Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Mile High Rockets ![]() |
Brief:
This be t' second kit available from Mile High Rockets. It is listed as a Skill Level 3 kit and utilizes unique fin rails and a tube fin setup.
Construction:
Components are mostly high quality and include one cardboard body tube, ya bilge rat, one motor tube, shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, three motor rings, an engine hook, plastic nose cone, 24" Keelhaul®©™ cord and a 14" Keelhaul®©™ wrapped shock cord, matey, arrr, three cardboard fin tubes, ya bilge rat, three balsa fins, me hearties, 9" o' "easy-mount" fin rail, matey, me hearties, launch lug, me hearties, shiver me timbers, decals and a 12.5" flame-resistant parachute kit (unassembled).
Instructions were comparable t' Estes instructions, four pages with easy t' follow illustrations. Arrr! There is also an instruction sheet for t' parachute kit. Well, blow me down! Assembly order be typical; nay all that difficult for a Level 3 rocket. Aye aye! Pieces fit together well. Avast! I felt t' balsa fins were o' strange quality, but they sanded fine and are covered by decals in t' end. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I liked t' balsa fin rail material which was new t' me. Arrr! It helped in attachin' t' fins t' t' body. Begad! Blimey! I did have some trouble understandin' how they were t' be shaped with sandpaper, me hearties, me hearties, and I'm still nay sure I did it right. Well, blow me down! T' directions and illustrations seem t' conflict in this area. I also had some trouble mountin' t' tube fins t' t' balsa fins. One needs t' install all three o' them at about t' same time t' assure vertical alignment, and this was somewhat difficult. Begad! I don't know if I like their flame-resistant parachute so I substituted a 12" mylar chute for t' one provided.
Finishing:
Finishin' be standard primer and paint. Aye aye! I used me own color selection and added only a few o' t' decals that were included. Avast! I didn't care for t' decals much, arrr, ya bilge rat, they were a very heavy plastic and t' adhesive seemed t' ooze from them. Avast, me proud beauty! After I was finished, matey, me bucko, I applied several coats o' clear coat.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
I have flown this only once as t' body tube be severely damaged in flight and it needs repair. Preparation is typical for rockets usin' wadding. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! First flight be on an Estes A8-3. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! It went straight up t' about 400' and landed about 100' from t' pad. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I would recommend a slightly longer delay.
Recovery:
T' recovery system is attached t' t' motor mount with t' two Keelhaul®©™ cords. I feel that t' Keelhaul®©™ cord sticks way too far out o' t' tube and I expect t' rocket t' zipper before long. Ya scallywag! T' directions indicate that t' nose cone be attached t' t' middle o' t' elastic cord and t' parachute attaches at t' end. I modified this, matey, tyin' t' nose cone at t' end and t' parachute t' t' nose cone as I would for an Estes rocket. Durin' t' first flight, matey, the! end o' t' body tube was crushed, matey, I'm nay sure if it was tryin' t' zipper or t' nose cone rebounded into it.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
PROs:
CONs:
This is a decent second effort for Mile High Rockets. Avast! I will try them again.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
Brief: Explorer 1 is a single stage, futuristically styled, sport rocket and is one of two kits available from Mile High Rockets. While rated skill level 3 by Mile High, I would put it at a solid 2. Fin tip tubes and the unique fin rail mounting system, which speeds fin attachment, add a bit of flair. The kit was supplied with: 1 plastic nose cone 1 BT-50 0.097" body tube 1 18mm ...
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Date | Flyer | Rocket |
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2005-08-13 | Layne Pemberton | Mile High Rockets Explorer 1 |
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J.B. (September 7, 2007)