Quest DC-Y Space Clipper

Quest - DC-Y Space Clipper {Kit} (3004)

Contributed by Matt Gillard

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 4.00 inches
Length: 13.50 inches
Manufacturer: Quest
Skill Level: 3
Style: Futuristic/Exotic

Quest DCY Space ClipperBrief:
An OOP rocket o' t' Space Clipper from Quest. Begad! A scale rocket, it has no fins and is a liftin' body. Begad! Stability is achieved by placin' a ton o' mass up in t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Recovers via two parachutes.

Construction:
Parts list:

  • Motor clip
  • Blue thrust ring
  • Yellow motor mount tube
  • 2 Centerin' rings
  • Black die cut parts sheet
  • 8.5-inch black body tube
  • black plastic nose cone
  • 8.5-inch black launch lug
  • Black landin' gear tube 4
  • Clay block
  • 8 inch double faced tape strip
  • Printed aeroshroud sheet
  • 2 Strips o' 6 gripper tabs
  • 2 12-inch parachutes
  • 18-inch elastic shock cord
  • 18-inch Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
  • 2 3/16-inch shroud lines
  • Decal sheet
  • Instruction sheet
  • Scale data sheet

Tools needed:

  • White glue
  • Sandpaper
  • Pencil
  • Hobby knife
  • Maskin' tape

T' Space Clipper has sat at t' bottom o' a build pile for years. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! I got it in part o' a hobby shop clearance, arrr, arrr, and t' bag was torn and tatty. Aye aye! When I opened t' bag I discovered that two pieces were missing: a black landin' gear tube and one o' t' circular disks from t' die cut parts sheet. Aye aye! Neither were a big problem. Arrr! T' landin' gear tube be remade from piece o' dowel and sprayed black.

T' motor mount builds in t' normal Quest fashion and uses t' Keelhaul®©™® and elastic shock cord system. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I swapped out t' tubular elastic shock cord for a much longer length o' elastic cord--this be because I intend t' have t' clipper recover under one parachute and nay in t' intended two separate halves.

T' rest o' t' build is non-standard.

T' bottom plate o' t' clipper is glued t' t' body tube. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! This proved t' be more difficult than I thought, as t' sheet had a curve t' it that prevented it from layin' flat. Arrr! Begad! This curve was removed by ironin' it out.

Next, me hearties, t' four frame struts are added. Begad! These pieces are made from very thin card, and I would have liked t' see them made out o' a more rigid material.

Paper tubes that act as t' landin' gear are then glued into t' framework. Arrr! With advice from folks on TRF, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I changed these tube t' dowel t' improve strength. Avast! Then four cross struts are added t' give t' frame some strength. Aye aye! Avast! Feet are then glued t' t' landin' gear tubes. Begad! These feet are made from cut outs o' t' frame.

T' paper shroud is than added over t' frame work. This was easier than I thought it might have been.

Finishing:
Decals are provided, me hearties, but I left them off.

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Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Quest DCY Space Clipper

Flight:
Given t' mass o' t' rocket, me bucko, I stuck t' C motors with a short delay (3 seconds).

There is plenty o' room in t' BT for a 18-inch chute. Arrr! I used some Nomex® cloth and normal Estes type wadding.

T' boost is straight and gets t' a decent altitude. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! My ejection be more like a 2 second delay and she deployed near apogee.

With an 18-inch chute she recovered fine, although she did snap a leg on landing, matey, matey, which was an easy repair.

T' second flight gave another straight boost and she recovered without damage.

Third flight gave a slight arc into t' wind. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Ejection be after apogee and she recovered hard, me bucko, snappin' another--and different--leg. Begad! Another easy repair.

Quest DCY Space Clipper

Recovery:
I would nay like t' fly her on two separate chutes, especially t' quest type.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Quest DC-Y Space Clipper By Hans "Chris" Michielssen (June 13, 2009)

    I won this on eBay for $10.00. This is the entire, unopened Quest starter kit with launcher, launch controller, kit and 3 C6-3 engines. It was packaged in the mid-1990s. I didn't expect the engines to be included, but they were sent. I'd always liked the simplicity of the Quest PVC Tripod launcher. The older hand-held controller was very comfortable and ergonomic. I might use this for my ...

  • Quest DC-Y Space Clipper By Jim Moncher

    Brief Paper shroud construction and dual chute recovery. Construction This was the first Quest kit I have built and was pleased with almost all aspects. The kit came in the common bag; no parts were missing or broken. This kit is a finless, Skill Level 3 features paper shroud construction and dual 12-inch parachute recovery. More on the 'chutes later. The instructions were easy to follow ...

Flights

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