Brief:
T' Chariot is a single stage, shiver me timbers, payload rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It is one o' Rocket Vision's line o' Rugged Rockets and is specifically designed for mid-range power (E-G). T' body tube and payload tubes are o' heavy duty phenolic. T' nose cones (there are faux strap-on boosters) and transition are poly-vinyl. Ya scallywag! T' BP section 8 inches long and has an interior dia. Blimey! o' 1.86", matey, shiver me timbers, plenty o' room for eggs, shiver me timbers, altimeters, matey, matey, cameras . Aye aye! . Avast! . Aye aye! Arrr! whatever.

Construction:
T' component specs are as follows:

Finished length... Well, blow me down! 31.125"

Body Tube (BT) L=15" dia. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! ex. 1.12", arrr, int. Blimey! Blimey! .990" material= phenolic Payload Bay (PB) L=8" Dia. ext. Avast, me proud beauty! 2.05", matey, int. 1.86" Material= phenolic Fins (4) Material= G10 Thickness= .054" Root= 3.25" Span= 3" Tip= 1.5" Sweep Length= 3.350

Faux Boosters Material= phenolic L= 6.75" (incld. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! NCs) Dia= ext. Ya scallywag! .945", me hearties, int. .8" (20.5mm) Motor Mount (MMT) Material= rough cardboard L= 8" Dia= ext. Ya scallywag! Arrr! .992", arrr, matey, int. Blimey! .945" (24mm) Shock Cord Material= 1/8" braided Keelhaul®©™ L=40" 'Chute Material= DayGlo Orange ripstop plasticized paper Dia.= 18" at grommet points Shroud Lines= 6, 200lb. Keelhaul®©™ [all connections t' t' 'chute are double thickness and have brass grommets] 'Chute Protector= 9.5"X4" black Nomex with a grommet connection t' t' shock cord

T' three nose cones (one main and two for t' boosters) are made o' white polyvinyl material and are very thick. Blimey! T' rocket divides at t' base o' t' transition formin' a section consistin' o' t' fins and Body Tube (BT) and another section consistin' o' t' Nose Cone (NC), shiver me timbers, Transition and Payload Bay (PB).

T' construction is very simple. Avast! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' instructions are clear and concise. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! If greater detail is needed, me bucko, matey, t' online instructions are ideal. Here you can get t' step by step color photos that are lackin' from t' packaged instructions. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! This rocket requires t' use o' epoxy exclusively. Aye aye! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! No other glue will work. T' reader is advised t' use a long cure epoxy for t' best joints. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I used SIG's two part epoxy that is mixed 2/1. Begad! Blimey! It sets in about an hour and cures in 24 hrs. Aye aye! Blimey! T' only exception t' t' SIG epoxy was in t' area o' t' Motor Mount (MMT). Ahoy! Blimey! Here, ya bilge rat, I used 5min epoxy. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' stress here is longitudinal and I see no reason for super strength here. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Other than that, I think I'd make one change. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! I would build a bulk head about three inches into t' base o' t' PB. Blimey! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Then I would NOT glue t' PB t' t' transition. Avast! Blimey! Instead I would glue t' transition t' t' BT and use t' transition and t' three inch chamber in t' bottom o' t' BP for packin' t' recovery system. Begad! Blimey! This would allow easier 'chute packing, arrr, more certain deployment and a larger 'chute for heavy payloads.

Finishing:
I left this rocket in t' raw. However, ya bilge rat, arrr, based on me experience with other Rocket Vision kits, matey, matey, sandin' would be minimal and t' finish should go on quite well. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I can see only one area o' concern. Ahoy! Blimey! At t' base, ya bilge rat, me bucko, shiver me timbers, where t' false boosters join t' BT, me bucko, me bucko, it is goin' t' be tough t' get paint in thar usin' a rattle can. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Even worse, on t' booster that has t' bottom rod guide attached, me bucko, thar be even less space betwixt t' booster and t' BT. Here, you are either goin' t' have t' use a brush or a airbrush.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
It uses several motors. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' first flight be with t' recommended E15-4. Blimey! Lift-off was smooth and t' rocket reached 1200' as measured by two theodolites on 1,000' baselines. Arrr! Recovery be without a hitch about 400 yards from t' pad in light wind. Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! I think a larger 'chute will be necessary if any payload is included.

T' second flight was trickier. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! For this one, I took two Estes C-0 boosters and filled t' tops with epoxy. Ahoy! Then I wrapped them in maskin' tape until they fit tightly in t' booster tubes. Avast! For t' sustainer, ya bilge rat, I used another E15-4. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Ignition was facilitated usin' a Vaughn Brothers QuadCon controller. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I wired t' E15 t' one switch and t' C-0's t' another. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I opened t' switch t' t' E-15 and pushed t' fire button. As it lit, me bucko, arrr, arrr, I opened t' second switch t' t' two C's and they lit too. Well, blow me down! T' rocket moved off t' pad smartly and flew t' just over 1500'. Begad! T' C's burned out just after t' E motor. Ahoy! Recovery was as before. Begad! (Please note that this technique is nay indorsed by Rocket Vision and would nay be allowed at an NARRRRR event.) Modifyin' t' C6-0's alone would cause most RSOs t' DQ you. Avast! In t' end, t' altitude gain was minimal and hardly worth t' risk and trouble. Blimey! My advice is t' forget it.

T' largest motor I have used t' date is an F72-10. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! This produced an altitude o' 2800'. Well, blow me down! I'd like t' try a G55 but I doubt that I would be able t' see it at t' projected altitude o' 4,300' so I'll hold off on that one.

Recovery:
T' 'chute is a very stiff material that gets stiffer in cold weather. Blimey! Do nay prep this rocket until moments before flight. Aye aye! Also, I wouldn't leave t' 'chute stored in t' packed position. Ahoy! It most definitely will take a set. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' Nomex chute protector is an iffy thing. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! On t' surface it seems ideal. Ahoy! However, matey, me bucko, in practice it takes up a lot o' space, ya bilge rat, sometimes hangs up causin' ballistic recoveries and it doesn't always stop t' 'chute from gettin' pin holes. Avast, me proud beauty! I recommend usin' cellulose insulation. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! It is lighter, packs easier and will nay hang up. Repeated launchings (20 t' date) reveal very little wear and tear on t' components. Arrr! I've had t' re-tie t' knots in t' Keelhaul®©™ a few times but that is because I refuse t' set them with glue.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is another excellent product from Rocket Vision. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' parts are sturdy, ya bilge rat, matey, shiver me timbers, well made and correctly dimensioned. T' design is very good. Arrr! It is practical, arrr, esthetically pleasin' and flexible. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' generous payload section coupled with a powerful selection o' motors should make this an excellent egg lofter or experimental platform. My one big criticism is in t' area o' t' launch lugs. Blimey! They included two sets in me kit; 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. Arrr! T' 1/8 are too small. This rocket is heavy and long and needs more stability that can be achieved usin' a 1/8 inch rod. Avast, me proud beauty! T' 3/16" lugs are t' large in diameter. Begad! For some reason, me hearties, RV uses and especially thick polyvinyl tubin' for its lugs. Arrr! In t' small diameter it is ok. Ahoy! But in t' larger 3/16 diameter, arrr, it is so large that it looks obviously out o' scale on t' Chariot. Begad! I recommend nay usin' t' lugs and either usin' Estes lugs or better yet, usin' rail buttons and a rail.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5