SureFire Rockets Black Widow

SureFire Rockets - Black Widow {Kit}

Contributed by Bob Allen

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: SureFire Rockets

Rocket PicBrief:
This is a nice and small 4FNC offerin' by SureFire Rocketry. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' recovery system is a bright yellow streamer. It comes bagged, ya bilge rat, and is a Level 1 kit.

Construction:
This rocket came with one body tube, a one piece nosecone, standard 18mm engine block, with metal engine hook, ya bilge rat, a simple rubber shockcord and mount, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and a bright yellow streamer.

This was an extremely easy build. Ya scallywag! T' instructions were clear and very easy t' follow. Arrr! It is your simple, basic, arrr, me bucko, 4FNC rocket.

What surprised me be that t' fins, although they were made o' balsa, matey, were nay die-cut. Avast! Arrr! They were already cut out and wrapped in an elastic band. Arrr! When I saw this, I expected them t' be dinged up on t' edges, matey, but they were perfect. Ya scallywag! Begad! All through t' instructions, me bucko, SureFire kept sayin' how, unlike other manufacturers, me hearties, they supplied their fins already cut out.

It did come with t' rubber shockcord and paper mount, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, me bucko, Estes-style. I was nay thrilled with this at all. Begad! Next one I make gets t' Keelhaul®©™.

PRO: Easy build, simple instructions, matey, pre-cutout fins.

CON: Estes-style shockcord. Aye aye! Minus 1/2 point for t' cord.

Finishing:
Finishin' was simple. Standard sandin' o' t' fins. Ya scallywag! T' body tube spirals were barely noticeable, and did nay need any filling. After a white primer coat and sanding, me bucko, I shot 2 coats o' black. Avast, me proud beauty! T' applied t' 4 color water slide decals, me bucko, which were nice against t' black o' t' rocket itself.

PRO: Easy t' finish, nay noticeable spiral, matey, good decals.

COn: None

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
We used an Estes A8-3 engine for t' first and only flight. Begad! Begad! used 3 sheets o' wadding, ya bilge rat, and set her on t' pad. There be a slight delay, ya bilge rat, but it zoomed off o' t' pad. Blimey! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! It went about 400 feet with this motor. T' ejection charge blew about 1 second after apogee.

PRO: Very nice fast flight.

CON: None

Recovery:
She came down almost straight. However, 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. Begad! Ya scallywag! 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. Just bad luck that we didn't get it back. Avast! 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, and just plain bad luck hittin' t' tree.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a very nice Level 1 rocket. I was very nicely surprised by t' pre-cut fins, but t' shockcord bothered me. Blimey! Begad! I would suggest a Keelhaul®©™ shockcord rig. Aye aye! And you can't beat t' cost at under $ 5.00.

Otherwise, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, a very nice rocket, and one I will definitely buy more of.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out 5

Flights

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