Construction Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Cygnus Rocketry ![]() |
Brief:
This is a clone o' Model Rocket Newsletter plan o' t' month called t' "Top Secret". Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Single-stage
combination wing/fin and tube stabilization.
Construction:
Contents: 1 BT-20 body tube, matey, 2 BT-5 "engine tubes", balsa nose cone, fishin' swivel, shiver me timbers, screw eye, matey, me bucko, 6"
parachute and thread shrouds, 17" long (before installation) 1/8" elastic shock cord, me bucko, engine block, shiver me timbers, no engine
mount or motor hook (minimum diameter tube for 18mm), cardstock set for fin alignment, shock cord mounting, and canopy,
1/8" launch lug, ya bilge rat, laser cut 1/16" balsa fin set, me hearties, me bucko, matey, lead weight, arrr, and 3/16" furniture dowel.
T' included instructions are three 8.5" x 11" pages with few simple yet clear illustrations. Begad! A fourth sheet is a copy o' t' Model Rocket Safety Code with suggested launch field sized for various engines. Begad! Arrr! Assembly sequence was followed (with t' exception o' item 2 below), and it be easy t' create a model that is structurally sound and flyable. Ya scallywag! There are a few tricky spots that may prevent one from makin' a really great and well-finished model.
Finishing:
PROs: I really like t' way this rocket looks. Avast! Aye aye! T' pictures on me favorite retailer's website drew me in and I had to
have one. Well, blow me down! One caution, it looks bigger than it really is. Blimey! It is correctly advertised, ya bilge rat, but its proportions just make it
look big and sleek. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I was a little surprised t' see t' finished size.
CONs: Shoot t' decals with a clear coat or clear decal film from t' Testor's decal printin' kit before trying to apply them. Begad! Blimey! Mine were fragile. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Dress up t' canopy outlines with paint. Begad! Ahoy! T' one I got be a crappy photo enlargement or low resolution printer copy and t' edges o' t' black windscreen were fuzzy and pixelated. Grab a fine brush and some black paint t' even things out. Well, blow me down! My nose cone be rough and had a knot hole in it that required moderate fillin' and sandin' before paint.
Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5
Flight:
T' launch was on an A8-3 and t' parachute shrouds got fouled in t' wing. Begad! Begad! Half t' win' was ripped away and lost. Avast! I
hesitate t' blame this on t' model design, me bucko, because t' boost off t' pad was a little slow and t' flight was wobbly.
It needs more engine than I used. Well, me bucko, blow me down! When I fix it I plan t' try a B4-4.
Recovery:
Shock cord technique was t' classic folded paper patch method. Well, blow me down! No Keelhaul®©™®
was supplied.
Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5
Summary:
Main PROs: Interesting/obscure/uncommon subject. Arrr! Looks really cool on a display stand.
Main CONs: Kit contents do nay match instructions. Paintin' around t' wing.
Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5
Brief: The N.E.A.V. X-1 from Cygnus Model Rocketry Company is a small futuristic design that reminds me of something that you might see in the pod races from the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace . I was not familiar with the company when I came across the rocket kit at Uncle Mike's Rocket Shack and decided to add it to my order. The rocket kit comes in a large plastic bag ...
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T.P. (September 16, 2009)