Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Manufacturer: | Performance Rocketry |
Brief:
T' Little Dog is another great all fiberglass kit from Performance Rocketry. Avast! MSRP o' $79.00 for t' dual deploy
version and $59.00 for t' single deploy. Avast! I opted for t' dual deployment version o' t' kit. Well, blow me down! T' LD is a single stage,
2.25 (outside diameter) kit with a 38mm motor mount. T' rocket can be adapted down t' 29mm and fly on anything
from an F motor or you can let t' Dog eat with a J-570! If you are in t' market for a 38mm motor work horse that
comes with all fiberglass quality parts, matey, this is a kit for you! I would highly recommend this kit for NAR/TRA Level One
certification as well. I "needed" this kit because I did nay have a 38mm rocket that I would trust on the
Aerotech I-1299 Warp Nine load. Avast! Performance Rocketry released this kit in May 2007, shiver me timbers, and I knew I had t' have one!
Construction:
T' box contained:
Havin' a rocket kit that is all fiberglass makes for a very simple and straightforward construction. Avast, me proud beauty! Scuff all bondin' areas o' t' fiberglass thoroughly and you are good t' go. T' G10 fins, me bucko, body tubes, fin slots, me hearties, matey, G10 centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, and all G10 bulkhead plates are CNC machined. Begad! Needless t' say, me bucko, all parts fit together with ease. T' coupler was a perfect fit into t' booster and upper airframe, and t' nose cone fit tightly on the upper airframe. Aye aye! Ahoy! T' only criticism that I have is that t' kit does nay come with instructions. Avast, me proud beauty! In me opinion, directions would be an asset t' t' kit because a prospective Level one flier would appreciate and utilize high power buildin' instruction/common techniques. Rockets Magazine and Performance Rocketrys websites both have parts breakdown lists that show exploded views. If you are in need o' directions, me hearties, shiver me timbers, me bucko, or want t' see what parts go where, download t' PDF exploded views from either website.
Finishing:
In years past, some Performance Rocketry tubes came with very tiny pin holes in t' fiberglass airframes. Begad! I
used t' apply two or three passes o' automotive type body filler t' eliminate these pinholes before primer. Well, blow me down! My Little
Dog arrived with no pinholes t' be filled! Performance Rocketry must have made a change t' eliminate these pinholes. PR
fiberglass tubes are very easy t' finish. Begad! When properly prepped, Performance Rocketry fiberglass tubes provide a
durable surface for that wicked paint job you have in mind.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight:
My first flight o' t' PR Little Dog was nay a kind one! I used t' Aerotech I-1299 Warp Nine! T' half second burn
motor tore t' rocket up t' 8 rail and continued t' 3800. Well, blow me down! Even though t' Little Dog pulled upwards of
90Gs, shiver me timbers, it came back in perfect condition, ya bilge rat, ready for more action! T' LD flew straight and true, me hearties, dual deployed properly,
and was later recovered even though t' I-1299 trashed t' AA battery in me tracker. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Unfortunately, I have only logged
one flight on me Little Dog t' date. Ahoy! T' next flight will be an Aerotech J-350 or J-570.
Recovery:
Im usin' 30 o' 1/8 tubular Keelhaul®©™®
for drogue deployment along with a 6 x 60 streamer. Avast, me proud beauty! I use one gram o' FFFF BP for t' drogue deployment
charge with two 2-56 nylon shear pins and 1.5 grams o' FFFF BP for t' main deployment charge with three 2-56 pins. Ahoy! I
chose a Top Flight Recovery 42 X-Form parachute for me main. Begad! All deployment charges were courtesy o' an ALTS-25.
Drogue charge at apogee and main at 600. Arrr! I opted t' use a streamer for t' drogue and nay a drogue parachute as I
wanted t' Little Dog t' fall faster under drogue and hopefully nay drift as far.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
Bar none, 5 out o' 5. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' Little Dog is an instant Performance Rocketry classic. T' all fiberglass design is both
very strong, arrr, easy t' finish, and can really take a beating. Ya scallywag! When it comes down t' brass tacks, you are gettin' a top of
the line CNC precision product for a superb price. Begad! Begad! This particular Performance Rocketry kit delivers t' wow factor for
L1, L2, ya bilge rat, matey, me hearties, and L3 fliers alike. Begad! You will nay regret addin' this little pooch t' your fleet!
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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A.L.S. (May 31, 2009)