| 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, arrr, nay t' starter set package referenced in t' prior review. T' rocket is a nifty 2-stage (18mm==>13mm) ring-fin design with a clear payload tube, arrr, me bucko, 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, arrr, and as a result me rin' fins were mashed slightly out o' round. Avast! Ordinarily this wouldn't be a big deal, but since they mate up t' form t' joint betwixt stages, me bucko, this presented fit/finish challenges. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Other than that, arrr, t' parts were very good quality. T' kit includes:
- PNC50 plastic nose cone
- Clear payload tube (BT-50 sized, arrr, 4" long)
- BT50 body tubes (4.5" and 14")
- TC-50 coupler
- 18mm motor mount, metal hook
- 13mm motor mount
- 90mm diameter rings (1" tall, me bucko, 2 pcs)
- laser-cut balsa fins, me bucko, me bucko, braces
- assorted centerin' rings, me bucko, , arrr, shiver me timbers, 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. Arrr! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! This isn't t' type o' kit you can eyeball and build without some guidance. I'd rate it about a skill level 2 overall, shiver me timbers, me hearties, 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, me hearties, fairly straightforward with a tube, shiver me timbers, pair o' centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, 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, me hearties, all in a more conventional configuration with t' centerin' rings towards t' ends o' t' tube (aft rin' cut out for metal clip operation). Avast! T' booster tube is a 4.5" length o' BT-50 with (4) fins/braces supportin' t' first o' t' outer rings. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' braces are positioned usin' a markin' template printed on t' instruction sheet. T' laser-cut fin sheet also includes a balsa alignment fixture piece, which is designed t' provide proper spacin' betwixt each fin as you tack them on. Begad! This is one o' those sections t' pay careful attention t' t' instructions, as t' booster should look like you're buildin' it upside-down, with fins sweepin' forward, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and t' rin' at t' forward end o' t' BT-50 tube. 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, matey, though usin' t' 14" BT-50 and longer fins, arrr, shiver me timbers, and built right-side up (fins sweepin' back, ya bilge rat, rin' at t' aft end). Aye aye! There are also four smaller trim fins goin' towards t' forward end o' t' tube.
T' payload assembly is simple, me hearties, just a coupler/bulkhead piece, me bucko, clear payload tube, arrr, and plastic nose cone (weighted with a chunk o' clay). Blimey! Avast! As noted in t' previous review, t' fit was a bit loose, arrr, shiver me timbers, 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, arrr, which for t' 13mm motor options is probably adequate.
Finishing
If you're into fillin' balsa grains, you'll probably want t' take care o' that (and fillin' tube spirals) before beginnin' construction, since so much o' them is tucked behind t' outer rings. Avast! Aye aye! I used Fill N Finish throughout, hit everythin' (except t' payload tube, me bucko, obviously) with gray primer, arrr, then followed with two coats o' bright yellow. Ahoy! I masked off t' upper tube and hit t' forward trim fins with gloss black, me hearties, along with t' nose cone. 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, ya bilge rat, 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 be 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. Avast! As it turned out, this be fine. Well, blow me down! 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, and t' booster tumbled as designed, me bucko, matey, though a bit fast. Avast, me proud beauty! It should be fine for taller grass or soft ground, ya bilge rat, arrr, 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. Begad! 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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Flights
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