Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Published: | 2010-06-22 |
Diameter: | 0.98 inches |
Length: | 22.25 inches |
Manufacturer: | Estes ![]() |
Skill Level: | 2 |
Style: | Futuristic/Exotic |
Brief:
This rocket is bein' reviewed by Dale Marshall and Tim Reidy. Begad! Blimey! Tim has more buildin' experience
so his comments are listed first.
Tim:
When I saw t' list o' kits that Estes was re-releasin' as part o' its
Classic Series, I was delighted t' see t' Satellite Interceptor on t' list. Ahoy! It had been on me list o' kits t' clone,
and now Estes had saved me t' work.
Dale:
Well I took a long hiatus from rocket building, arrr, so this one would be new for
me. Begad! I have t' younger brother o' this kit, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' Crossbow SST, arrr, me hearties, me bucko, and it was a fun one t' build and fly. Avast, me proud beauty! I was
lookin' forward t' gettin' this one done.
Construction:
Tim:
Upon openin' and examinin' t' kit, I saw it was
just like t' original, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, with a couple o' exceptions. Ahoy! Blimey! Since thar are no molded plastic parts, thar be no tail cone in
t' new kit, although a centerin' rin' and piece o' card stock would fix that. Ahoy! T' balsa nose cone means a little more
work t' finish t' kit, me bucko, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but it is well worth it t' ensure t' new generation o' modelers keeps up with the
fundamentals. Ahoy!
Dale:
Yea, I was a little surprised t' find a balsa nosecone in this one. Aye aye! I have a
larger version o' this nosecone in plastic and it looks really nice. Begad! I was pleased with t' packagin' o' t' kit, me hearties, with
all o' t' smaller pieces in a separate plastic bag.
Tim:
So it was time t' start
building. Assembly starts with fine sandin' t' laser-cut fins while still attached t' t' balsa sheet. A good
technique t' save some finish sandin' later. Aye aye! You then remove t' fins from t' scrap balsa, me hearties, me hearties, square t' root edges and
round t' leadin' edges. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down! No problem there. Blimey! Arrr! T' engine mount is next. Arrr! It is straight forward, ya bilge rat, except that I don't care
for t' new Estes engine hook, so I omit that and opt t' friction fit later.
Dale:
I actually didnt start with t' fins, optin' t' build t' engine mount
first t' let it dry while I did some other work. I did include t' engine hook because I dont have a lot o' luck
friction-fittin' engines. Begad! I be very disappointed in t' quality o' t' balsa fins in me kit. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! It be rough and took a
LOT o' sandin' t' resemble anythin' near smooth. Begad! This be t' first time Ive run into this poor quality o' balsa
in any kit from any manufacturer.
Tim:
Next step is t' cut t' tube markin' guide from t' instructions and mark the
tube. Ya scallywag! I still use t' door frame method as illustrated. Begad! Blimey! I marked t' tube, ya bilge rat, extended t' lines and dutifully labeled
them.
Dale:
Be sure t' do all that after you fill t' spirals with filler and sand it
down. Aye aye! Nay that Im talkin' from experience or anything.
Tim:
Time t' attach t' fins. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Here I ran into me first issue with t' new version.
You first attach t' wings, matey, which end up bein' perpendicular t' t' vertical and sub fins. After t' wings come the
stabilizers. Per t' markin' guide and t' illustration in t' instruction, t' stabilizers are attached on t' line
above t' wings and angled down. Aye aye! Blimey! Nowhere does it mention that it would be a good idea t' sand t' root edges o' the
stabilizers at an angle t' get a good glue joint with t' body tube. Arrr! Blimey! I've looked at t' instruction for t' original
Satellite Interceptor, and t' setup was a little better. T' stabilizers were perpendicular t' t' vertical fins, me hearties, and
t' wings were angled down, although below t' stabilizers, so they still came straight out o' t' body tube. Blimey! Blimey! A much
easier and stronger joint. Avast! Blimey! I added t' vertical and sub fins, and finished with t' win' tubes and dowels t' make it
look cool.
Dale:
I noticed t' same thin' with t' aft fins but nay until I had tried
gluin' them on stock first. Oops. Begad! Had t' wipe off t' glue, bevel t' fins, and then attach them again. Arrr! One thin' I did
differently (by mistake, matey, actually) was t' mount t' lower fin pointin' backwards towards t' tail in t' same direction
as t' upper tail fin. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I like t' way it looks. Arrr! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' support t' fins I used some o' me small paint bottles which turned
out t' be t' perfect size t' make t' angle correct. Well, blow me down! Begad! I used those bottles t' support t' rocket as I glued on each of
t' fins and t' win' tubes.
Tim:
After installin' t' last few steps involve addin' t' engine mount, arrr, me bucko, launch
lug and shock cord, as well as t' nose cone. I still prefer sewin' elastic t' t' bare rubber shock cord Estes
returned t' a
few years ago, so I substituted a longer piece o' that. Ahoy! Blimey! Engine mount and launch lug
went on as directed. Blimey! Blimey! Then I came t' t' nose cone. Avast! Blimey! I've built a fair number o' Estes kits and cloned many more with
balsa cones. Ya scallywag! Blimey! We all know thar are times you get balsa that seems as hard as oak and other times it is like warm
butter. You are directed t' screw in t' screw eye and go on your merry way. Old time kits always had you take it back
out and squirt glue in t' give t' eye a better setting. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! My son just built t' Mini Max, matey, and t' eye isn't glued on
that one either. Personally I think it's an oversight that Estes should correct, but maybe it is by design. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I still
opted for t' glue.
Dale:
I, me bucko, me hearties, too, did t' "glue t' screw eye in t' nosecone bit". I find
myself doin' that on every kit now. Ya scallywag! My nosecone had a pretty good consistency, but I found it difficult t' get the
screw eye t' go in straight. Ya scallywag! I used t' stock rubber band and tri-fold mount and parachute.
Finishing:
Tim:
On t' finishing. I prefer the
smooth look and strength o' epoxy fillets, ya bilge rat, so I reinforced me fins with some 5 minute epoxy, and finished t' fine
sandin' o' t' nose cone and fins. I used thinned out Elmer's wood filler t' finish all t' balsa, matey, and applied 2 coats
o' Krylon white primer, sandin' after each coat. I finished with 2 light coats o' Krylon semi-gloss white. Begad! T' decals
are sharp, me hearties, matey, shiver me timbers, so I be careful and took me time applyin' them. Avast! They are pretty thin, me bucko, so I can see where they might tear
easily if nay careful. Aye aye! Two light coats o' Krylon clear acrylic, and I was done.
Dale:
I havent done t' epoxy fillets before but I have read about them so I
may try that on me next build. Ahoy! I used two coats o' gray primer (three on t' fins) t' get a pretty smooth finish. Begad! Begad! I
still have t' work on me fin-fillin' techniques. I dont like t' Krylon white, matey, but thats all I had t' work
with so thats what I used. This time I did it without any runs in t' paint. Avast, me proud beauty! I saved t' many decals until after
launching. This kit comes with a LOT o' really nice decals!
Tim:
Build 4 out o' 5 due t' t' angled stabilizers and nay anchorin' t' eye in
t' nose cone.
Dale:
Agreed. I think me rough fin balsa was an anomaly so I wont din' Estes
for that even though it should have been caught in quality control.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
Tim:
I had a beautiful calm evenin' on a nice grassy soccer
field for t' maiden launch. I prepped with a B6-4 and let 'er rip. I'm horrible at judgin' altitude, so let's just say
it went straight up, plenty high. I'm glad Estes replaced t' plain white parachute with plain red ones now. Avast, me proud beauty! They are
much easier t' see against a cloudy sky. Blimey! Ahoy! It came down softly with no damage. Begad! Begad! Since t' rocket is light, ya bilge rat, and thar was
no wind, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I decided t' try it on an A8-3 even though nay on t' recommended list. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! It was a recommended motor on the
original, so I thought it should do just fine. Ya scallywag! I be right. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Again it flew straight and true, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and returned safely.
Flight 5 out o' 5.
Dale:
Unfortunately I didnt have a calm day t' fly me SI. Begad! Blimey! Winds were
reasonably consistent, mostly about 5-10 MPH with occasional gusts (blew over me launch pad twice with a heavier rocket
on the
pad). Begad! Arrr! Because o' t' winds, and t' local RC plane club flyin' on t' field at the
same time, me bucko, I opted for t' A8-3 for t' first flight. I dont have a large selection o' engines right now because
o' many recent launches. Ahoy! T' first flight was straight up for about 150 feet, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I think, nay even arcin' into t' wind
all that much. Begad! Beautiful flight and t' chute popped just after apogee. Well, blow me down! It came down pretty fast, though,
probably because o' t' wind, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and popped one o' t' aft fins when it hit t' hard ground. Avast, me proud beauty! A little Gorilla Glue and
t' SI be ready t' fly again. Arrr! This time I used a B6-4 like Tim did, shiver me timbers, and t' flight be amazing! Much higher and still
straight, and still a reasonably fast descent and that darn fin popped loose again. I found out why though my
parachute was slightly melted. Begad! I must nay have put enough waddin' in. Oh well. Ya scallywag! Since I dont have a spare
chute, I unfolded it as best as I could (there are now several spill holes in t' chute), stuffed some more
waddin' in, arrr, and set it up on another B6-4. Begad! T' wind was just too strong t' try a C engine. T' last flight was just
like t' second one, except this time t' 4-second delay be too much and t' chute got tangled in t' fins and
t' whole thin' came down horizontally
which was a good thin' because t' rocket body created enough drag to
brin' it down softly even though t' chute be full o' holes.
Flight 4.5 out o' 5 due t' a possibly undersized parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr!
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
Tim:
Overall impressions: I already have t' Satellite
Interceptor's big and little brothers, namely t' S.W.A.T. and Crossbow SST, so t' SI is a fine addition t' my
collection. Well, arrr, blow me down! Thanks Estes, me hearties, and keep bringin' back t' Classics.
Dale:
Overall impressions: I agree with Tim that this is a great addition t' the
fleet. Im sure Ill fly it many times in t' future once I replace t' parachute with somethin' a little bit
larger. Avast! Ya scallywag! Id really like t' try it on a C6!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
Brief: This is one of the new Estes kits from their Classic series,Crossbow SST is another kit similar in design. They call it Cool and Futuristic. I agree with both descriptions. This is a sleek multi-fined with tubes which made me go wow and some great decals to really make it kind a nasty like it will seek out and destroy. It use a 18 mm engine with parachute recovery. ...
Brief Older skill level 3 Estes kit introduced in 1978 and discontinued in 1982. Had one back in 1979 that I lost to a tree on its first flight. When I became a BAR this is one of the first kits I wanted to clone, but it was difficult because of the unique nose cone/tail cone combination. However, in 1997 Estes introduced the Wildfire kit (#2154, see picture), which re-introduced this plastic ...
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K.F. (July 8, 2010)