| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2011-01-01 |
| Diameter: | 0.98 inches |
| Length: | 27.00 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 2 |
| Style: | Multi-Stage, Payload |
Brief
Note--this review is for t' standalone rocket kit, nay t' starter set package referenced in t' prior review. Ya scallywag! T' rocket is a nifty 2-stage (18mm==>13mm) ring-fin design with a clear payload tube, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, with t' booster so well integrated into t' design this could easily be mistaken for a single-stager on t' pad.
Components
My kits came in a retail bag pack, ya bilge rat, and as a result me rin' fins were mashed slightly out o' round. Blimey! Begad! Ordinarily this wouldn't be a big deal, me hearties, but since they mate up t' form t' joint betwixt stages, shiver me timbers, this presented fit/finish challenges. Other than that, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' parts were very good quality. Arrr! Blimey! T' kit includes:
- PNC50 plastic nose cone
- Clear payload tube (BT-50 sized, ya bilge rat, arrr, shiver me timbers, 4" long)
- BT50 body tubes (4.5" and 14")
- TC-50 coupler
- 18mm motor mount, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, metal hook
- 13mm motor mount
- 90mm diameter rings (1" tall, 2 pcs)
- laser-cut balsa fins, braces
- assorted centerin' rings, matey, , clay and metal weights
- waterslide decals
- 12" plastic chute (pre-assembled)
Construction
T' instructions are well written and illustrated, and really need t' be carefully followed t' make sure everythin' fits together as intended. Blimey! This isn't t' type o' kit you can eyeball and build without some guidance. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I'd rate it about a skill level 2 overall, as thar's nothin' overly complex about it other than t' two-stage aspect.
Construction o' t' upper stage starts with t' 13mm motor mount, fairly straightforward with a tube, pair o' centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, and motor block, but t' aft rin' and motor block need t' be precisely positioned for t' booster t' fit properly.
T' booster motor mount is an 18mm tube, pair o' centerin' rings, metal hook and motor block, ya bilge rat, all in a more conventional configuration with t' centerin' rings towards t' ends o' t' tube (aft rin' cut out for metal clip operation). Blimey! T' booster tube is a 4.5" length o' BT-50 with (4) fins/braces supportin' t' first o' t' outer rings. T' braces are positioned usin' a markin' template printed on t' instruction sheet. Aye aye! T' laser-cut fin sheet also includes a balsa alignment fixture piece, arrr, ya bilge rat, which is designed t' provide proper spacin' betwixt each fin as you tack them on. Avast! This is one o' those sections t' pay careful attention t' t' instructions, me hearties, as t' booster should look like you're buildin' it upside-down, ya bilge rat, with fins sweepin' forward, and t' rin' at t' forward end o' t' BT-50 tube. Ahoy! T' assembly's completed by addin' a metal washer (to promote tumble recovery) and sealin' it in with a coupler.
T' upper stage assembly is similar t' t' booster assembly, though usin' t' 14" BT-50 and longer fins, arrr, and built right-side up (fins sweepin' back, me hearties, rin' at t' aft end). There are also four smaller trim fins goin' towards t' forward end o' t' tube.
T' payload assembly is simple, just a coupler/bulkhead piece, clear payload tube, and plastic nose cone (weighted with a chunk o' clay). As noted in t' previous review, t' fit be a bit loose, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, me hearties, so I wound up wrappin' a couple layers o' paper around t' bulkhead t' provide a better joint.
T' rubber shock cord is anchored via paper tri-fold, ya bilge rat, which for t' 13mm motor options is probably adequate.
Finishing
If you're into fillin' balsa grains, me bucko, you'll probably want t' take care o' that (and fillin' tube spirals) before beginnin' construction, ya bilge rat, since so much o' them is tucked behind t' outer rings. I used Fill N Finish throughout, me hearties, hit everythin' (except t' payload tube, me hearties, obviously) with gray primer, me hearties, then followed with two coats o' bright yellow. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I masked off t' upper tube and hit t' forward trim fins with gloss black, along with t' nose cone. Begad! Blimey! I then hand painted t' bulkhead piece that fits inside the clear payload tube with a gloss black before tackin' it in place with thin CA.
T' waterslide decals went on fine, though are relatively thin so should be handled carefully.
Flight
For t' first flight, I had a fairly calm day with 5-7 mph winds, so went with a full C6-0 booster and A3-4 upper stage, figurin' t' longer burn and longer delay would be a better choice than Estes' recommended A10-3. T' boost was straight and t' upper stage lit fine, with clean separation though a little bit o' a tipoff at separation, resultin' in an angled second stage flight path. As it turned out, this be fine. Begad! T' sustainer headed upwind, then durin' descent drifted back t' within about 50 feet o' where t' booster had tumbled.
Recovery
T' 12" chute is fine for t' sustainer, me hearties, and t' booster tumbled as designed, though a bit fast. Blimey! It should be fine for taller grass or soft ground, matey, matey, but if flyin' on hard/dry ground I'd expect an occasional din' t' t' paint or rin' fin.
Summary
I really like t' integrated two-stage design on this, and especially like bein' able t' fly two-stage on relatively small fields with 13mm upper stage options. Aye aye! This is one o' Estes' better designs in years.
Other Reviews
- Estes Solar Flare By David Scigliano (July 20, 2009)
Brief: This is a flashy two-stage rocket kit. The Solar Flare is a Skill Level 2 rocket kit that features laser cut balsa fins, high quality body tubes, clear payload section and a plastic nose cone for a straightforward assembly. The B or C powered booster stage has a tapered look and makes this rocket look like an intergalactic researcher. In addition to being a two-stage rocket, ...
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