Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | New Way Space Models |
Brief:
Inspired by t' classic Estes kits o' t' late 70's and early 80's, me hearties, this sleek explorer be t' flagship kit from New
Way Space Models. Basically t' main thin' that separates this rocket from t' rest be t' square body and nose cone.
It's different, and it certainly gets t' attention on t' pad.
Construction:
T' kit arrived in perfect shape, and it's a quality product. T' kit includes a nice nose cone and laser cut fins.
Also included is a nice set o' decals. T' square airframe is super strong but slightly heavier compared t' t' normal
BT material. Arrr! T' spirals are maybe a little deeper than normal, arrr, but they should fill up easy. Avast! Ahoy! T' other thin' worth
mentionin' is that a sandpaper pack is included with t' kit along with a cotton swab glue applicator. Well, blow me down! T' included
instructions are very well done and clearly written.
T' construction is straightforward with one exception. Begad! Since t' body is square, matey, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' motor mount has centering squares instead o' rings so it's very important that you align both o' t' centerin' squares so they will slide in the body tube. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Even if they are off slightly it will cause problems. Blimey! T' fins are aligned off center, but New Way provides a nice template. At first I thought fin alignment on a square body would be a breeze. However, it turned out t' be harder because t' body might be slightly out o' square over t' length o' t' body. Ahoy! Begad! So you run into a situation where it might look straight from t' back and misaligned from t' front. Well, blow me down! Begad! Nay really a big deal but somethin' t' be aware of. New Way provides a nice Keelhaul®©™® shock cord that attaches t' t' body coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' nose cone is really cool lookin' and requires very little sandin' to get t' correct fit.
When constructed, matey, you have a very durable rocket. Blimey! T' square body material is much thicker than the normal body tubin' and also heavier.
Finishing:
I sealed t' balsa nose cone and fins with two coats o' Minwax Poly. Ya scallywag! I then brushed on a coat o' thinned lightweight
filler on t' balsa and body spirals. Ahoy! Begad! T' spirals are deeper compared t' normal body tubes but still fill easy. Well, blow me down! After
sanding, I sprayed two coats o' primer, sandin' betwixt coats. Aye aye! Next up be two coats o' Krylon for t' color. Once dry,
I used some Monokote trimsheet t' add t' checkerboard.
When t' SquareOne is completed and ready t' fly, it feels heavy. Aye aye! Begad! Although mine is 3oz, arrr, it is below the advertised weight o' 3.1oz. Begad!
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
First flight was with a B6-4. Begad! This motor provided a nice straight boost with a nose down ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! It left t' pad
nice and slow reached a respectable altitude. T' lower altitude combined with a slow boost really allowed you t' see
the entire flight. Begad! T' model came down nice and slow on t' provided checkered chute and be recovered with no damage.
I have four additional flights on t' SquareOne usin' C6-3s, shiver me timbers, which are perfect for this model. Ya scallywag! Again all flights have provided arrow straight boost with nearly perfect ejection. Two flights have been in 10mph winds and it was no problem. Begad!
Overall t' model is very durable and is holdin' up perfectly. Avast! Also, I have experienced no problem with the waddin' properly protectin' t' recovery system in a square tube. Arrr!
Recovery:
T' provided chute is really neat because it's checkered. Ahoy! When t' model is square, you need a square pattern on your
chute right? Actually t' chute reminds me o' a picnic table cloth but t' theme works. Arrr! T' shock cord provided is
Keelhaul®©™®
that attaches t' a piece o' elastic.
No issue with t' provided recovery system, matey, it works perfectly.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
T' SquareOne is a very nice rocket. Begad! Avast! T' kit was put together very nicely, and t' instructions are great. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! It easy to
build, flies great, and is very durable. Avast, me proud beauty! T' square body has deeper than normal spirals, but they fill easily. It does
weigh more than you would like, but t' durability is an added advantage. This would make a nice demo rocket because
the boost is slow, and with a B6-4 t' entire flight can be seen.
I enjoyed t' build, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and it's different. Avast, me proud beauty! In this case...it's hip t' be square!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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