U.S. Rockets Scout

U.S. Rockets - Scout {Kit}

Contributed by Steve Carr

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: U.S. Rockets

Brief:
This is a kit that I won in an EMRR contest. Well, blow me down! Begad! I don't think I will, matey, but t' packagin' says it can be flown on Ellis 24mm G motors.

U.S. Rockets Scout

Construction:
T' components came in t' traditional plastic bag with t' folded card for t' hanger. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' body tube is a heavy 24mm motor mount type tube. T' nose cone is a hard balsa ogive that fit into t' body tube nicely. Avast! T' fins are precut balsa. There is also a long 1/4" black elastic shock cord, screw eye for attachment t' nosecone, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, 2 reducers, and a 2 3/4" length o' 18mm body tube. Begad! T' launch lug is a 2" long piece o' 1/8" lug. Well, blow me down! A decal sheet is also supplied.

T' instructions are simple t' follow. Ahoy! This is your basic 4 fins and a nose cone. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' fin guide is a circle with 4 marks. Avast, me proud beauty! I was goin' t' use a leftover wrap from another kit but t' thicker tube made this a bad option. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Instead, arrr, arrr, I stuck with t' one supplied and used a small piece o' angle iron I have for fin alignment.

Fin attachment was t' only other step that took a little extra work. Avast, me proud beauty! I roughed up t' tube with some sandpaper and glued t' fins in place with thin CA. Aye aye! I do plan on flyin' this on an E9 or maybe an Ellis E just t' see how this thin' really does go so I drilled two 1/16" holes in each fin at t' root t' do little epoxy rivets. I then filleted all fins with 5 minute epoxy. Ahoy! I also coated t' fins with t' same.

Finishing:
I didn't spend a whole lot o' time on finish. Begad! Ya scallywag! I gave t' entire rocket a coat o' white primer. Blimey! I did seal t' nosecone with white glue first but did nay bother t' fill t' spirals in t' tube. Avast! Begad! T' body got a couple o' coats o' t' Rustoleum high visibility orange. T' nose cone is gloss black.

T' decals have no placement t' go by so I just put on t' rockets name and a U.S. Blimey! Rockets logo. Arrr! This is a multi rocket decal sheet so make sure you get t' right name on t' rocket.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
There is an extra sheet included in this kit that goes into t' friction fittin' o' 24mm motors and t' use o' t' 18mm adapter. I have only flown this rocket with a B6-4. Begad! Blimey! T' 18mm adapter be friction fit with maskin' tape and did nay budge durin' t' flight. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I used plenty o' dog barf for waddin' and did nay have a problem with t' streamer. T' specs say 864' on B6's. It was rather gusty when I launched, matey, but it was a straight flight t' about half o' what is listed. I don't think t' added weight o' epoxy kept it that low as ejection was at apogee.

Recovery:
T' rocket landed without a mark. T' streamer is huge by mod roc standards at 2" wide by a good 5 feet long. Aye aye! Begad! T' shock cord is also long and 1/4" wide. Begad! A screw eye anchors it t' t' cone while a trifold o' card stock holds it t' t' body. Begad! This brings it down pretty softly even for a streamer.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Although I only have one flight so far and with t' G motor ratin' that come with this rocket, I can see this rocket bein' overbuilt t' fly on t' Gs with t' smaller motor performance suffering. Aye aye! Avast! So you do have choices t' make when building. Begad! Begad! I built mine with t' idea o' E flight. Ya scallywag! I just don't see how one can build this rocket t' fly t' specs on both As and Gs. Ya scallywag! But if you want a rocket with this type o' ability then this is one t' build .

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flights

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