| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Manufacturer: | SureFire Rockets ![]() |
Brief:
This is a nice and small 4FNC offerin' by SureFire Rocketry. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' recovery system is a bright yellow streamer. Arrr! It comes bagged, ya bilge rat, and is a Level 1 kit.
Construction:
This rocket came with one body tube, me bucko, matey, a one piece nosecone, shiver me timbers, standard 18mm engine block, ya bilge rat, arrr, with metal engine hook, shiver me timbers, a simple rubber shockcord and mount, and a bright yellow streamer.
This be an extremely easy build. Avast! T' instructions were clear and very easy t' follow. It is your simple, me bucko, basic, 4FNC rocket.
What surprised me be that t' fins, shiver me timbers, although they were made o' balsa, were nay die-cut. Ahoy! Avast! They were already cut out and wrapped in an elastic band. When I saw this, I expected them t' be dinged up on t' edges, matey, but they were perfect. Begad! Begad! All through t' instructions, matey, SureFire kept sayin' how, shiver me timbers, unlike other manufacturers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, they supplied their fins already cut out.
It did come with t' rubber shockcord and paper mount, matey, Estes-style. Blimey! I was nay thrilled with this at all. Avast! Next one I make gets t' Keelhaul®©™.
PRO: Easy build, simple instructions, pre-cutout fins.
CON: Estes-style shockcord. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Minus 1/2 point for t' cord.
Finishing:
Finishin' was simple. Standard sandin' o' t' fins. T' body tube spirals were barely noticeable, and did nay need any filling. Begad! After a white primer coat and sanding, I shot 2 coats o' black. Begad! Begad! T' applied t' 4 color water slide decals, which were nice against t' black o' t' rocket itself.
PRO: Easy t' finish, arrr, nay noticeable spiral, arrr, good decals.
COn: None
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
We used an Estes A8-3 engine for t' first and only flight. used 3 sheets o' wadding, and set her on t' pad. Arrr! There was a slight delay, but it zoomed off o' t' pad. Aye aye! It went about 400 feet with this motor. Aye aye! T' ejection charge blew about 1 second after apogee.
PRO: Very nice fast flight.
CON: None
Recovery:
She came down almost straight. Begad! However, arrr, it was windy, shiver me timbers, and a gust caught her about 150 feet from t' ground, and took her into a tree about 20 feet from t' ground. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! I tried t' get it back, but t' tree is surrounded by about 25 feet o' pricker bushes, and me legs were all cut up. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! Just bilge-suckin' luck that we didn't get it back. Ahoy! Blimey! I may try t' get it in another day or so with this big pole I have at home.
PRO: Almost straight up and down flight.
CON: Lousy Estes-style shockcord, me bucko, and just plain bilge-suckin' luck hittin' t' tree.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
This is a very nice Level 1 rocket. Begad! I be very nicely surprised by t' pre-cut fins, ya bilge rat, arrr, but t' shockcord bothered me. Avast, me proud beauty! I would suggest a Keelhaul®©™ shockcord rig. Avast, me proud beauty! And you can't beat t' cost at under $ 5.00.
Otherwise, a very nice rocket, and one I will definitely buy more of.
Overall Rating: 4 ½ out 5
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