Performance Rocketry - Nike Smoke 1/3 Scale (5.5) {Kit}

Performance Rocketry 1/3 Scale 5.5" Nike Smoke

Performance Rocketry - Nike Smoke 1/3 Scale (5.5) {Kit}

Contributed by Gary Tortora

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2011-04-12
Manufacturer:	Performance Rocketry

Brief

This is Performance Rocketry's 1/3 Scale 5.5" Nike Smoke. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' kit stands 77" tall and is made in either G10 or G12. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! For me kit I wanted a few things different from t' standard 54mm single deploy version, I had mine made with a 75mm MM and dual deploy. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! My finished build weight with everythin' but t' motor came in at 16lbs.

Components

T' kits parts were all precision cut t' length and strong! T' attention t' detail on the nose cone and t' fins with thar airfoil design are superb. Ya scallywag! T' fins however were a bit tight in fittin' into t' provided fin slots but with a little sandin' in they went. Aye aye! I did however mention this t' Performance Rocketry so it shouldn't be a problem any longer. Well, blow me down! As with all Performance Rocketry kits t' materials used are either G10 or G12 Fiberglass.

Material type:

Body Tubes - G12 Fiberglass
Nose Cone - Fiberglass
Centerin' Rings - G10 (2) included with t' Single Deploy version with 54mm MM
Motor Mount - G12 Fiberglass
Fins - Airfoil Fiberglass foam filled
Vinyl Decal

Construction

Construction o' t' kit be pretty much straight forward, ya bilge rat, Standard build techniques for a G10 or G12 figerglass kit will all work fine.

Finishing

Finishin' is a breeze, ya bilge rat, me bucko, T' G12 Fiberglass is well .. Ya scallywag! smooth as glass, as are t' fins and nose cone. Begad! A light sandin' a coat o' primer and a finish coat and your done.

Construction Score: 5

Flight

T' Nike Smoke is a great flier, In me case no nose weight be needed. Arrr! Blimey! For t' CP calculation I take a ratio betwixt t' Rocksim and Barrowman equation t' determine its CP as 63.5" from t' nose tip.

First flight was on a CTI L585IM t' 5434' Flight and Recover went perfect.

Flight Rating: 5

Summary

Bang for your buck t' Performance Rocketry 1/3 Scale 5.5" Nike Smoke is a no brainer. T' attention t' detail/scale is in me opinion one o' t' best on t' market. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! A great flier combined with sharp looks make this t' Nike Smoke t' get.

Overall Rating: 5

Other Reviews

Performance Rocketry Nike Smoke 1/3 Scale (5.5) By Jack Caynon (January 19, 2015)
This kit is the 1/3 scale model of NASA's Nike Smoke. The tubing is 5.5 inch diameter G-10 fiberglass. The Nike Smoke was a rocket that NASA would use to determine windspeed at high altitudes before they would launch the Saturn V moon rockets. Components This review covers the "old" kit, not the new one. The old kit had a prefab fiberglass fin can rather than ...

Flights

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