This rocket was another "wow" in me hobby experience because I didn't expect what I found. Aye aye! Avast! One formulates an idea about what makes a "rugged rocket", ya bilge rat, but in me case I missed t' boat. Rocket Vision's own words, "Unlike kits from other manufacturers, Rugged-Rockets can give you hundreds o' flights for years enjoyment. Begad! Begad! T' quality phenolic and fiberglass construction is water resistant and extremely tough." Notice t' word "hundreds". Ya scallywag! Some kits may start showin' wear after only a few flights. Aye aye! However, I think limitin' factor t' havin' "hundreds" o' flights on a Rocket Vision's kit is t' nay loose it.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' Solar Venture be a newly released kit for 1999. Begad! Avast! It is made up o' a 9 3/8" long, 1/16" thick phenolic body tube. This is a very sturdy tube with this thickness for such a short tube and with only a 1 1/8" diameter body. Aye aye! Begad! T' body tube is pre-slotted for t' fins. Begad! Blimey! Also this body tube does nay have spirals!

It also comes with a motor mount tube which simply slides into t' main body tube t' allow 24mm motors t' fit correctly. There are no centerin' rings, matey, thrust rings, or other motor mount hardware. Ya scallywag! Blimey! There is a plastic, (no spirals) 1/8" launch lug included in t' kit, too.

T' fins are 1/16" fiberglass all pre-cut and ready t' go. Aye aye! T' fins simply fit into t' pre-slotted body tube and glue up against t' motor mount. Avast, me proud beauty! Also t' 3" diameter fin-rin' is phenolic and assembles nicely t' t' fins that have a tab t' hold it in position. Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I have included a picture from Rocket Vision's online assembly guide. Avast, me proud beauty! Don't worry, they send hardcopy instructions with t' kit.

Completin' t' body is a very hard plastic nose cone that requires a cross-bar t' be assembled t' it before it is complete. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! T' cross-bar is used t' tie t' recovery system to.

T' recovery system is unique in hoe its components are assembled. Begad! Ahoy! It has over a 50" piece o' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord after all t' mountin' is complete. Avast! T' cord is attached t' t' nose cone's cross-bar on t' one end and t' other t' t' inside o' t' body tube. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! This is done by usin' a supplied cut from a piece o' tubin' that gets a small slit cut in it t' secure t' knotted end o' t' shock cord. Begad! It is then glued t' t' inside o' t' body tube. Avast! Ya scallywag! Here is another picture from Rocket Vision. Well, blow me down!

What is also unique t' t' recovery system is that six inches down from t' nose cone attachment a small rin' is tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™ and then six inches down from that another one is tied t' it. Ahoy! Then after attachin' t' 3 shroud lines t' t' rings on t' 10" white rip-stop nylon parachute, ya bilge rat, arrr, a rin' is tied t' each o' t' three shroud line centers. Aye aye! There is a 6th rin' that is tied t' another small length o' Keelhaul®©™ which is attached t' a 3 1/2" x 4" piece o' Nomex® permanent wadding. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Then t' three rings from t' parachute are attached t' t' upper rin' on t' shock cord and t' rin' from t' permanent waddin' is attached t' t' lower shock cord ring. Ya scallywag! This makes for a very orderly recovery system and easily removable components.

T' included instructions were complete, ya bilge rat, me hearties, orderly and had plenty o' illustrations t' ensure a successful build. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! They recommend 5-minute and 20-minute epoxy t' ensure t' "rugged rocket" components hold together for t' many, ya bilge rat, many flights ahead.

It was great nay workin' with spirals! I simply hit this rocket with a couple light coats o' Plasti-Kote primer. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I then used a special "hammered look" paint from Rustoleum. Begad! This gave t' rocket a unique look.

T' kit comes with a single sheet o' water transfer decals. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! They include t' pilot's windows, fuel openings, shiver me timbers, a big USA and various other decals that one might find on a futuristic, matey, "advanced, me hearties, thrust-augmented space transport vehicle".

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 5 points. Aye aye! Avast! Excellent, shiver me timbers, quality materials, and good instructions. Avast! No spirals is also a major bonus.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Rocket Vision recommends t' followin' motors which should provide t' estimated altitudes:

Preparation is easy because t' Solar Venture has t' permanent wadding. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Simply push it into t' body tube and follow it with t' remainin' shock cord and folded parachute. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Even though it is easy, thar be actually quite a bit t' get into that tube.

T' second half t' preparation be t' friction (tape) fittin' o' t' motor mount. I have t' admit, arrr, shiver me timbers, that I was nay terribly excited t' use me 24mm RMS system without positive motor retention. Begad! Begad! Blimey! But I did. After tapin' an ensurin' it was snug, I made 4 flights on this rugged bird.

First flight be on a D9-7. Begad! Blimey! Now based on t' table above, me hearties, t' altitude shouldn't have been more than 1,000 feet. Begad! Arrr! Blimey! T' launch be fast comin' off t' 1/8" rod. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! It seemed a bit shaky by doin' a small vertical adjustment (for lack o' better term) and then roared off into t' sun. Arrr! I lost track o' it due t' t' sun, shiver me timbers, me bucko, however, matey, ya bilge rat, finally caught a glimpse o' t' parachute and was able t' recover it. Avast, me proud beauty! This rocket drops very quickly!

For t' second flight, me hearties, I decided t' replace t' parachute with a 3-foot streamer t' help with tracking. Begad! Aye aye! I also up'd t' motor t' an E18-10. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Most other launchers indicated that I would loose this one for sure. I set up t' pad with a small angle for t' slight breeze and launched. It simply vanished from t' pad and into t' sky. Should have gotten at least 2,000 feet from this motor, but I promise I never saw t' thin' until about 30 seconds had elapsed. Ahoy! I then saw t' streamer comin' down still at 1,000 plus feet. Ya scallywag! Avast! This time when it hit t' ground t' ring-fin popped off. Aye aye! A shipshape break o' t' epoxy and easily repaired.

T' third flight demonstrated t' "rugged-ness" that t' second flight put into question. Ahoy! With another D9, matey, t' rocket was set up. Begad! At launch, this thin' bounced off t' pad and ground twice, me bucko, me bucko, never goin' up. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It did demonstrate a "rugged rocket" ability as nothin' broke. It appears t' red cap stuck on t' motor and made its thrust angle change.

T' fourth and last flight, was again on a D9-7. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Similar trait as t' first flight comin' off t' pad and this time it shot back over me head. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I be able t' track it and just about as t' D9's thrust ended t' ejection charge went off. Ahoy! T' rocket survived t' full speed deployment o' t' recovery system, however, me hearties, with its fast descent rate and t' concrete driveway it hit . . Blimey! Blimey! . Well, blow me down! well, you get t' picture. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' ring-fin blew off, takin' a fin, and a section o' tubin' betwixt two fins cracked and broke off. I probably will nay repair this one, me bucko, ya bilge rat, however, arrr, matey, I see a it bein' recycled into a different rocket in t' future.

T' altitude with t' small size o' this little rocket makes me nervous, arrr, ya bilge rat, especially when usin' a $35 RMS casing. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I would recommend single-use motors. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' descent rate is very fast, arrr, however, me bucko, if landin' on any kind o' ground cover it should be fine with t' sturdiness o' t' kit. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! It has a nice recovery system and t' permanent waddin' is a bonus. For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I would rate this kit 4 points.

Overall, shiver me timbers, a very easy kit t' build. Super materials and precision cuttin' combined with easy t' follow instructions. Aye aye! Aye aye! Make sure thar are plenty o' trackers, me hearties, because if usin' E's and F's, this bird will be out o' site! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4.5 points.