| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2013-06-28 |
| Diameter: | 0.98 inches |
| Length: | 22.00 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 1 |
| Style: | Sport |
Brief
T' Estes Ricochet is a low power rocket kit. Aye aye! Although light, matey, at 22 inches high it seems "bigger". Avast, me proud beauty! It uses 18mm A,B and C motors. Well, blow me down! I like the military-missile style o' this rocket. Arrr! I enjoyed buildin' this kit and I enjoy flyin' it because it flies well. Blimey! Since it is relatively light, ya bilge rat, me bucko, shiver me timbers, it flies t' very high altitudes with t' larger motors. It also has a large, arrr, narrow upper section you can use as a payload if you desire. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This was only t' second rocket kit from Estes I built since bein' born again into rockets, me bucko, so I pretty much followed t' instructions t' t' letter. Blimey! Now with more experience I do a lot more customization t' me kits, me bucko, but t' Ricochet doesn't really need many improvements.
Components
I can usually count on Estes t' supply high quality parts, me bucko, and they did with just a few exceptions. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Typically, me hearties, arrr, Estes shock cord and its mountin' method leaves much t' be desired. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It was way too short and after some flights returnin' with significant cosmetic damage, I added about 2X more length t' t' stock rubber length o' t' shock cord.
T' parachute be a nice, thick white plastic with no printing, only a note explainin' how they temporaraly could nay print them due t' recent government regulations. Blimey! Begad! That didn't bother me, arrr, shiver me timbers, I was pleased that t' material be thicker and a bit sturdy. Ahoy! After a dozen flights I am still usin' t' original plastic parachute, although I cut a spill hole in it and replaced t' shroud lines with longer lengths tied to a swivel clip. Ya scallywag! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' decals were excellent, matey, sturdy and they covered well. Ahoy! Blimey! Estes thoughtfully included a small decal listin' t' engines to be used on t' rocket. Avast! That's a smart idea when years from now I may nay remember which ones t' use. Arrr! This detail should be required on all kits! I liked that they had decals for all four fin surfaces, lately it seems Estes has been skimpin' on this and only supplyin' just enough decals t' cover one side as shown on t' package.
T' body tubes were very good, me bucko, and I finished me model without any spirals showin' at all, matey, even though I didn't bother t' fill them. T' balsa parts were pretty good quality, ya bilge rat, t' fins and nosecone were fine. T' reducer section be a little bit off though, me hearties, thar was a flat spot - a depression on t' outside o' one side that couldn't be sanded away. Begad! Ahoy! It still shows today, and I have since learned t' fill in these depressions with wood filler.
Construction
I followed t' instructions and didn't have any problem at all with them. T' fins are attached in a unique manner, both sets o' fins attach t' a small square wood strip runnin' up t' side o' t' tube t' about six inches. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I did however, make a bonehead mistake that is only cosmetic. Begad! I attached one o' those strips aligned with t' exact end o' t' body tube, me hearties, nay accountin' for it bein' a bit shorter from bein' sanded too short. Ahoy! Avast! As a result one set o' fins is about 1/8" further aft than t' other three sets, matey, so it sits a little funny on a table. At least that won't affect t' flyin' characteristics. Avast, me proud beauty! As long as t' fins are aligned exactly nose-to-tail it will nay create induced drag and waste energy by spinning.
Finishing
I liked t' paint scheme suggested and painted me rocket t' same, me bucko, t' only exception was that I used a Testor's metalic blue for t' top instead o' "regular" blue, shiver me timbers, and I am glad I did, arrr, me hearties, it looks really, shiver me timbers, really nice that way! Blimey! Paintin' all t' fins a different color than t' body was a bit difficult because o' havin' t' mask off all t' white areas o' t' body tube, arrr, but it was just another step where one has to take time t' get it right, me bucko, me bucko, and t' results were worth it. T' finished black/white and metalic blue looked so nice I enhanced it a bit by paintin' silver rings around t' top ends o' t' body tube for a little accent.
T' upper colors o' blue and black were easy t' paint because t' nosecone and t' upper tube can be seperated and painted seperately. Blimey! T' do that, you must ignore Estes instructions t' glue t' upper body tube t' t' balsa parts. Ahoy! It is just as easy t' glue them on after t' paintin' is finished. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! In me case, shiver me timbers, I just treated it as a payload section and friction-fit t' parts together with maskin' tape on t' balsa shoulders. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! I use t' top section t' carry a small altimeter. Avast, me proud beauty! Gluin' it together seems like such a waste o' space t' me.
If I had t' do it all over again, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I would sand and seal t' balsa fins before attachin' them t' t' tube just t' make t' process a bit easier.
Construction Score: 4
Flight
I did a string-stability test on this model. T' get it t' pass with a C6 motor, me hearties, me hearties, I added 6 grams (about 2/10 oz.) o' noseweight screwed t' the base o' t' nosecone. Aye aye! I believe that helps this model balance a bit better and fly straight, me hearties, while reducin' t' peak altitudes just slightly under 1000 feet.
This model flies well. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! With t' low-powered A8-3 motor, apogee averages just over 100 feet, reachin' a speed o' just under 50mph. Flights last about 12 seconds. Arrr! Ahoy! With t' more powerful B6-4 (in me opinion t' best overall motor for this rocket), ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I get about 80-90 mph and an apogee o' 250-350 feet, arrr, arrr, arrr, with flights lastin' about 30 seconds. T' 4 second delay is about perfect for t' B motor. If you want maximum performance, t' C6-5 or C6-7 works well, givin' me about 700-800 feet and speeds o' about 130-150 mph. Arrr! Flights lasted a bit over a full minute with t' C motors.
Descendin' at about 7 mph, I believe t' parachute is too large for C flights, me bucko, so I recommend a smaller one (10") or cuttin' a 1.5" spill hole in t' chute. Avast! You should expect a little better speed and altitude performance without t' noseweight and altimeter weight I used. Begad! Ahoy! Expect A, me hearties, B and C motors t' deliver about 200, arrr, 500 or 1100 feet, so a smaller parachute would be even more necessary if you want t' model back.
Most enjoyable for me, this rocket is light enough that it accelerates smartly and has never wind-cocked very much. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It always flies straight up. Ahoy! Blimey! It is just large enough t' see 1000 feet up.
Recovery
T' parachute is about right for this model when flyin' on A or B motors, me bucko, me bucko, arrr, though I did add a small 1" spill hole t' help it get back from those far-reachin' C6 flights. I am fine with usin' t' stock parachute with A and B motors, me bucko, but I would recommend a smaller chute or spill hole for t' C-powered flights. Begad! Blimey! T' wide body tube helps t' simplify t' packin' o' t' parachute and makes it less likely t' be stuck inside upon recovery.
What is most definately NOT right be t' shock cord length. Aye aye! T' upper section snaps back and sometimes takes a nasty bite out o' a fin leadin' edge. I had me somewhat heavy upper section snap back on one flight and rip off one o' t' smaller forward fins. Fortunately it hung on with a single fiber o' balsa and returned with t' rocket. Avast! Since then I have lengthened t' shock cord by about 2X its original length. Avast! I recommend doin' that with either rubber, arrr, elastic cord or Keelhaul®©™. While you are at it make a better mount for t' shock cord usin' a Keelhaul®©™ loop. Avast, me proud beauty! You can just fray t' ends real wide and glue that onto t' body tube.
Flight Rating: 4
Summary
T' Ricochet is a great flier, shiver me timbers, fillin' a good niche betwixt smaller and larger low-power rockets. Expect it t' fly well in winds too. Begad! Blimey! It goes up well, matey, but you should address t' return with t' dimensions o' t' shock cord and parachute.
As a low-power sport model this is a good choice. Ahoy! It can also be pressed into service liftin' small payloads. Construction is about as easy as any 4FNC model out there. Avast! T' additional length makes it feel like a bigger rocket than it is.
Overall Rating: 4
Other Reviews
- Estes Richocet By John R. Brandon III (July 6, 2009)
A new pseudo-scale military single-stage rocket with SAM appeal. This one was sold at my local Wal-Mart store in a cardboard box. Parts included were a motor mount tube, an engine hook, a long adapter ring, an engine block, a main body tube, an upper body tube, a balsa transition, a balsa nose cone, a sheet of laser-cut balsa fins, four hardwood strips, a launch lug, a screw eye, a 24" ...
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