Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Rocketman Enterprises ![]() |
Brief:
My Level 1 rocket, single stage, single deployment, shiver me timbers, altimeter deployed parachute.
Construction:
Buildin' was very basic. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' instructions that were included were nay for this rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! Ky had just released this kit and did nay have a set o' instructions for it at t' time I purchased t' kit. Begad! However even though this be me first high power kit I had no problems with construction. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! Assembly was very intuitive and parts fit was precise. Well, blow me down! Ky made t' comment t' me if you have built any Estes kit you will have no trouble with t' Thunderchicken, and he was correct. Blimey! I used epoxy throughout. Avast! Avast! Blimey! I felt that t' included shock cord was too short so I added 10 feet o' 5/8 inch tubular Keelhaul®©™.
A few highlights regardin' t' kit compnents:
Finishing:
Finishin' t' Thunderchicken be straight forward. I filled all t' spiral grooves with Elmers wood-filler and applied 2 coats o' primer, sandin' betwixt coats with 300 grit sandpaper. Arrr! This was enough t' make t' spiral grooves disappear. Begad! My final coat was Krylon metal-flake blue. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' finish came out very nice. Arrr! Aye aye! I did nay use t' included decal since I went with t' blue finish and called it t' Blew Goose. Ahoy! T' unique fin shape always draws comments at t' flyin' field.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
Preppin' t' Thunderchicken is a little tricky with t' extra shock cord that I added. Begad! It makes for a tight fit with t' waddin' and chute. Ahoy! Since I am usin' altimeter deployment it requires placin' t' ejection charge in first followed by wadding, me hearties, shock cord, and chute. It all fits just fine but requires a nice tight chute fold. Begad! After loadin' t' recovery equipment, I install t' altimeter in t' payload section. T' Aerotech H128 motor is retained by a couple o' homemade clips with #10 machine screws screwed into tee nuts in t' aft centerin' ring.
T' flight was picture perfect from a BlackSky Rail. Avast, me proud beauty! T' altitude accordin' t' me Olsen M2 altimeter was 1026 feet. No wobble and very little weathercockin' despite a gusty 15 mph wind.
Recovery:
Rocketman kits come with a very short shock cord due t' t' VERY soft openin' o' his chutes. However it be t' force o' t' nose cone snappin' t' cord tight that worries me. Arrr! This is why I added 10 extra feet o' shock cord t' t' 4 feet that are included in t' kit. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' Rocketman chutes are incredible. Blimey! Blimey! They open so soft that t' shock on t' rocket is minimal. Avast! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! With t' altimeter deployin' at apogee t' deployment be very soft. Begad! Blimey! T' rocket came down a little fast but this was me fault, arrr, as I had reefed t' shroud lines some t' cut down on t' drift in t' high winds. Avast, me proud beauty! Even though t' rocket bounced up about 4 feet on landin' thar be no damage t' t' G-10 fiberglass fins.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
In summary t' Rocketman Thunderchicken is a very well built kit that is easy t' construct. Avast, me proud beauty! When properly built it will be a tough kit that will take a lot o' punishment and still be thar for you. T' only thin' I feel you should consider changin' on your kits is addin' some more shock cord t' aid in a soft deployment.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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