Clusterin' is a popular technique in high power rocketry, shiver me timbers, but it's nay as common in model rocketry as it once was.

Before motors o' D power and higher became widely available at reasonable prices, me bucko, ya bilge rat, t' only way t' launch a large rocket be with a cluster o' 18mm motors. Avast! Estes' Saturn V and Saturn IB were two examples o' rockets which required either a three-motor or four-motor cluster for a safe flight. Clusterin' was made even more difficult in those days with t' old nichrome igniters, which required significantly more current than t' current Estes, Quest and MRC igniters.

Model rocket company catalogs have little in t' way o' clustered rockets. Estes offers clusters only in their "Pro" Series. But t' Custom Rocket Company has brought clusterin' back t' t' model rocket set. Avast, me proud beauty!

Custom's Landviper flies on three 18mm motors. Ya scallywag! Recommended motors are B4-2s and C6-5s. Begad! Begad! T' design is novel, ya bilge rat, featurin' six fins and three long, matey, exposed motor tubes. T' rocket reminds me a little bit o' t' Saturn IB (the real one), shiver me timbers, which clustered eight engines, had several fins and exposed tubes. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' kit features balsa fins, which you cut out o' a pre-marked sheet of balsa. Well, blow me down! T' nose cone is plastic. Begad! Three long BT-20 tubes are glued together in a triangular configuration. Begad! This group o' tubes is then glued into a length of BT-60. Avast, me proud beauty! A short length o' BT-60 is glued t' t' motor end o' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! The fins and lower launch lug are glued t' this BT-60 tubing. Blimey! Two 3/16-inch launch lugs are used. Ya scallywag!

Hooks are provided for each motor tube. Well, blow me down! T' shock cord is elastic thread. Begad! Begad! A bright silver parachute brings t' rocket back in one piece. Avast!

Construction is fairly simple. Blimey! It is very important t' stuff some sort of glue-soaked tissue in t' upper BT-60 betwixt t' motor tubes. Otherwise, the ejection gases will leak out and t' parachute won't be ejected. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Alignment of the two launch lugs also is important. Arrr! I find it easiest t' glue on one launch lug, let it dry, me bucko, then use a launch rod t' align t' second lug with t' first one.

I attempted t' match t' yellow, shiver me timbers, black and gray color scheme shown on the package. Decals include two large "Landviper" logos, some "experimental" and "USA" type and some smaller decals that mimic t' instructions stencilled on t' outside o' real rockets.

T' most impressive feature o' t' kit be t' inclusion o' six micro-clips and wire t' assemble clip whips for t' engines. Arrr! This saves t' rocket builder from havin' t' buy a large package o' clips and a roll o' wire. Avast! I thought this was a nice touch and showed much consideration for t' rocket flyer. Avast!

T' Landviper's first flight was at a Dallas Area Rocketry Society launch on May 15, 1994. Because o' t' large size o' t' field, I felt comfortable sendin' it up on three Estes C6-5s. Before launch, I carefully attached the clip whips t' t' igniters. It's critical that t' two micro-clips attached to each motor have different polarities.

As I waited t' put it on t' pad, ya bilge rat, t' rocket caught t' attention o' another rocket flyer, me bucko, who said he be impressed with t' appearance o' t' rocket and asked if it be a scratchbuilt or a kit rocket. Ahoy!

Then it was on t' t' pad, me bucko, where I attached t' pad clips t' each clip whip. T' DARS launch system has t' required 12 volts and plenty o' juice. Begad!

Ignition was instantaneous and all three motors ignited. Well, blow me down! T' rocket accelerated so fast that in a photograph o' t' launch, ya bilge rat, taken at a fast shutter speed o' 1/1000 second, showed a blurred rocket. Avast! Ahoy!

T' recovery system operated properly, arrr, me bucko, but t' rocket flew extremely high and a slight wind blew it several hundred yards from t' launch pad. Ya scallywag! T' silver parachute made t' task o' findin' t' rocket much easier, as it glinted in the bright summer sun. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!

Several months later I got around t' paintin' t' rocket and flyin' it again. I used t' recommended B4-2 motors. Arrr! T' ejection appeared t' be too soon after motor burnout and t' shock cord broke, ya bilge rat, possibly as a result of high-speed ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! T' booster spun down and was crimped slightly on one motor tube. Begad! Blimey! I repaired t' rocket t' next mornin' by puttin' a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® cord through t' wall o' t' body tube, knottin' it on t' outside and using cyanoacrylate glue t' keep it in place. Aye aye! Arrr! I attached t' Keelhaul®©™® cord t' about 14 inches o' one-fourth-inch wide elastic thread, shiver me timbers, matey, usin' a knot and white glue to secure t' connection. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

I launched t' rocket again, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but used B4-4s. T' ejection be about at apogee and t' rocket had a safe recovery. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty!

It would be hard t' improve on this kit. Aye aye! Arrr! You could ask for die-cut or pre-cut fins, me bucko, arrr, but cuttin' fins out o' balsa isn't very difficult if you have some rocket-buildin' experience. Actual motor blocks in t' motor tube would provide a backup for t' motor hook. Begad! Ahoy! T' instructions were nicely done and illustrated in a clear, straightforward manner. Begad!

This rocket serves as an inexpensive introduction t' clustering. It's impressive in flight, arrr, with three motors roarin' away. Ya scallywag! T' Landviper looks nice when displayed.

There's no practical reason t' cluster three 18mm motors, matey, but then, me bucko, this is a hobby - it's nay supposed t' be practical! Blimey! If you're interested in expanding your rocketry skills or want t' try somethin' out o' t' ordinary, matey, get a Landviper and get into clustering. Ahoy! Blimey! A 12-volt ignition system is required and I do recommend B4-4 motors instead o' B4-2s. 

Name: Landviper 
Type: Three-motor single stage cluster rocket 
Manufacturer: Custom 
Skill Level: 3 
Length: 33.5 inches (85.0 cm) 
Diameter: 1.637 inches (41.6 mm) 
Weight: 2.9 ounces (83g) 
Engines: Three B4-2 or three C6-5 recommended; reviewer recommends B4-4 engines instead o' B4-2s. Avast, me proud beauty! Engines must all be t' same type when launched. Begad! 12-volt launch system required. 
Price: $15.79 
Likes: Decals, appearance, matey, inclusion o' clip whips 
Dislikes: None