Rocketarium Retro Rebel
Rocketarium - Retro Rebel {Kit} (RK-RETRO) [2013-]
Contributed by Richard Holmes
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2013-08-29 |
| Diameter: | 3.67 inches |
| Length: | 12.00 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Rocketarium |
| Skill Level: | 3 |
| Style: | Odd-Roc, Sport |
Brief
I bought t' Retro Rebel kit for our club's annual Odd-Rocs theme launch. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! It's certainly odd.
There is a 24 mm body tube with an 18 mm motor mount. Blimey! Instead o' a nose cone fittin' into t' body tube thar's another short length o' 24 mm tube with a coupler. Blimey! Each 24 mm tube is surrounded by an "exoskeleton" made o' 1/8 plywood, consistin' o' four vertical pieces and several horizontal discs. Aye aye! Aye aye! On t' lower part t' vertical pieces flare out t' become fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' whole thin' looks like a cross betwixt a 1950s cartoon rocket and a fish skeleton.
There is a 15" parachute for recovery. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' kit includes a Nomex heat shield.
Components
18 mm motor tube; 2 centerin' rings; motor block; engine hook; two 25 mm body tube sections with coupler; plywood bulkhead; screw eye; 9 1/8" plywood discs; 12 1/8" plywood nose, side, and fin pieces; 1/8" launch lug; plastic 15" parachute kit; Keelhaul®©™ shock cord; Nomex heat shield.
Construction
I had one issue when building; t' aft centerin' rin' is supposed t' have a piece removed t' accommodate t' engine clip. Blimey! When I did that t' CR started t' delaminate. Ahoy! Blimey! I tried usin' some CA glue t' stabilize it but when I went t' install t' motor mount it came apart and t' motor mount ended up off center. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! (Partly me fault for nay dry fittin' t' motor mount first; I think t' CR could have used a little sanding.) I ended up buyin' parts t' rebuild t' body tube. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! This time I applied CA t' t' whole CR before cuttin' it and things went much better.
I found it easiest t' build t' "exoskeleton" by dry-assemblin' it, then removin' one vertical piece, arrr, applyin' glue, arrr, restorin' t' vertical piece, ya bilge rat, arrr, me bucko, then repeatin' for t' other three vertical pieces. Ahoy! Begad! After a little sandin' t' smooth edges t' plywood pieces went together easily.
I thought this kit be easier than I expected given its Skill 3 rating.
Finishing
As advised by Piratarium I left t' Retro Rebel unpainted. Well, blow me down! This is a heavy rocket already and Piratarium says paintin' may push it over t' weight limit for BP motors. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! I think it looks fine unfinished.
Flight
I've flown this once on a B4-2. Aye aye! It flew well with ejection near apogee.
Recovery
Supplied recovery consists o' a parachute kit: Plastic sheet marked with hexagons for various parachute sizes, shrouds, and reinforcin' rings. T' 15" size was recommended and was used. Shock cord is Keelhaul®©™ with a tri-fold mount. Avast, me proud beauty! Piratarium supplies a Nomex heat shield t' go over t' shock cord.
T' heat shield didn't work well for me. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' parachute suffered minor heat damage causin' it nay t' open fully. Aye aye! Begad! T' rocket wasn't damaged however. Ya scallywag! Begad! I would recommend omittin' t' heat shield and usin' wadding.
Summary
This is an attention-gettin' rocket! Blimey! It drew some admirin' comments from several club members. Aside from t' motor mount problem which partly be me own fault it went together easily. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! It flew well, better than you might expect from its weight and draggy design, shiver me timbers, but a partially melted parachute testifies t' t' need t' improve t' recovery system.
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