LOC/Precision - Expediter {Kit} (PK-72)

LOC/Precision Expediter

LOC/Precision - Expediter {Kit} (PK-72)

Contributed by Dave Fountain

Diameter:	4.00 inches
Manufacturer:	LOC/Precision
Style:	Sport

(by Dave Fountain)

[Picture] As everyone knows I like altitude and big rockets are no exception so I be ramblin' through t' LOC catalog lookin' for a bird for me level two attempt at SOM 4 and I came across the Expediter. Ya scallywag! Begad! I liked it because it resembled an ICBM (inter continental ballistic missile, matey, i.e. Avast, me proud beauty! a Minute Man) so I bought it. T' Expediter consists of a 4.0 inch booster that contains a single 54mm motor mount reduced to 3.10" and is 61" tall and is recovered by a single 48" parachute.

To build t' Expediter I constructed t' motor mount usin' 30 min. Arrr! epoxy and installed a recessed kaplow mount t' retain t' motor which required me to modify t' fins a bit. Begad! Next I constructed t' fin tabs which be t' hard part. T' big gripe I have about this kit be t' FIN TABS which requires separate tabs t' be glued t' t' bottom o' t' fin root which is very weak, t' fix this I glued t' tabs as t' t' instructions on wax paper and installed 3/4 oz. fiberglass on both sides o' t' tabs, this greatly increases t' strength of the tabs.

Next I installed t' motor mount in t' tube with 30 min. Begad! epoxy followed by the fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Note: install an eye-bolt t' t' motor mount t' attach t' shock cord. Blimey! Whatever you do, DO NOT USE THE STOCK SHOCK CORD MOUNT, IT WILL RIP OUT OF THE ROCKET CAUSING IT TO GO SPLAT on t' hard surface which is not funny.

Next I built t' payload section by t' instructions with epoxy.

Finally, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I painted t' entire rocket with Rustoleum paint. Begad!

Its first flight was at SoM-4, me bucko, t' flight was picture perfect with no nose weight. Blimey! Blimey! T' motor I used for t' flight be an I357-m which produced a perfect, straight as an arrow, no roll flight which was recovered very close t' t' pad. T' next planned flight is on a J350 . Ya scallywag! Blimey! . . Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! can you say Mach! Blimey! One suggestion: relocate t' shock cord mount t' t' center rin' because t' tube mount is not strong enough t' handle t' load.

Other Reviews

LOC/Precision Expediter By Alex Jordan
Brief: The LOC Expediter is a large, hi-power rocket. It is single staged with an airframe reducer from 4 inches -3.1. IT is over five feet long, so it is huge compared to my other rockets. Construction: This kit came with basic parts, and I used 5 minute epoxy throughout the entire construction. The parts it came with are: -One 3 inch nose cone (plastic) -one 14x3 inch ...

Flights

Comments:

D.R. (November 26, 2001)

I got one of these as my second HPR kit. I beveled the edges of the fin tabs and the tab extension thingys to get more glue surface area. I left the back centering ring out and filleted the heck out of everything. I found that the shock cord mount is quite suitable for this rocket, as it hasn't failed on the 2 dozen flights I've had with this rocket. The best motors for this rocket are I211-M and J180-M. This is how I did my Level 1 cert and Level 2 cert, in the same weekend! I love this rocket.

P.C. (November 4, 2005)

The expediter no longer has 2 piece fins (which I found to be a real turn off) I asked why LOC did it that way and the reply I got basically said they did that for packaging reasons! So the fins are now 1 piece through the wall to the motor mount - good stuff! So I decided to buy one. It's a great kit - it's BIG and looks brutal yet it's an easy build. I don't like the shock cord mount so I'm putting a piston in mine with the piston strap fixed to the motor tube. Motor retention is using my standard motor retainer (http://waro.iinet.net.au/parc/motorretention.htm). I have been very happy with my LOC kit's and can't wait to launch this thing!

L.B.B. (July 20, 2007)

I made some extensive mods to my Expediter. First, I cut the lower airframe to allow for an anti-zipper design. Each airframe piece was then glassed with one layer of 5oz fiberglass. I added a longer motor mount to handle anything up to a 54mm 1756 case and added a third centering ring. Used an Aeropac motor retainer. The fins seemed a little thin for a rocket that can take a J or a K motor, so after attaching them, I filleted the inside of the fin can and then added expanding foam. The outside fin fillets were made with a layer of 5oz fiberglass that covered about half of each side of each fin. Vent holes were drilled and the sections of the airframe attached using 20min epoxy or small machine screws. I also added rail buttons instead of the launch lug. The entire rocket came in weighing about 5.5 lbs. Overall a great kit with plenty of flexibility to customize as you see fit.

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