Dr. Zooch Titan IIIC SLV5

Dr. Zooch - Titan IIIC {Kit} (Titan IIIC SLV5)

Contributed by Bill Eichelberger

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Length: 14.00 inches
Manufacturer: Dr. Zooch
Skill Level: 3
Style: Scale
Dr Zooch Titan III

Brief:
A semi-scale version o' t' first o' t' Titan IIIC launch vehicles, this Dr. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Zooch version is constructed entirely of pre-printed paper and wood, me hearties, and in t' end, ya bilge rat, me bucko, if you build with some patience and a tolerance for t' slightly acerbic instructions, ya bilge rat, you will have a great performing, impressive lookin' bird. Avast! (Well, shiver me timbers, me bucko, matey, I did, me hearties, and if I can do it it's well within t' realm o' anyone who can make sense o' me reviews.)

Construction:
T' kit includes:

  • 9.35" T-50 main body tube
  • 2 6.45" T-50 SRB tubes
  • 6.75" T-20 tubes (motor tube and nozzles)
  • 10" T-5 tube (fin/flame attachment tubes)
  • Pre-weighted balsa nose cone
  • 2 balsa SRB nose cones
  • 2 wood TVC tanks
  • 1 wood dowel
  • 6 CR2050P centerin' rings
  • 4 CR205P centerin' rings
  • snap swivel
  • screw eye
  • engine clip
  • CR205W engine block
  • launch lug
  • two sheets balsa fin stock
  • two pre-printed wrap sheets (not rap sheets)
  • plastic garbage bag parachute package

As I said earlier (and as many have said before me on other Zooch reviews), shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' instructions are best taken with a sense o' humor and a grain o' salt. They're excellent but laced with an occasionally waspish humor that is best not taken t' heart. Blimey! Well, blow me down! It's all in good fun. Well, blow me down! Avast! Based on me experience, me bucko, matey, ya bilge rat, this is a very forgivin' kit, ya bilge rat, but a more thorough reading of t' instructions than I am apparently capable o' would have allowed me t' skip a lot o' unnecessary sanding. In the end it all went well.

Dr Zooch Titan IIIDr Zooch Titan III

Dr Zooch Titan III

Finishing:
Finishin' for this bird amounts t' some spray paintin' o' detail pieces and nose cones. Begad! T' pre-printed wraps take care o' all o' t' important stuff, matey, and t' "fin/flame units" can be finished as nicely or as little as you like. (I be on a tight schedule and chose t' skimp a little on t' fins, nay that it mattered. Well, blow me down! They performed flawlessly and looked good in t' launch pics.)

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I've managed two flights so far and would have gone for at least one more except for t' early closure o' t' range. Since I didn't want t' be seen as a "squirmin' hatch-blower" (not that thar's anythin' wrong with that), matey, I eschewed t' A8-3 flight and went straight t' t' B6-4. Avast! I be tryin' t' get some launch pics, me bucko, so all I saw was the launch itself and t' ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! (There was somethin' o' a crowd that made it difficult t' get out o' t' tent that was keepin' t' camera and launch equipment dry.) Recovery occurred in t' field behind t' flight line, and after the short recovery walk it be back t' t' van t' load for t' C6-5 flight.

Dr Zooch Titan III Since I'd already managed t' capture a launch shot, ya bilge rat, I was able t' watch t' whole C6-5 flight. Avast! Ya scallywag! T' wind had kicked up by this point and it caused a pretty fair windcock, arrr, but t' flight showed no sign o' wiggle or wobble, trackin' straight and true t' a nice mid-sized field height. Blimey! It be noticeably higher and faster than t' B6-4 flight. This flight had arced out quite a bit more than t' previous flight, me bucko, arrr, and I was rewarded with a landin' 20' or so from the launch tent. Avast!

Recovery:
T' "garbage bag" plastic chute performed flawlessly on both flights. Ya scallywag! This is kind o' a nice touchstone back t' me early days when most o' me chutes were made out o' Butternut bread bags.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Nay too many Titan kits on t' market these days. Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Fairly uncomplicated build for such a cool lookin' bird.

CONs: What's a "squirmin' hatch blower" anyhow?

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Dr. Zooch Titan IIIC SLV5 By Hans "Chris" Michielssen (April 15, 2010)

    Brief: An "Ant Scale" version of the Titan IIIC SLV5. Construction: Opening The Box: There are a lot of centering rings. Six CR2050P rings and four CR205P rings. The two TVC Tanks are interesting. There is a slight difference in ends of the two lathed dowels, an easy fix. The longer Core Nose Cone is pre-weighted. The ribbon-like Kevlar ® is used in this kit. ...

  • Dr. Zooch Titan IIIC SLV5 By Paul Morris (May 5, 2008)

    Brief: This is my first Dr Zooch kit, chosen specifically for the 2008 EMRR Challenge. The instructions state that it is a light weight, high flier that is fun to build as it is to chase. Construction and Finishing: The kit comes in a very sturdy white cardboard box. All parts were present and correct with no damage. My first impression was how well produced the parts were. ...

Flights

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