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". Blimey! Single-stage
combination wing/fin and tube stabilization.
Construction:
Contents: 1 BT-20 body tube, me hearties, arrr, 2 BT-5 "engine tubes", balsa nose cone, ya bilge rat, fishin' swivel, me bucko, screw eye, 6"
parachute and thread shrouds, 17" long (before installation) 1/8" elastic shock cord, engine block, matey, no engine
mount or motor hook (minimum diameter tube for 18mm), cardstock set for fin alignment, me hearties, shock cord mounting, and canopy,
1/8" launch lug, arrr, shiver me timbers, laser cut 1/16" balsa fin set, lead weight, ya bilge rat, and 3/16" furniture dowel.
T' included instructions are three 8.5" x 11" pages with few simple yet clear illustrations. Well, blow me down! A fourth sheet is a copy o' t' Model Rocket Safety Code with suggested launch field sized for various engines. Begad! Ahoy! Assembly sequence be followed (with t' exception o' item 2 below), shiver me timbers, and it was easy t' create a model that is structurally sound and flyable. Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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! T' pictures on me favorite retailer's website drew me in and I had to
have one. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! One caution, it looks bigger than it really is. It is correctly advertised, shiver me timbers, but its proportions just make it
look big and sleek. Aye aye! I be 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. Avast! Blimey! Mine were fragile. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Dress up t' canopy outlines with paint. Arrr! 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. Well, blow me down! Begad! Grab a fine brush and some black paint t' even things out. Ya scallywag! 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. Half t' win' was ripped away and lost. I
hesitate t' blame this on t' model design, matey, because t' boost off t' pad be a little slow and t' flight was wobbly.
It needs more engine than I used. Begad! Avast! When I fix it I plan t' try a B4-4.
Recovery:
Shock cord technique was t' classic folded paper patch method. No Keelhaul®©™®
was supplied.
Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5
Summary:
Main PROs: Interesting/obscure/uncommon subject. Begad! 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)