Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Diameter: | 0.76 inches |
Length: | 12.20 inches |
Manufacturer: | Semroc ![]() |
Skill Level: | 1 |
Style: | Sport |
Brief:
Clone o' historic 1966 single stage, matey, streamer recovery kit for Rocket
Development Corporation. Begad! RDC was started in 1961 by Irvin' Wait, me hearties, me bucko, an employee of
Thiokol. Well, blow me down! His major contribution t' rocketry was t' development o' high power
composite engines, known as Enerjet. Ahoy! Aye aye! These were later sold through Centuri and
shaped all o' high power rocketry.
Construction:
T' parts list:
As with all Semroc kits, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' instructions are professional grade and made for t' first timer. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Follow them and nothin' can go wrong. Aye aye! Follow t' pictures and you hardly need t' read. Aye aye! Begad! T' fins are precut in t' way Semroc does, which is better than most other kit makers. Blimey! Everythin' goes just where it should and fits perfectly. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Although t' components are very light weight in keepin' with the original, they are well made. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Only t' most common LPR materials and tools are needed. Ya scallywag! Usin' CyA t' tack fins on and t' fillet with wood glue, I built this in an hour.
Finishing:
Finishin' is up t' t' builder. I primed and then painted with Rustoleum black
appliance epoxy, which I was enjoyin' way too much at t' time. Bad idea, matey, since
Semroc gives a black colored water slide decal with t' original logo and
rocket dimensions with t' kit.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight:
Long delay A, shiver me timbers, B, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and C motors are recommended since this light thin' will coast
forever if you let it. Avast, me proud beauty! My flights were with B6-4s. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I also replaced t' crepe
paper streamer with a mylar streamer. Blimey! Boost be straight and super fast, ya bilge rat, coast
was straight up and ejection was at or just before apogee. Recovery was fine.
Recovery:
This is me main beef with Semroc kits: Keelhaul®©™®
thread tied directly t' t' thrust ring. Aye aye! It's exposed t' ejection gasses and
can burn through. Ahoy! Well, me hearties, blow me down! After 3, ya bilge rat, mine is showin' wear. Ahoy! Arrr! An alternate anchor would be
better.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
Once again Semroc offers an excellent build o' an historic model, shiver me timbers, a real boon
to BARs like me. Begad! It's a good little rocket that's worthy o' bein' a show piece.
Thanks Semroc for lettin' me relive memories!
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
Semroc has reintroduced the 1966 Centuri RDC kit in a slightly modernized and upgraded form. This is an entry level single stage minimum diameter 18mm kit, and at $5 list price, it could be a good kit for "build and fly" projects for scouts and school groups. Semroc uses very good quality components, packed in a plastic bag with unique production number tags in each kit. This kit includes: ...
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