(02/23/08) "This one is like a luxury aircraft, matey, but built for space travel."

So says Dynastar website. T' Orion Transport is a neat, futuristic-lookin' rocket with nice lines and decals t' make it stand apart from others.

T' rocket includes a single white BT-70 (2.2") body tube that is 18" long. Avast, me proud beauty! This with its 11" long plastic nose cone and cardstock thrust nozzle make up t' total 28.5" length.

It comes with die-cut balsa fins (x" thick), me hearties, 1/4" launch lugs and a 24mm motor mount. Avast, me proud beauty! For recovery it comes with a big (32"), ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, yellow Dynastar plastic parachute... Blimey! Ahoy! sure t' be seen in t' sky.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 8 pages with excellent illustrations and easy t' read and follow directions. Aye aye! Begad!

Dynastar calls this kit a "Skill Level 3: Average Skills Needed". If you have a few skill level 2 kits under your belt, this will nay be a challenge for you.

I only ran into one problem durin' t' build. Begad! Blimey! T' fin-markin' template was too big for t' body tube and overlapped too much. T' picture shows t' problem (out o' focus a bit). I be able t' make t' needed adjustments t' have t' fins go on symetrically.

T' nose cone be nay a snug fit and required a little maskin' tape t' snug it up.

I built this rocket some time ago and held off writin' a review due t' bein' extremely busy with work and such. T' two reviews below capture many o' t' buildin' aspects that I would cover although I didn't have a missin' thrust rin' nor a missin' fin-markin' template. Aye aye! Begad!

Again, me bucko, I found t' kit t' be easy t' build and t' instructions excellent.

Overall, arrr, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points. Aye aye! Blimey! Nay sure what happended on t' fin-markin' template, but if you have experience, then you will be able t' work around it. Arrr! I did report it t' Dynastar back in 2005 when I first discovered it, matey, so no doubt it has been corrected. Well, me bucko, blow me down!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Dynastar recommends t' followin' motors:

Dynastar indicates that t' rocket should weigh 4.76 ounces.

My finished rocket weighed in at 6.5 ounces with a CG at 16.75" from t' nose cone.

I decided t' fly it for t' first time on a D12-5. Begad! Nice looking, ya bilge rat, a bit slower, me bucko, lift-off. Ahoy! Avast! It was straight and true. Avast! T' rocket hit apogee and be startin' t' head down at ejection. Aye aye! T' large yellow parachute provided a very, very slow descent. Too slow for me. Avast! Aye aye! So, shiver me timbers, I significantly reefed t' parachute leavin' only 1/3rd t' length o' t' shroud lines t' open.

T' next couple o' flights were on D15-4's. Avast! Ahoy! Both nice flights, so you could add that t' t' recommended motor list.

I flew it a year later at NYPower on a D12-5. Ahoy! Took this picture o' t' lift-off.

Then I flew it on an E9-6. Blimey! Begad! It really went up thar and I didn't see t' ejection. Ahoy! Begad! But I did see that big yellow parachute.

T' rocket looks good and has nay suffered damage from these flights.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 4 ½ points. Nay a 5 because I think t' parachute is too large. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Some may disagree.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 ½ points. It certainly looks good and comes with nice lookin' decals. Ahoy! T' nozzle cone is a nice touch. Ya scallywag! Overall flights and performance were excellent.