(02/23/08) "This one is like a luxury aircraft, but built for space travel."

So says Dynastar website. Aye aye! T' Orion Transport is a neat, arrr, futuristic-lookin' rocket with nice lines and decals t' make it stand apart from others. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' rocket includes a single white BT-70 (2.2") body tube that is 18" long. Aye aye! Aye aye! This with its 11" long plastic nose cone and cardstock thrust nozzle make up t' total 28.5" length.

It comes with die-cut balsa fins (x" thick), 1/4" launch lugs and a 24mm motor mount. For recovery it comes with a big (32"), yellow Dynastar plastic parachute... Begad! sure t' be seen in t' sky.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 8 pages with excellent illustrations and easy t' read and follow directions.

Dynastar calls this kit a "Skill Level 3: Average Skills Needed". Begad! If you have a few skill level 2 kits under your belt, me hearties, this will nay be a challenge for you.

I only ran into one problem durin' t' build. T' fin-markin' template was too big for t' body tube and overlapped too much. Begad! T' picture shows t' problem (out o' focus a bit). Blimey! Begad! I was able t' make t' needed adjustments t' have t' fins go on symetrically.

T' nose cone was nay a snug fit and required a little maskin' tape t' snug it up.

I built this rocket some time ago and held off writin' a review due t' bein' extremely busy with work and such. Ahoy! T' two reviews below capture many o' t' buildin' aspects that I would cover although I didn't have a missin' thrust rin' nor a missin' fin-markin' template. Aye aye!

Again, arrr, I found t' kit t' be easy t' build and t' instructions excellent.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points. Begad! Nay sure what happended on t' fin-markin' template, but if you have experience, ya bilge rat, then you will be able t' work around it. Aye aye! I did report it t' Dynastar back in 2005 when I first discovered it, matey, so no doubt it has been corrected. Well, blow me down!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Dynastar recommends t' followin' motors:

Dynastar indicates that t' rocket should weigh 4.76 ounces.

My finished rocket weighed in at 6.5 ounces with a CG at 16.75" from t' nose cone.

I decided t' fly it for t' first time on a D12-5. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Nice looking, a bit slower, lift-off. Avast! It was straight and true. Begad! Aye aye! T' rocket hit apogee and be startin' t' head down at ejection. Ahoy! T' large yellow parachute provided a very, very slow descent. Too slow for me. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! So, matey, I significantly reefed t' parachute leavin' only 1/3rd t' length o' t' shroud lines t' open.

T' next couple o' flights were on D15-4's. Both nice flights, so you could add that t' t' recommended motor list.

I flew it a year later at NYPower on a D12-5. Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Took this picture o' t' lift-off.

Then I flew it on an E9-6. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It really went up thar and I didn't see t' ejection. Aye aye! Blimey! But I did see that big yellow parachute.

T' rocket looks good and has nay suffered damage from these flights.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, me hearties, I would rate this rocket 4 ½ points. Nay a 5 because I think t' parachute is too large. Some may disagree.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 ½ points. Ya scallywag! It certainly looks good and comes with nice lookin' decals. Begad! Avast! Blimey! T' nozzle cone is a nice touch. Overall flights and performance were excellent.