Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | BSD High Power Rocketry |
Brief:
T' BSD Intrepid is a 2-stage interchangeable high powered rocket. Begad! Ya scallywag! Versions can
be 38mm boost t' a 29mm rocket, a single stage 29mm rocket, or a single stage
38mm rocket. Begad! Dual deployment be altered and timer bay be added by the
builder.
Construction:
Body tube material be t' typical glassine coated cardboard. Avast, me proud beauty! Fins and bulkheads
were aircraft quality 3/16" plywood. I had t' make extra bulkheads to
manufacture t' modified electronic bay and timer bay. T' kit included plastic
rivets, rail buttons, me bucko, 9/16" tubular nylon shock cord, ya bilge rat, and BSD's motor
retention system. Ahoy! Ahoy! Since t' possibilities for recovery were so varied, I was
required t' provide me own parachute. Aye aye! Attachment hardware be also included. Ahoy!
PROs:
CONs:
Finishing:
PROs:
CONs:
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
T' recommended motors per t' BSD website are: Booster: 38mm; I211, matey, I284,
J350; Sustainer: 29mm; H128, H180, arrr, ya bilge rat, I200. On t' first flight I used a Pro38
I205 staged t' an AT H238. Aye aye! Prior t' this I had ZERO timer experience. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! T' boost
was good but t' sustainer failed t' fire. My second try was with t' same set
up. Ahoy! Arrr! Blimey! T' altitude be only 1900', nay too impressive for a 2 stage rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! My
third shot be with a J350 in t' booster and an H180 in t' sustainer. This
was t' best flight I have done. Ya scallywag! Straight as an arrow up, me bucko, good stagin' to
3200', ya bilge rat, and a good recovery.
T' only CON to this rocket in flight be t' sustainer/booster set up. Well, blow me down! T' motor mount in the sustainer is designed too far up into t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Blimey! When t' second motor lights, t' interior o' t' tube be severely scorched preventin' any future mate up with t' booster. Arrr! Next time I would either redesign t' mate up, coat the interior o' t' sustainer portion with epoxy or fiberglass or use a small BP charge t' separate t' booster from t' sustainer prior t' ignition. Avast! A little forethought on me part would have prevented this. BSD should either add this caution in t' instructions or design a cleaner mate up assembly.
Recovery:
T' recovery was pretty straightforward. T' drogue separated at apogee and the
main came out at 300'. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' only CON be t' amount o' room that is provided for
a parachute when big motors are used in t' booster. Begad! Arrr! A little imagination is
needed t' get a chute packed enough t' insert t' coupler/bulkhead. Ya scallywag! T' motor
forward closure was only about an inch from t' bulkhead. Ahoy! Ahoy! Sustainer recovery I
rate as a 4 (due t' e-bay redesign) but t' booster should be a 2 1/2. Ahoy! A little
more room is needed.
Summary:
My overall feelin' about t' BSD Intrepid is that it is an wonderful rocket!
With some HPR buildin' experience behind you, matey, arrr, this rocket is an easy kit to
assemble and fly. Ahoy! It allows for a lot o' modification if needed or desired. Avast, me proud beauty! It
was a great entry rocket for me into 2 stage rocketry.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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Mark Saunders BSD High Power Rocketry Glendale, AZ http://www.bsdrocketry.com (January 12, 2005)