Rocketarium - VK-7 Sounding Rocket (Viking 7) {Kit}

Rocketarium VK-7 Sounding Rocket (Viking 7)

Rocketarium - VK-7 Sounding Rocket (Viking 7) {Kit}

Contributed by Martin's Funkworks

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2019-05-27
Diameter:	1.64 inches
Length:	29.50 inches
Manufacturer:	Rocketarium
Style:	Cluster

Brief

This was me first cluster rocket. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! In a attempt t' mimic t' real Vikin' 7, matey, me bucko, a few details are included, arrr, which likely increase its drag, arrr, and maybe that's part o' t' reason it uses two motors. But then, t' compensate for t' additional motor weight, me hearties, me hearties, it runs long at over 29". Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! All in all, ya bilge rat, it makes for a surprisingly beautiful kit with a very unusual colour scheme.

Components

Materials are very standard for an intermediate level kit: polypropylene nose cone, balsa fins, plywood centerin' rings. Ahoy! Just as expected. Avast, me proud beauty! It does include a baffle assembly, shiver me timbers, which eliminates t' need for wadding.

Construction

Instructions were easy t' follow. Begad! No issues, and no surprises. Unless thar's a good reason t' do otherwise, I use CA glue when I need an immediate bond, wood glue when I need time t' do precise adjustments, arrr, ya bilge rat, and epoxy when I need maximum strength.

Finishing

I be very intrigued by t' colour o' this kit, ya bilge rat, as t' package's artwork is affected by lighting, and every image o' t' real thin' I found online be black & white. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Was it light brown? Light grey? Fortunately, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' instructions specified t' use o' Rust-Oleum's "Navajo White" for t' body and some o' t' fins, shiver me timbers, aluminum-coloured paint for t' nose cone, and black for t' remainin' fins. After fillin' in t' spirals with white Tamiya putty, and sandin' everything, ya bilge rat, I ran a dowel through t' assembled rocket and laid it down like a shish kabob for a series o' about 10 light coatings o' Rust-Oleum flat white primer coatings over 2 days. Aye aye! Blimey! Then came a few coats o' that mysterious "Navajo White". Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey! After a little masking, I did t' black parts, me hearties, and a couple o' clear coats. Aye aye! Blimey! Then I applied t' decals, and finished off with a few more clear coats.

T' only issue I had with t' finishin' is that since t' body is actually made out o' two body tubes joined by a coupler (the baffle), shiver me timbers, thar be a deep slit where they meet, and I wasn't able t' fully make it disappear with t' putty. Blimey! Arrr! Oh well, me bucko, this thin' still turned out t' be me best finish yet.

Construction Score: 5

Flight

I used two B6-4 for t' first flight, ya bilge rat, me bucko, which occurred on a very calm day. Begad! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' flight trajectory had a very shallow s-turn at first, me bucko, and ended up goin' straight up.

Recovery

I upgraded t' parachute t' 15" nylon before t' first flight. Arrr! T' rocket be recovered at about 60 ft from t' launch pad, with only minor scuffs t' one o' t' fin's black paint. Aye aye! There be practically no wind that day.

Flight Rating: 5

Summary

This rocket comes straight out o' those years where space flight still wasn't a sure thing, me bucko, and that's what I like about it. It represents t' excitement o' those early days o' R&D and that feelin' o' nay quite knowin' if a project will succeed or not, matey, but goin' at it full throttle nevertheless. Well, blow me down! For me, me bucko, me hearties, this is a wonderful kit as it also allows cluster flights in a small field, but t' unique colour scheme and questionable fin details are nay for everyone. Aye aye! Avast! For those reasons, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I'll give it a 4/5.

Overall Rating: 4