Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Published: | 2014-01-13 |
Diameter: | 2.00 inches |
Length: | 35.30 inches |
Manufacturer: | Estes ![]() |
Style: | Futuristic/Exotic |
This is a sci-fi inspired kit recently released by Estes. Ahoy! It uses t' same nose cone as t' Interceptor E and Cosmic Interceptor, me bucko, only pre-colored silver and black.
Where t' begin, matey, me hearties, Nose down? T' nose be t' same one as on t' Interceptor E/ Cosmic Interceptor, me bucko, only it's been pre-colored silver with black for t' cocpit windows. Avast! Ya scallywag! Body tube is also pre-colored silver, arrr, and comes pre-slotted for t' mountin' tabs on t' fins. Well, blow me down! And about t' fins, nay a big fan o' these fins. Begad! Yep, me bucko, they do t' job, but they are a plastic, shiver me timbers, 2 piece assembly molded in black. Ahoy! Good for t' "no paintin' required" description on t' box, but they feel kinda weak. Arrr! T' fins also get capped with those orange "gun pods" which look cool, and hold t' tips o' t' fins together. Well, blow me down! Next be t' motor mount, heavy wall 29mm for t' tube, but t' centerin' rings are, me hearties, agian, molded plastic. Begad! Bein' an interior part, me bucko, it does nay matter that they are black, shiver me timbers, but they are. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! So be t' new, 2 piece, matey, shock cord mount, arrr, molded black plastic. Begad! Well, blow me down! Parachute is 18 inch nylon fabric, ya bilge rat, with 8 shroud lines, and is pre-sewn. Ahoy! Arrr! Lastly, matey, ya bilge rat, t' launch lugs are, you may as well guess, molded black plastic. For those noticin' a pattern, shiver me timbers, thar be nay 1 piece o' wood anywhere on this kit. Arrr! Aye aye! Just paper tubes and plastic.
Lets see, Pro's and con's. It be really fun for me buildin' this kit. T' only part prep that be needed for any o' t' parts was a light scuffin' where ever any glue joint be t' happen, shiver me timbers, and nay much glue was needed. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! It goes together, per t' instructions, me bucko, with 30 minn epoxy and thin CA glue. Well, blow me down! This makes t' build time much faster than "normal" rockets. Blimey! That makes for a big Pro for me, as I enjoy t' build process a lot. Well, blow me down! But it also makes t' build over too fast for me liking, shiver me timbers, as this kit had nothin' new for me t' learn while buildin' it.
Finishing, matey, almost non-existant. Aye aye! Avast! All t' exterior peices are pre-colored t' same as t' box art, ya bilge rat, so t' only finishin' prep is a light wipe down with an alcohol rag t' clean t' surface prior t' decal placement. Blimey! And those decals?? "Pressure Sensitive Transfer Decals", matey, which means STICKERS!!! Stickers belong on a kids kit, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, nay a Pro Series kit. Well, blow me down! However, they do stay stuck on durin' flight, so Estes at least used t' right adheasive on these ones.
Flight, shiver me timbers, t' fun part. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Estes calls out for one o' their new, shiver me timbers, 29mm black powder F15-6 engines for t' first flight o' this one. Arrr! My only problem is me local hobby store does nay yet have this engine (as o' 11/09/13). Begad! Blimey! So I had t' improvise, and ended up usin' an Aerotech F22-6 reload in me 29/40-120 Aerotech casing. Begad! I never bough an F load for this casin' before, arrr, but it goes together t' same way as t' E and G reloads for this case.
But t' flight is perfect, straight up, slight arc over at apogee, shiver me timbers, and perfect ejection right after apogee. Avast, me proud beauty! It would nay suprise me if I got a little higher than t' advertised 1600 feet on t' box.
As mentioned in t' components block, ya bilge rat, she comes with an 18 inch nylon parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Fearin' for t' safety o' me new rocket and t' reload casin' in her, ya bilge rat, I substituted an extra 24 inch nylon chute I had in t' range box. Maby this be a bad Idea, matey, as t' shock cord and parachute got tangled on those orange "gun pods" on t' end o' t' fins. Arrr! Blimey! But she still came down slowly enough t' nay recieve any damage on landing. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Perhaps it is a common failin' for all sci-fi rockets that t' parachute gets tangled on t' fins. Ahoy! Blimey!
Fun kit t' build and fly. Avast, me proud beauty! I will need t' try this one agian with it's 18 inch chute t' see if thar be a difference in tanglage.
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