| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2015-08-26 |
| Diameter: | 3.00 inches |
| Length: | 51.90 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Style: | Sport |
Brief
Part o' t' Estes Pro Series II, only available as a direct from Estes kit, me bucko, matey, and packaged with t' bare minimum o' materials. Ahoy! One o' t' largest, yet least expensive, o' t' PSII kits. Arrr! Essentially based on t' Estes Leviathan, matey, but longer and a different use o' t' same fins. Blimey! Begad! This would be a great way t' dive into big mid power rockets, or even t' low end o' high power rocketry, me hearties, at a low cost. Begad! It's also very well suited t' modification and customization.
Components
Very different, shiver me timbers, me hearties, me bucko, for an Estes kit. Ya scallywag! There are no promotional materials, arrr, no insert card, no warranty card, me bucko, you don't even get an example o' a color scheme. Ahoy! Just a clear plastic bag o' rocket parts, with instructions. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! This kit is essentially made from leftover parts o' t' Estes Leviathan. Ahoy! T' same package o' 4 fins is included, same nose cone, etc... Ahoy! Visually, arrr, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' backward mounted fins actually look quite interesting, and you only use 3 instead o' t' 4 o' a Leviathan. Aye aye! This leaves you one extra fin.
With this kit you get a pair o' 3" x 26" body tubes, which are un-slotted, me bucko, and matchin' 3" blow molded plastic nose cone. Blimey! Blimey! A 29mm motor mount, arrr, with 3 centerin' rings and threaded plastic motor retainer gives you t' thrust. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Recovery comes from a 24" nylon chute, and a length o' elastic shock cord. Begad! Roundin' it out are a pair o' launch lugs, me hearties, and a generic Estes decal, shiver me timbers, plus instructions. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! However all t' material is o' great quality, with well thought out instructions. Aye aye! Basically you get all t' things that make great rockets for Estes, me hearties, ya bilge rat, without all t' 'fluff' that runs up t' price. Hopefully this be t' start o' a trend for Estes, arrr, me bucko, ya bilge rat, as this is a fantastic price point for what is a very good kit.
Construction
Most o' this kit is typical Estes easy building. Begad! Build up a motor mount, put on some fins, me bucko, me hearties, glue together t' body tube, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, arrr, mount t' 'chute, matey, me bucko, and off you go. Avast! T' only real quirks with t' kit come from t' fins and recovery mount. T' fins are made for through t' wall mountin' t' t' motor tube, but you need t' cut t' slots yourself. Avast! Begad! This isn't difficult at all, shiver me timbers, just that most kits these days have t' slots pre-cut. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Patience and a new #11 blade make it very easy t' do. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! You also do need t' be careful with t' measurements o' t' centerin' rings onto t' motor tube. But again, ya bilge rat, patience makes this step easy as well. Just keep an eye that your fins are straight, ya bilge rat, and use a jig if you have one available. It's real easy t' get your fins all crooked in a hand-cut slot. Adhesives are up t' you, as this is a cardboard kit, ya bilge rat, me hearties, no special tools or materials are needed. Blimey! Blimey!
T' only real negative for t' kit is that Estes insists on usin' their tri-fold mountin' for t' recovery harness on this kit, matey, along with a length o' elastic. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I'd suggest replacin' this with 1/8" kevlar, arrr, epoxy t' recovery line t' t' motor tube, and use a nomex wrap on t' parachute. Aye aye! A 3" rocket o' this size has grown beyond waddin' and elastic.
T' body tube layout, arrr, and long coupling, matey, me bucko, even make a conversion t' dual deploy possible. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! Just watch your CG if you start modifyin' this kit at all. Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! T' three backward fins move t' Cp forward a fair amount compared t' t' Leviathan fin layout. Nose weight will likely be needed if you put an av-bay in t' coupling.
Finishing
Finishin' on this kit is very simple. T' spirals on t' body tube are shallow and easy t' fill, matey, t' fins have very little grain t' worry about, and t' material takes paint well. Arrr! All your basic techniques will work just fine on this kit. My only complaint, arrr, matey, and it doesn't even bother me really, matey, matey, is that this kit doesn't give you an 'official' scheme t' work with. But it's a compromise I am very happy t' make in order t' keep t' price point so low on a kit o' this nature.
Flight
Estes gives you a single recommendation o' an F15-4. Yet with a 29mm mount, arrr, thar are so many other motors available. I'd personally be nervous flyin' this kit on an F15-4 if built t' t' instructions. Begad! Blimey! With good construction and a good recovery system, matey, this rocket is capable o' flyin' all t' way up t' t' limit o' mid power rocketry. Blimey! If you're ready for an adventure, shiver me timbers, this kit is completely capable o' flyin' HPR motors t' a few thousand feet.
Recovery
T' 24" chute on this kit is a perfect size, shiver me timbers, even if you build heavy. Well, blow me down! But t' included tri-fold mount and elastic cord are known as regular failure points on PSII kits. With t' larger ejection charges o' 29mm motors, arrr, me hearties, shiver me timbers, upgradin' t' recovery line and mount are absolutely necessary on this kit.
Summary
This kit is probably one o' t' better deals in rocketry right now, arrr, if you know where t' find it. Avast! Blimey! For $30 you get a 3" rocket capable o' a tremendous flight range. Aye aye! Blimey! Low flights on mid power motors, a few thousand feet on high power motors, it's got t' potential t' be an all-field workhorse in your fleet. It builds easy, flies great, matey, and is easy t' modify. Avast! Blimey! Other than t' insufficient recovery gear I can't say enough good things about t' Scion. Sure, t' packagin' may be nothin' more than a clear plastic bag. Ok, you don't get a fancy advertisin' sheet. Ahoy! What you do get is one o' t' biggest rockets that Estes offers, made o' high quality materials, arrr, for a pittance.
There is a reason t' PSII kits by Estes are held in high regard, me hearties, and this is no exception. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty!
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Steve Lindeman (August 27, 2015)
How about posting a picture of your finished model as it's a new rocket that most of us haven't seen yet.