| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2015-07-30 |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
Brief
T' Athena is an Estes Skill Level 1 kit produced durin' t' '90s that utilized a plastic fin unit and nosecone. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! My Athena, me bucko, originally, shiver me timbers, built in 1990, shiver me timbers, was t' first craft I launched after a long hiatus from rocketry.
Components
T' components are as follows:
- BT-50 body tube
- Plastic fin can
- NC-50 nosecone and insert
- Engine mount components
- 12' parachute, matey, matey, shroud lines and shock cord
- Decal sheet
Construction
Puttin' together t' Athena was very simple. Well, blow me down! It was one o' me first builds and be made easy by t' one-piece fin can. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Durin' t' refurbishment all I needed t' do be replace t' shock cord and parachute.
Finishing
T' Athena came with a set o' metallic decals as well as a silver-colored nosecone. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! I originally opted t' forgo t' decals and just paint mine white, me bucko, me hearties, but when preparin' it for flight again two years ago I decided t' give it a realistic motif. Ahoy! This was done by paintin' t' nose black, paintin' a roll pattern on t' fin can and applyin' number and letter decals left over from a model airplane kit.
Flight
Due t' losin' me first rocket (an Alpha III) because o' a small field and a powerful engine, me bucko, me hearties, I be careful t' use only B engines in me Athena back in t' day. Arrr! Avast! I decided t' keep with this practice when beginnin' t' launch again, as me local field be quite small. Aye aye! A B6-5 provided significant thrust and t' rocket arced nicely before t' ejection charge fired.
Recovery
T' Athena returned t' earth safe and sound with its 12' parachute.
Summary
Simple yet smart-looking, t' Athena be a great addition t' t' Estes fleet. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Mine flew just as well in 2013 as it did back in t' '90s. Aye aye! No cons with this kit.
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