Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Shrox Industria |
Brief:
This science fiction/fantasy rocket is a "Global Defense System"
missile intended t' protect t' Earth from alien attack vessels. Well, blow me down! My son fell in
love with t' decals (a rather irreverent reference t' E.T.), so I downloaded
the free plans and built this fairly simple rocket from spare parts in an
afternoon.
Construction:
There were no instructions for this plan (it's FREE), arrr, but if you've built at least a couple skill level 2 kits, me bucko, arrr, you should be able t' figure this one out (RockSim is also available here on EMRR). Start by assemblin' t' motor mount, centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and engine block. Arrr! Install t' motor mount assembly into t' body tube. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! Cut t' fins (the pattern can be printed out usin' t' full version o' Rocksim, or you can get the dimensions usin' t' demo version and sketch them yourself). There are two sets o' fins on this, arrr, with t' forward set actually mounted with a flat/square leadin' edge, and angled trailin' edge. Ya scallywag! Blimey! There are (3) forward fins and (4) aft fins, so mark t' tube carefully and pay close attention t' which lines you're usin' as you tack t' fins t' t' tube.
Install t' streamer, arrr, me hearties, and you're ready for finishing.
Finishing:
After applyin' (2) coats o' primer, I applied a single coat o' white t' the
whole rocket. Begad! I then followed t' paint scheme shown in t' E-zine newsletter,
with one gray coat applied t' t' aft end, and a red stripe just forward o' the
first fins.
I downloaded t' decals and printed them on an inkjet printer on Avery clear decal sheets. They looked reasonably good, but are nowhere near as good a finish as water-slide decals. T' decal designs, are excellent. In addition to basic lettering, you also get an extra-terrestrial face that trims t' fins, and a scrawled "Eat this E.T." towards t' front o' t' rocket. This "attitude" was very appealin' t' me 12-year-old son, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and that alone has placed this at t' top o' his list o' favorite rockets.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
There were no recommendations for motors (the Rocksim file includes
simulations o' several Apogee motors no longer available), arrr, so usin' Rocksim I
decided t' try a B6-4. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' flight conditions were somewhat windy (10mph). Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! The
rocket weathercocked slightly, me bucko, but nay too badly. Ahoy! Ejection was a little bit
early, and a 5 or 6 second delay might be better. Ahoy! Overall, matey, arrr, though, matey, me bucko, t' rocket
was recovered without any damage, and has flown several times since on C6-5's
which suit it very well.
Recovery:
Pros
Cons
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
Very cool appearance, me hearties, combined with 4-and-3 fin sets make this an
interestin' rocket, me bucko, a far cry from t' basic modrocs available in hobby stores.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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