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 was 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, me bucko, matey, die-cut balsa for t' wings and fins, matey, 32" plastic parachute, shiver me timbers, shroud line, me bucko, 8 feet o' 300# Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 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, matey, me bucko, 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. Ya scallywag! T' only tricky part was cuttin' t' intake scoop. T' make this as easy as possible, ya bilge rat, arrr, DynaStar nay only included some great wrap around templates t' place on t' tube t' make your cuttin' lines, shiver me timbers, matey, but they also included a great set o' cardboard stands that held everythin' together as t' glue dries. If I were t' give one word o' caution, it would be t' take your time cuttin' t' intake scoop. Arrr! 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. I use Aleene's wood glue for all me rockets and this one was no exception
Finishing:
Finishin' for this bird be t' best part! DynaStar included t' greatest decal set I've ever used. Blimey! Ahoy! 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. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! It left t' pad a little slowly but gracefully. Begad! It went straight up and then arced over slightly before t' chute popped. T' way this bird looked was great! Even though t' chute popped, me hearties, it did nay open and t' Snarky landed hard. Avast, me proud beauty! There was no damage though.
Second flight was t' same. 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. Ahoy! This flight was great again and well within sight. When t' chute popped, it opened this time. Ya scallywag! It came down 100' from t' pad.
I be out o' D12-3 so I went next with a D12-5 for flight #4. Blimey! T' extra delay had a great effect as it was great t' see this bird dive down for a few seconds. Begad! You would swear it be in attack mode! T' chute then popped and it came down gracefully. Blimey! Ahoy! I have abandoned t' stock chute altogether now.
Fifth flight be on another D12-5. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! All was well until it popped a fin on landing. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! No problem there, 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. Aye aye! Aye aye! It took me a while t' get this candle lit, me bucko, as it be me first reload. Avast, me proud beauty! I was tryin' t' get t' Copperhead t' work but sometimes you gotta know when t' give up. Aye aye! Ahoy! I finally got a set o' igniters from Quickburst and these worked great. Begad! This thin' took off! Blimey! It roared up and caught a crosswind which carried it a little downrange and out o' sight. Aye aye! Blimey! It must have been well over 1000' as t' rest o' me flights were consistently around 400'. 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. Avast! Blimey! I'll never tire o' watchin' it go up so gracefully and then turn into its dive....
Recovery:
This be me first static shock cord, me hearties, I be a little worried about t' "give" when it popped t' great lookin' nosecone off, matey, me bucko, but it worked flawlessly every time. 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. Arrr! You can set your delay t' right around apogee, 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. Well, blow me down! 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. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! 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)