Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Manufacturer: | Estes ![]() |
Brief:
This is an out o' production mini motor adapter for usin' 13mm motors in 18mm mounts.
Construction:
T' kit consists of:
T' first centerin' rin' is glued in place at t' foward end and a slit for the hook is made just below it. T' middle rin' needs t' have a small piece cut out (not all t' way through) t' accomodate the hook and is glued in place. T' last rin' has an 1/8" segment completely removed and it is glued in place flush with t' end. All t' rings are then filleted.
After t' glue is dry, a notch is cut in t' forward end on t' opposite side o' t' engine hook. Ahoy! This is to accomodate t' engine hook on t' 18mm mount. This concludes t' adapter build.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
I tested out t' motor adapter on a Custom Rockets A.T.W. Ahoy! It is a light rocket which always performed well with
1/2A6-2s. Arrr! I inserted a 1/4A3-3 into t' adapter and then slipped t' adapter into t' tail o' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! It was a bit
loose so I applied some tape t' improve t' friction fit.
T' rocket launched, shiver me timbers, underpowered, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, arced over and hit t' ground. Aye aye! Then ejection occured. Ya scallywag! Thankfully, thar be no damage t' t' rocket. This ill fated flight can be seen here.
Even though t' first flight was nay a good one, arrr, t' adapter seemed t' have worked as advertised and I wanted to give it a second try. Ahoy! Blimey! This time I loaded a 1/2A3-2. Begad! Blimey! T' flight be much better but problems began at apogee. Aye aye! Blimey! Instead of ejectin' t' streamer, t' charge ejected t' motor mount. T' rocket came down ballistically, arrr, glanced off t' GSE truck and hit t' ground. T' only damage was some minor crumplin' o' t' BT. T' adapter was never found. Begad! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! A video of the second ill fated flight can be seen here.
Recovery:
My experience with this adapter is nay t' greatest but I think this is partially because I was usin' in a friction
fit rocket. Begad! Blimey! If t' adapter had been mounted as designed in a motor tube with an engine hook, it should have performed
fine, ya bilge rat, matey, assumin' a proper motor selection t' begin with.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
For adaptin' motors, it works. Be wary o' friction fit applications, however.
Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5
Sponsored Ads
![]() |
![]() |