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

Construction:
T' component specs are as follows:

Finished length... 31.125"

Body Tube (BT) L=15" dia. ex. Well, blow me down! Avast! 1.12", int. Blimey! .990" material= phenolic Payload Bay (PB) L=8" Dia. ext. Begad! 2.05", 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. Well, blow me down! Blimey! NCs) Dia= ext. Ya scallywag! Begad! .945", int. .8" (20.5mm) Motor Mount (MMT) Material= rough cardboard L= 8" Dia= ext. .992", shiver me timbers, int. Ahoy! .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, matey, ya bilge rat, 200lb. Begad! Begad! 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. Arrr! 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), arrr, Transition and Payload Bay (PB).

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

Finishing:
I left this rocket in t' raw. Aye aye! However, ya bilge rat, based on me experience with other Rocket Vision kits, ya bilge rat, matey, sandin' would be minimal and t' finish should go on quite well. I can see only one area o' concern. At t' base, where t' false boosters join t' BT, me bucko, it is goin' t' be tough t' get paint in thar usin' a rattle can. Well, blow me down! Even worse, on t' booster that has t' bottom rod guide attached, ya bilge rat, thar be even less space betwixt t' booster and t' BT. Ya scallywag! 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. T' first flight was with t' recommended E15-4. Arrr! Lift-off was smooth and t' rocket reached 1200' as measured by two theodolites on 1,000' baselines. Recovery be without a hitch about 400 yards from t' pad in light wind. Well, blow me down! I think a larger 'chute will be necessary if any payload is included.

T' second flight was trickier. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! For this one, I took two Estes C-0 boosters and filled t' tops with epoxy. Arrr! Aye aye! Then I wrapped them in maskin' tape until they fit tightly in t' booster tubes. For t' sustainer, I used another E15-4. Well, blow me down! Ignition was facilitated usin' a Vaughn Brothers QuadCon controller. Well, blow me down! I wired t' E15 t' one switch and t' C-0's t' another. Aye aye! I opened t' switch t' t' E-15 and pushed t' fire button. Well, blow me down! Well, me bucko, blow me down! As it lit, me hearties, I opened t' second switch t' t' two C's and they lit too. Begad! T' rocket moved off t' pad smartly and flew t' just over 1500'. Aye aye! T' C's burned out just after t' E motor. Recovery be as before. (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. In t' end, t' altitude gain be minimal and hardly worth t' risk and trouble. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Blimey! My advice is t' forget it.

T' largest motor I have used t' date is an F72-10. Aye aye! This produced an altitude o' 2800'. 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. Aye aye! Blimey! Do nay prep this rocket until moments before flight. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Also, matey, me hearties, I wouldn't leave t' 'chute stored in t' packed position. It most definitely will take a set. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey! T' Nomex chute protector is an iffy thing. Arrr! Blimey! On t' surface it seems ideal. Ahoy! Arrr! Blimey! However, me hearties, shiver me timbers, in practice it takes up a lot o' space, shiver me timbers, sometimes hangs up causin' ballistic recoveries and it doesn't always stop t' 'chute from gettin' pin holes. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! I recommend usin' cellulose insulation. Begad! Blimey! It is lighter, packs easier and will nay hang up. Repeated launchings (20 t' date) reveal very little wear and tear on t' components. Aye aye! Blimey! 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! Blimey! T' parts are sturdy, me hearties, well made and correctly dimensioned. Avast! Blimey! T' design is very good. Aye aye! Blimey! It is practical, arrr, esthetically pleasin' and flexible. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! They included two sets in me kit; 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. T' 1/8 are too small. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! This rocket is heavy and long and needs more stability that can be achieved usin' a 1/8 inch rod. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' 3/16" lugs are t' large in diameter. Ya scallywag! Blimey! For some reason, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, RV uses and especially thick polyvinyl tubin' for its lugs. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! In t' small diameter it is ok. Aye aye! Blimey! But in t' larger 3/16 diameter, it is so large that it looks obviously out o' scale on t' Chariot. Avast! Blimey! I recommend nay usin' t' lugs and either usin' Estes lugs or better yet, shiver me timbers, usin' rail buttons and a rail.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5