launched his first rocket!

T' flight? Excellent, straight, me bucko, stable and very high! With t' parachute it drifted quite a bit, but he recovered it. Avast! I'm amazed.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, ya bilge rat, I would rate this rocket 4 points. T' rocket, me bucko, as built is very stable and versatile. Blimey! T' variety o' motors makes it impressive. T' short elastic shock cord caused damage on just t' first test flight, matey, but perhaps if you are goin' t' fly it in "Fire & Forget" mode, you don't care. Ahoy! Arrr! I would recommend buildin' it, arrr, as optionally described, with nose cone ejection (but you will need t' add an eye-screw). Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' friction-fit and tape-wrap retention doesn't concern me for this type o' rocket, arrr, but if it is nay goin' t' be "Fire & Forget", shiver me timbers, I like hooks and thrust rings.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 3 ½ points. Ahoy! T' rocket can be assembled in about 1 hour. Ya scallywag! It can be flown in small fields or pushed t' fly over a mile high. Blimey! T' thick body tubes give it a steadiness that if nay lost would make t' body hold up t' a lot o' abuse. Begad! Nay thrilled with t' elastic shock cord system, nor t' "look" o' t' pre-cut fins. Aye aye! All-in-all, I'm glad I built it.