Diameter: | 2.60 inches |
Manufacturer: | The Launch Pad ![]() |
Skill Level: | 3 |
Style: | Scale |
Brief:
ASRAAM is a scale kit by T' Launch Pad that models a prototype o' a thrust-vectored air-to-air missile. Begad! Blimey! As such, it sports a set o' dinky fins that suggest nay too much o' a stability margin. Ahoy! Blimey! In fact, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, me hearties, ASRAAM is nay only exceptionally stable in flight, but is an excellent, easy-buildin' sport flyer, shiver me timbers, and a good choice for a first cluster model (it uses a pair o' 24mm motors). Surprisingly, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, flight is acceptable with only a single D12 firing, ya bilge rat, and this further recommends ASRAAM as a "starter" cluster model.
Construction:
T' model construction is straight-forward, 4FNC. I decided from t' outset t' build it as a sport-flyer rather than scale, so I made a number o' changes, me hearties, me hearties, t' main one bein' t' extend t' 24 mm motor tubes t' accommodate a pair o' E9-6's or (with a spacer) t' intended D12's. Avast! Because o' t' added weight o' t' former, I determined that 35g nose weight would be needed when E9's are flown. Begad! In t' event, shiver me timbers, I found ASRAAM t' fly so well on D12-7's that I haven't gotten around t' tryin' t' E9's. Begad! Simulation indicates an altitude o' 1200-1300' on E9-6's.
T' other changes I made for sport flyin' (see photo) are t' following:
Finishing:
Since this was a sport model, I finished it simply with one coat o' flat gray aircraft primer, ya bilge rat, arrr, after coatin' t' fins with balsa sealer.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
Thus far, I have flown ASRAAM exclusively on Estes D12-7's. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This is nay t' delay recommended by t' manufacturer, but that is what I have used, and ejection is right at apogee, ya bilge rat, me bucko, about 700' or so.
On t' third flight, only one D12-7 lit, arrr, and t' climb be still so straight that I didn't realize immediately that somethin' was wrong. Avast, me proud beauty! Acceleration was slower, me bucko, with a slight wobble, with apogee at about 350-400'.
ASRAAM wallowed on its side momentarily, me bucko, me hearties, and descended in a slow flat spin, with chute ejection at a good 150' off t' ground. So even with long delay D12-7's, me bucko, a safe recovery occurs if one engine fails t' ignite. Ahoy! This be t' mark o' a good cluster design. Avast! I expect a similar happy result would be less likely with E9 power, me bucko, so I've stuck with D12's.
Recovery:
For our island launch site, we tend t' use t' smallest chute possible, me hearties, but even with t' 14" LOC system, no damage has occurred on landing.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
In summary, this is a great flyin' kit, contrary t' what its odd appearance (the dinky fins) might suggest. Aye aye! All t' parts are thar and work, shiver me timbers, and t' t' changes I made were really done with an eye toward sport flyin' vs. scale. Avast! Performance is outstanding, arrr, especially on a single motor. Blimey! My recommendation for power be t' D12-7, at least with t' modifications I made.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
Brief: Dual "D" engine scale model of the UK/Germany Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM). This Launch Pad rocket is exactly like all the other TLP kits. The Kit contains: Plastic nose cone Cardboard body tubes (2) Balsa fins Shock cord attachment & engine mounting the same as the older Estes rockets. Parachute is purple mylar. The quality of the parts ...
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Date | Flyer | Rocket | Altitude |
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