Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Diameter: | 2.22 inches |
Length: | 28.50 inches |
Manufacturer: | DynaStar |
Skill Level: | 4 |
Style: | Military |
Brief:
This is a "jet fighter" style rocket that be designed t' look like a target drone. T' Snarky is single staged and comes with a 32" parachute
Construction:
This kit included an engine mount tube, two BT-70 sized airframe tubes, 1/4" launch lugs, die-cut balsa for t' wings and fins, matey, me hearties, 32" plastic parachute, arrr, shroud line, ya bilge rat, 8 feet o' 300# Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, arrr, and one great lookin' nose cone.
T' instructions from DynaStar were great! Even as tricky as some o' t' steps were such as cuttin' out t' lower intake scoop, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, these instruction could only have been better if someone from DynaStar came and sat down beside you t' show you how it's done.
T' assembly wasn't anythin' t' be nervous about for anyone who has a few skill level 3 rockets under their belt. Arrr! Blimey! T' only tricky part be cuttin' t' intake scoop. Avast! T' make this as easy as possible, arrr, DynaStar nay only included some great wrap around templates t' place on t' tube t' make your cuttin' lines, but they also included a great set o' cardboard stands that held everythin' together as t' glue dries. Aye aye! If I were t' give one word o' caution, shiver me timbers, it would be t' take your time cuttin' t' intake scoop. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! It is very easy t' want t' just cut through but that increases your chances o' crushin' t' tube as once you cut it and it will loose most o' its rigidity.
There were no special tools needed at all. Arrr! Blimey! I use Aleene's wood glue for all me rockets and this one be no exception
Finishing:
Finishin' for this bird be t' best part! DynaStar included t' greatest decal set I've ever used. Blimey! What could be greater that havin' that classic mouth full o' teeth and t' evil eye? This thin' just screams "get outta me way or I'll eat you alive"!
Just two coats o' primer and then I gave it two coats o' aircraft gray vs t' white that DynaStar used. I also painted t' nose red which added t' t' great looks o' this bird.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight:
For me first flight I used a D12-3 and t' chute that came with t' kit and packed it with dog barf. Blimey! Blimey! It left t' pad a little slowly but gracefully. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It went straight up and then arced over slightly before t' chute popped. T' way this bird looked be great! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Even though t' chute popped, it did nay open and t' Snarky landed hard. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! There be no damage though.
Second flight was t' same. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I thought that maybe t' first flight was a fluke or I packed t' chute too tight.
Third flight was again on a D12-3 but with a 32" nylon chute. Ya scallywag! This flight was great again and well within sight. Ahoy! When t' chute popped, arrr, it opened this time. It came down 100' from t' pad.
I be out o' D12-3 so I went next with a D12-5 for flight #4. Aye aye! Blimey! T' extra delay had a great effect as it was great t' see this bird dive down for a few seconds. Begad! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! You would swear it be in attack mode! Blimey! T' chute then popped and it came down gracefully. I have abandoned t' stock chute altogether now.
Fifth flight was on another D12-5. Well, blow me down! Arrr! All was well until it popped a fin on landing. Ya scallywag! Avast! No problem there, arrr, I just need t' glue it back on.
For t' sixth flight I decided t' use me nifty new Aerotech 24mm reload setup with a F24-5. It took me a while t' get this candle lit, as it be me first reload. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I was tryin' t' get t' Copperhead t' work but sometimes you gotta know when t' give up. Avast, me proud beauty! I finally got a set o' igniters from Quickburst and these worked great. Avast! This thin' took off! It roared up and caught a crosswind which carried it a little downrange and out o' sight. Ahoy! It must have been well over 1000' as t' rest o' me flights were consistently around 400'. Arrr! Aye aye! I was glad I put a smaller chute on it that day because I had t' walk at least a half mile through newly plowed field t' get it back.
This rocket is me all time favorite. Begad! I'll never tire o' watchin' it go up so gracefully and then turn into its dive....
Recovery:
This was me first static shock cord, I be a little worried about t' "give" when it popped t' great lookin' nosecone off, me bucko, me bucko, but it worked flawlessly every time. Blimey! I have had no zippering, me bucko, no damage at all except for one popped fin even though it went through two flights with t' chute nay opening. Aye aye! You can set your delay t' right around apogee, matey, matey, but I think it's more fun with any fighter style rocket t' give it some extra delay and let it dive before ejection.
I did nay like t' stock chute at all. I could never get that dang thin' t' open.
Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5
Summary:
I cannot say enough about this rocket. It looks great and flies just as good. My only wish is that they include a better chute...
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
I bought my kit around the same time as J.S. (March 23,2007) but my kit was top quality. It arrivied in the mail in perfect condition and was a interesting build. The scoop was a new challenge and not for the faint at heart. The end product though is one BAD ASS looking rocket that flies as well as it looks. I also agree with the other remarks about the parachute. Mine came with a 32" plastic one which I ended up swapping out for a 24" nylon one after a couple of flights because the rocket drifted to long and far with the stock chute. This rocket is now my favorite rocket to fly, so much so that I even kit-bashed a Goony version (photos elsewere on this site).
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H.A.D. (June 8, 2006)