Thrustline Aerospace Hank

Thrustline Aerospace - Hank {Kit}

Contributed by Jason Toft

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: Thrustline Aerospace
Thrustline Aerospace Hank

Brief:
A short and fun two motor cluster rocket with 6 fins with a cool military-esque style.

Construction:
THe kit contains:

  • BT-60 Elliptical nose cone
  • BT-60 tube (10.75")
  • Balsa fin stock
  • 2 BT-20 motor tubes
  • Thrust rings
  • Light ply centerin' rings
  • Launch lug
  • Shock cord
  • BB's for nose weight

This rocket is quite simple t' construct and uses many o' t' features that we rocketeers consider t' be t' best way t' do it. For example, t' centering rings are laser cut light ply, ya bilge rat, t' shock cord mount is 'Quest' style, and everythin' is high quality. Blimey! In me kit, matey, I used wood glue and CyA for all construction. Begad! It is amazingly simple t' build. Avast! Basically, all you do is glue the motor tubes together along with t' thrust rings, me bucko, attach t' Keelhaul®©™® shock anchor by drillin' a hole through t' top centerin' rings, me bucko, cut and fill the fins, arrr, arrr, attach them, add nose weight, launch lug, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and parachute, me bucko, shiver me timbers, paint, arrr, and fly! Blimey! Plenty o' everythin' is supplied in this kit, and you have enough left over t' build another, arrr, albeit smaller, rocket with t' excess.

Thrustline Aerospace Hank The centerin' rings are laser cut 1/8" thick light ply. Ahoy! Arrr! They are strong and durable; in me opinion, it is borderline overkill. Aye aye! Aye aye! You could easily go with fiberboard with this motor configuration and have no troubles. Begad!

T' fins are 1/8" balsa that you have t' cut out from a pattern. This is easy t' do and if this is one o' t' qualifications t' make this a "builder's kit", it definitely passes. Begad! I personally enjoy cuttin' out fins for kits, as it provides me with a sense o' accomplishment.

With this kit, arrr, ya bilge rat, you may get a plastic nose cone or a balsa nose. Begad! Arrr! I got a plastic nose and I think I prefer it over t' balsa cone. T' instruction have you drillin' several holes into t' balsa cone and coverin' it with epoxy, me hearties, yet with t' plastic cone, just drop t' weight in, secure it with t' epoxy, and go! Easy enough.

Finishing:
I finished this rocket with yellow glue fillets, then use Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish (and sand and sand and sand if you know what I mean) t' create some very nice fillets. Aye aye! Begad! I trimmed t' ends o' t' launch lug at an angle t' make it look better.

Thrustline Aerospace Hank I then used a coat o' Krylon Gray primer t' find spots, fillin' t' most noticeable ones, shiver me timbers, and then covered it with a coat o' white gloss as a basecoat. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' entire model was painted black, then masked off t' fins and painted them glossy purple, shiver me timbers, however, because o' t' black basecoat, they turned out t' be a flatter purple. Remind me nay t' do that again!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight, I used a pair o' A8-3's and t' supplied 12" nylon chute. You could easily describe this as a lob flight. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' burn on t' two A8's is so short that it just barely cleared 75 feet before they burned out. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down! Apogee was at about 150-175 feet, arrr, and then it landed about 40 feet from t' pad. Great, shiver me timbers, smooth flight but it needed more power.

For t' next flight, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I used 2 B6-4s. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! This time I used a red Rockethead mylar chute and t' flight was much more satisfying. Very quick off t' pad with an apogee o' around 500 feet and it landed about 70 yards from t' pad. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty!

Thrustline Aerospace Hank In my opinion, me bucko, ya bilge rat, B6-4s are t' best choice for this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! I have yet t' try it on C6-5s, but I think it will be just peachy...and very, me hearties, matey, very fast!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I feel that this is a great little rocket and it makes for a great park flyer on A8s and B6s. Begad! As a Skill Level 2 kit, me hearties, shiver me timbers, it makes for a good weekend build and is challengin' enough t' be fun. Begad! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Thrustline has a great thin' goin' with their new line o' kits and I recommend you get this one. It'll be great fun!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flights

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