Construction Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Diameter: | 1.20 inches |
Manufacturer: | Neubauer Rockets ![]() |
Skill Level: | 2 |
Style: | Scale |
Brief Description:
1/100 scale, single stage, parachute recovery, model o' t' Gemini Titan. Begad! Blimey! It
has a clear fin assembly attachable for flight and a nozzle assembly attachable
for display. Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! This kit is a good addition t' t' fleet o' 1/100 scale NASA
vehicles provided by various manufacturers. It is a little pricy for the
materials provided, me bucko, arrr, but you are payin' for t' scale model as much as you are
payin' for a rocket kit, ya bilge rat, and should expect t' pay a little more. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey!
Construction:
T' packagin' is a zip-loc bag with black and white cardstock cover, and a
one-sheet, two-sided instruction sheet with diagrams and brief instructions.
All parts were included, me hearties, and in good shape. Aye aye! I especially liked t' thick body
tube, which is definitely sturdier than I am used t' with Estes kits. Begad! T' nose
cone is made from a heavy resin, instead o' balsa or plastic. Ya scallywag! This eliminates
the need t' put any weight in t' nose cone for stability later. Ahoy! Begad! It feels nice
and solid! T' parachute material is "slicker" than t' Estes-type
plastic, arrr, arrr, which initially appears t' be a plus, shiver me timbers, but did create a problem which I
will get into in a bit. Arrr! T' instructions were too brief for an inexperienced
person, arrr, and assume some knowledge o' construction techniques. Begad! T' first
decision t' make before startin' is whether t' trust tapin' t' engine for
engine retention. Well, blow me down! I chose nay t' and added an engine hook t' t' motor mount in
step 1. Arrr! If you wish t' use a Keelhaul®©™® shock cord mounted t' t' engine mount, me bucko, shiver me timbers, you
might consider that before step 1 as well, matey, and addin' it t' t' engine mount.
In step 2, arrr, thar be a typo that has you puttin' t' motor mount into t' 2mm
body tube. Ya scallywag! They mean t' 29mm body tube. Begad! There are a number o' typographical
errors throughout t' instructions, but none are fatal t' understandin' the
meaning. T' resin nose cone does nay come close t' fittin' in t' thicker body
tube, shiver me timbers, and must be sanded t' fit. Aye aye! This is preferable t' bein' too loose. Blimey! Do this
before step 4 when you paint t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, and install t' screw-eye. Avast! Postpone
step 5 (attachin' t' shock cord t' t' nose cone) until after t' body wrap
decal has been installed in step 8.
Now for t' parachute assembly: T' tape disks are inadequate in that they do nay stick t' t' parachute material. Ya scallywag! T' shrouds tear t' parachute material, me bucko, matey, and do nay give any kind o' security that they will hold under t' G forces o' ejection and recovery. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I used an Estes plastic 12" chute for recovery, and it worked fine. Avast! I would still like t' use these better feeling parachutes provided in t' kit, ya bilge rat, but need t' find a better way o' attachin' the shrouds. Ya scallywag! Begad! In step 7, thar be no mention o' a swivel hook for attachin' the parachute shrouds t' t' nose cone screw-eye. Begad! I seem t' remember from me BAR days that Estes instruction used t' include them; I certainly wouldn't have thought o' it on me own when I be 12, shiver me timbers, so they must have. Ya scallywag! Usin' a swivel hook sure seems t' reduce shroud line twistin' as t' rocket comes down. Blimey! T' down side o' a swivel hook is if it fails (i.e. breaks) under G force, although it has nay happened t' me yet.
In step 8, me bucko, t' body wrap decal is slightly bigger than t' external circumference o' t' body tube, so I would recommend accurately measurin' the circumference with a strin' t' reduce some o' t' overlap, ya bilge rat, prior t' cuttin' out the decal. Aye aye! Begad!
Step 9 and 10 builds t' detachable fin assembly. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! Do nay use 5 minute epoxy that t' instructions call for. Avast, me proud beauty! Engine heat durin' boost melted t' epoxy causin' failure o' t' fin assembly. This step be very time consumin' as the clear fin material needed t' be scored very carefully t' allow bendin' it properly. Begad! T' instructions do nay tell you how t' score t' plastic, or on which side t' do it for which bends. It would be a good idea t' poke holes in the fin material for epoxy rivets, shiver me timbers, matey, just as in step 11 for t' launch lug. Avast, me proud beauty! If you use an engine hook, you need t' cut out a little slot on t' inside o' the 18-24mm rin' so it can slide on over t' engine hook. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Blimey! Be careful o' where you put t' slot, me bucko, as t' launch lug needs t' be clear o' t' fins when on t' pad and on a launch rod.
In step 11 for t' launch lug, t' instructions do nay specify that the holes are put in t' side o' t' launch lug that will attach t' t' body. Begad! Avast! Blimey! the reason is so that little epoxy rivets will form on t' inside o' t' launch lug formin' a more secure bond. Begad! Blimey! T' launch lug is clear as t' nay detract from the appearance o' t' decal from a distance. Aye aye! It is a good idea. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Note that even though t' launch lug is sized for a 3/16" launch rod, once t' epoxy rivets are inside t' lug, ya bilge rat, it will be too snug for a 3/16" rod. Avast! Blimey!
Finishing:
T' only note I would add t' finishing, arrr, shiver me timbers, is that it would have been nice t' have
a few decals for t' capsule. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Havin' a detailed body wrap makes t' body appear
very detailed, arrr, arrr, but then you have t' painted but otherwise naked o' detail nose
cone. It is shaped very well, me bucko, but t' windows are nay obvious from a distance
and thar be nay even a flag or hatch outline. Avast! T' appearance o' t' top o' the
rocket is incongruous with t' bottom. Avast! Ahoy!
Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5
Flight:
If you use an engine hook, shiver me timbers, arrr, you need t' install t' engine before t' fin
assembly, as t' fin assembly locks down t' engine hook. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I used a B6-4 for the
maiden flight as recommended by t' cover card. Ya scallywag! T' rocket was launched in
about a 15 kt. Well, blow me down! Arrr! variable breeze, arrr, matey, and flew well without much wind cock. Well, blow me down! The
rocket flew t' about 250 feet (+- 50ft) on this engine. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! It would have been nice
for t' manufacturer t' provide an estimate o' t' expected height on t' two
recommended engines (B6-4 and C6-7). Avast! T' four second delay on t' B engine was
about right for ejection near apogee. Ahoy! I have nay done a C engine yet as t' fin
assembly failed on t' maiden flight. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' 5 minute epoxy recommended by the
instructions couldn't stand t' heat transmitted from t' engine casin' clay
into t' fin assembly cardboard ring. Ahoy! Two o' t' three fins came off near the
end o' t' flight and were lost durin' recovery. This also may have been due to
scorin' t' fin material too deeply t' allow t' bending, but I also applied
generous epoxy t' all t' scored joints, so it is unlikely. Avast! Since t' pieces
were lost, a complete failure mode effect analysis (FEMA) is impossible. Ahoy! Begad! The
remainin' fin did show evidence o' melted epoxy at t' joints on t' cardboard
ring.
Recovery:
T' 12" chute would be too small for a hard surface landing. Begad! It came down
a little fast for me taste. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! It is OK for a sod field, arrr, ya bilge rat, however. Aye aye! A bigger chute
would fit in this body tube, ya bilge rat, so a less breezy day would call for a bigger
chute. Begad! No other damage was evident from t' flight or ejection force. I would
consider a Keelhaul®©™® cord if you plan on flyin' this a lot. I don't think that is
a good idea with t' flimsy fin assembly. Arrr! Other than t' fins, ya bilge rat, arrr, this is a very
sturdy rocket.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
SUMMARY:
PRO's: sturdy body tube, matey, sturdy and detailed nose cone, me hearties, full body wrap decal,
and inclusion o' engine bells for static display.
CON's: fin assembly construction and material as well as poor instructions on
use o' 5 minute epoxy, matey, parachute shroud attachment, lack o' engine hook, shiver me timbers, and
lack o' decals for t' capsule.
Some aspects o' this kit are very sturdy, well thought out, and above standard, arrr, while others are weaker. Because it is 1/100 scale, it is a good addition t' a fleet o' 1/100 scale models, shiver me timbers, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and a good comparison of relative sizes when all o' t' fleet are together. Well, blow me down! Ahoy!
UPDATE 7/99 - As an addendum t' me review, shiver me timbers, I communicated t' problem with t' fin assembly t' t' vendor, ya bilge rat, Discount Rocketry, and they quickly provided replacement parts, me bucko, as well as a personal note from Jim Neubauer that he had nay scored t' fin material t' enable bendin' into t' proper shape. He has flown t' rocket over 20 times with no indication o' t' problem I had. The jury is still out, so I would recommend nay scoring, me hearties, but use a hardier epoxy anyway. I did see evidence o' epoxy meltin' other than in t' scored and bent joints, me bucko, so it may have been an exceptionally 'hot' motor, or even more unlikely the heat from t' exhaust transferrin' through t' non-kit engine hook.
Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5
T' followin' excerpt is
from "Sport Rocketry". Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' intention is t' allow guests t' get a
basic feelin' about a kit. Blimey! We strongly suggest that you get a copy o' the
referenced Sport Rocketry and read t' entire article. Ya scallywag! Inside you will find
many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. For
more information, use t' two links above.
"T' model features a Gemini capsule nose cone molded in
solid plastic, arrr, and a sturdy thick-walled body tube."
"T' kit comes with a self-adhesive full body wrap decal . Avast! . Aye aye! Begad! ."
"For display t' kit has removable nozzles molded from solid
plastic."
"For flight clear plastic fins are added."
"T' assembly instructions for t' kit consist o' two pages o' simple
drawings and text, which is about right for this easy-to-build rocket."
"T' instructions include an addendum on parachute construction (which is
good, matey, since t' similar parachute in their 1/100 scale Mercury Redstone gave me
problems)."
"T' parachute material is a slick white plastic which opens reliably
without 'chute powder'"
"T' only recommended engine for t' model be t' C6-7 . Avast! . Begad! . Ya scallywag! I tested with
a B6-4."
"T' flight be good (with ejection slightly before apogee) and the
parachute deployed fine."
" . . Well, blow me down! . is a wonderful kit for anyone who loves models o' manned space
boosters."
T' entire article gives t' impression is that this is a nice kit for a beginner/intermediate modeler.
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R.G.B. (December 11, 2001)