| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2015-07-04 |
| Manufacturer: | Sirius Rocketry  |
Brief
T' Sirius Rocketry Interrogator G (Kit Number S-0015) is a Transition Series mid/high power rocket kit. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! It is described as a Near-Space Fighter, which accurately denotes both its militaristic and futuristic/fantasy detailing. Arrr! Begad! T' finished rocket is 44.125" in length. T' main body tube is 2.245" in diameter, me hearties, but t' aft intake shroud is 3.0" tubing, cut at a bias on t' front end. Begad! T' large main wings are canted and have perpendicular rudders, me hearties, and thar are two strakes on t' forward end o' t' intake tube, and a Ramjet tube tucked under each wing. Begad! T' rocket has a 29-mm motor mount and can fly on F, me bucko, G, shiver me timbers, and small H motors, me hearties, and is equipped with a 30" rip-stop nylon parachute for recovery. Arrr! T' kit includes both a 1/4" launch lug and two rail buttons for a 1010-style rail, and four full-color water-slide decal sheets t' provide incredible detail t' t' finished rocket.
Components
T' parts list for this rocket is as follows:
- Rail Button Kit (hardware for two rail buttons for 1010-style rail)
- Motor retention hardware kit
- 1/8" Laser-cut plywood sheet for wings, me bucko, me bucko, rudders, strakes, me bucko, and centerin' rings
- 3.0"-Diameter Intake Tube (16.5" long)
- Detailed instruction manual, loaded with helpful diagrams
- 1/4" x 2.4" Launch Lug
- Balsa Nose Cone
- Nose cone Dowel Insert and Screw Eye
- T52-H Ramjet Tubes (4-1/16" long) (2)
- Main Body Tubes T70-H (19.5" long) (2)
- T70-4 Coupler Tube (4" long)
- 30"-Diameter Ripstop Nylon Parachute Kit
- T52-H 29mm Motor Mount Tube (18-1/16" long)
- 1/4"-Diameter Conduit Dowel (16.5" long)
- 1/8" Quick Link
- Keelhaul®©™ Shock Cord Mount Cord (36" long)
- 1/2"-Wide Elastic Shock Cord (6' long)
- 3/16"-Diameter Detail Dowels (5-3/4" long ) (4)
- Markin' guide Sheet P/N S-1015-MG
- Four Decal Sheets (P/N D-1015-1, -2, matey, -3, and -4)
Construction
I built t' kit per t' detailed instructions, which provide plenty o' information on buildin' a rocket that withstand t' rigors o' high powered motors. Arrr! I chose t' attach t' centerin' rings t' t' motor mount with 20-min epoxy, but I used Elmer's Tightbond II glue for all other assembly. Ahoy! I filled t' tube spirals on t' exterior o' t' main body tubes, and on both t' exterior and interiors o' t' ramjet tubes and t' large intake tube near t' tube ends t' provide a good esthetic in t' finished rocket. Ahoy! T' laser-cut parts fit together very well, and t' plywood needed very little sanding. I chose t' leave t' plywood edges unrounded per t' instructions. Begad! Before gluin' t' main body tube inside t' intake tube, i masked off t' areas that would form t' glue joint and primed t' exterior o' t' main body tube and t' interior o' t' intake tube usin' KILZ white primer (fig. Blimey! Aye aye! 1). Begad!
These surfaces were sanded smooth and reprimed and sanded before assembly t' ensure thar would be no paint shadows inside t' intake tube when t' model was finished. Blimey! Aye aye! Once these tubes are glued together t' hardwood dowel is carefully aligned and glued at t' top o' t' body tubes (fig 2).
T' only two other tricky parts t' t' assembly were t' 1) ensure a large flat surface for gluin' t' wings t' t' intake tube and careful alignment o' t' body tubes t' t' table: this sets t' win' dihedral angle (fig 3), which you want equal on both sides o' t' rocket; and 2) be very fast when gluin' t' two main tubes together with t' coupler: this glue joint will seize up very easily as t' components have very tight tolerances.
Finishing
T' instructions provided detailed information on finishin' t' model: paint schemes, matey, arrr, decal placement, and tips t' achieve a good paint finish. Arrr! Begad! As mentioned above some partial finishin' be needed durin' assembly on t' interior o' t' intake tube. Avast, me proud beauty! T' entire model be painted with white Rustoleum paint/primer. Well, blow me down! Begad! Other colors (gray underbelly o' t' intake tube,orange-red interior o' t' ramjets, black win' edges, and silver win' tip dowels) were then applied t' t' model (figs 4 and 5).
Finally t' decals were carefully applied and t' entire rocket sprayed with several coats o' Rustoleum Clear Matte (figs 6,7,and 8). Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I added a vinyl CG sticker (fig 8) t' remind myself t' ensure that CG is ahead o' this location when t' rocket is fully prepped and ready for flight (location provided by Sirius Rocketry).
Flight
I've flown this rocket most often on Aerotech F52-5T motors, but have also successfully flown on an Aerotech G71R-7 and a CTI G106-9 Skidmark. T' rocket has always boosted arrow straight with no rotation and does wind-cock a bit as it is typically overstable with t' F motors. Well, blow me down! T' motors recommended by Sirius Rocketry are F52-5T, me hearties, me hearties, F60-4R, F50-6T, me bucko, G40-7W, G80-7R, G80-7T, H128W-M, and H180W-M. Ya scallywag! Because G motors nearly put this rocket out o' sight, I've been too nervous t' try an H motor because I did nay want t' lose this rocket--too many hours finishin' t' lose it sight-unseen.
Recovery
T' ripstop nylon parachute is well-sized for t' rocket and I've never had any major recovery damage when t' parachute fully deployed. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I added a 5"-square o' Aramid as a chute protector and this has worked very well. T' long stuffer tube ensures that t' motor ejection charge deploys t' parachute with gusto.
Summary
This be t' second Sirius Rocketry Kit I've had t' pleasure o' buildin' and flying. T' materials o' construction are all excellent, and t' use o' heavy-walled tubes, ya bilge rat, while addin' some weight, allow this rocket t' be flown with large motors without fear o' tube collapse upon a less than optimal recovery. David Miller o' Sirius Rocketry has produced an extremely handsome rocket that, me hearties, if built and decorated per his instructions, will be t' pride o' your mid power fleet.
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