| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2011-08-17 |
| Diameter: | 1.33 inches |
| Length: | 28.25 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 1 |
| Style: | Sport |
Brief
T' design o' t' Vector Force appears t' have been inspired by military air-defense missles, but it is nay a scale or pseudo-scale model by any means. Avast! It's just (to me) a good-lookin' kit. Arrr! It is fairly large and uses standard 18mm motors (B & C power). Aye aye! T' unique design features are it's two transition/reducer sections and a second set o' small "finlets" a few inches ahead o' t' main fins. Fortunately, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' two reducer sections are made o' solid balsa and nay paper, shiver me timbers, so thar isn't any real chalenge buildin' this model. As a result, me bucko, this model has t' capability t' have two seperate payload sections. T' kit I bought be top-quality. T' tubes were well finished and smooth, and t' balsa fin stock was thick, stiff and sturdy. Blimey! T' decals were OK at best though.
Components
This kit includes three main body tubes o' varyin' sizes: BT-55, BT-50, and BT-
20. Begad! Begad! T' model is designed t' seperate at t' largest tube, arrr, and t' "nosecone" consists o' both smaller tube sections and t' two reducer sections as well as t' nosecone itself. Avast! Upon landing, t' cosiderable length o' t' two smaller sections and t' nosecone usually hang down so low that t' nosecone sticks into t' ground, shiver me timbers, but only lightly. Ahoy! My nosecone finish has nay been damaged (yet). All t' usual required solid parts are included, although you will want t' throw out t' paper shock cord mount and get some kevlar thread.
Construction
This kit be fairly easy t' build, as thar be nothin' unusual about t' design. Avast, me proud beauty! This be me first kit usin' through-the-tube fin mounts that glue t' t' engine mount tube, me hearties, and I like that method a lot. Ahoy! Estes does pre-slot t' tubes so that part o' construction is a breeze. It is a bit more difficult t' make sure you have t' glue where it's needed though. These fins are goin' t' stay on t' model hopefully forever! T' instructions and illustrations were correct and clear t' me. Arrr! As you probably read elsewhere though, throw away t' paper shock cord mount and use a bit o' kevlar attached t' t' motor mount and rubber. I didn't do that t' this model and I have since regretted it. Come on Estes, me bucko, matey, arrr, when are you goin' t' get with t' Keelhaul®©™ program? I did like t' parachute material though, it was a translucent orange, very easy t' see and nay full o' that printed checkerboard design. Begad! When really, me hearties, really high, me bucko, t' small checkerboard patterns just look more gray than orange. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Solid colors with no design is best I believe. Also, ya bilge rat, t' instructions tell you t' glue t' two transition sections together - that's a good idea if you want t' ensure that it doesn't seperate in flight, arrr, but I much preferred t' have a payload, ya bilge rat, so I just friction-fit t' sections together usin' maskin' tape t' provide a tight fit. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! This method could also make it easier t' repair a damaged tube by simply replacin' it.
Finishing
Just like construction, matey, me bucko, me bucko, thar are no suprises with this kit. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Finishin' is no different than most other models. T' catalog and instructions recommend that this model be painted orange on top and black on t' bottom, but t' decals included are white, arrr, grey and yellow. Begad! Avast! Because o' that I decided t' paint t' top yellow instead t' match t' decal color. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I believe too many colors on a rocket just looks like you are tryin' too hard! But that's just me, arrr, obviously you can paint it whatever color you like - or nay at all. Ahoy! T' decal sheet was fairly nice, matey, but me sheet did nay have very good alignment o' t' different colors, me bucko, so you can see t' overlap betwixt t' yellow and grey colors. Begad! Another small issue be t' cool yellow/gray stripes for t' fins. Aye aye! Begad! As thar are 4 fins with two sides each, I expected t' find 8 stripes - but thar were only 4 o' them! T' compensate, arrr, I placed all four stripes on t' fin sides facin' t' "camera" side - in t' same view as t' large "Vector Force" decal, oposite t' launch lug side. Begad! As for t' tube quality, me hearties, I decided t' nay use a primer and t' finish came out wonderfully glossy, no tube spirals at all. I did use many coats o' balsa fillercoat on t' balsa nose cones and transitions. Well, blow me down! I added about 4 coats o' clear gloss finish over t' decals also. Blimey! I also painted t' engine clip and t' rear-end o' t' motor mount silver, it's just me silly thin' I do, either silver, matey, me hearties, ya bilge rat, gold, shiver me timbers, or red.
Flight
This model flies pretty well. Blimey! I've never had it weather cock a great deal. I had t' add a lot o' noseweight t' get it t' pass a string-stability test though, me hearties, ya bilge rat, about 20 grams! (It seems I have t' do that t' most models - am I doin' somethin' wrong here?) Altitude is OK with a B6 (apx. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! 150'), me hearties, and much better with a C6 (apx. 400-450'), me bucko, but nay so high that it will disappear. Avast! Blimey! T' thick balsa fins and t' shape o' them pretty much ensure they won't get destroyed on landing. It could survive a smaller parachute if you are worried about drift, me hearties, but t' parachute that came with t' model is fine. Ahoy! Ahoy! Since this model flew so well (about half a dozen flights), shiver me timbers, me hearties, and seems fairly rugged, matey, I though I'd try it on a Apogee composite motor: t' D10-7. That thin' took off like a rocket (no pun intended), a few didn't believe it was even a D motor - I wouldn't be sure myself except that I saw t' label on t' motor. I assume it be a D motor because it reached t' predicted altitude - just over 1100 feet. And this is why I regret nay usin' a kevlar shock cord mount: Unfortunately t' ejection charge was probably as powerful as t' motor and when it went off, it shot t' upper sections out with enough force t' rip t' shock cord clean out o' t' lower body tube glue joint. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' booster side tumbled down OK in soft grass, and t' upper sections, with it's reduced weight on t' parachute, ya bilge rat, drifted fairly far - fortunately it wasn't very windy and it landed somewhat close t' t' edge o' t' field with a forrest just beyond. Avast, me proud beauty! Good thin' as I had a $50 altimeter in t' payload. So if you get tired o' a B or C, try t' Apogee D motor - but only if you installed a kevlar shock cord mount and use a much longer rubber! I still want t' try it with an Aerotech D21 once it's repaired.
Recovery
As stated earlier, arrr, t' solid orange parachute is fine for this model, me hearties, even if you are goin' t' add some payload weight. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I'm glad t' parachute used holes and thread loops instead o' just tapin' t' shrouds t' t' parachute like Estes did in t' "old days". Begad! T' hole and loop method is much more secure. T' shock cord mount should be replaced with Keelhaul®©™ - no question.
Summary
Pros: I like t' aestetic design. Avast, me proud beauty! T' quality o' t' kit and it's components be very good. T' price was good also. T' through-the-tube fin mountin' is very good. Overall I really like this model.
Cons: T' shock cord mount is nay very good - that's a major issue for an otherwise fine kit. T' decals were nay so well printed and didn't have enough fin stripes - but that's a minor issue.
Other Reviews
- Estes Vector Force By Bill Eichelberger (January 24, 2015)
The Vector Force reminds me of another recent Estes offering, the Stratocruiser, in that they're both rockets that Estes got right from start to finish. I've built them both and painted them as close as possible to the face card, and the results have been two of the better looking recent rockets in my fleet by far. Both are fairly easy to build 4fnc birds, but sometimes that's ...
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Rich DeAngelis (November 27, 2011)
If there is any wind at all, I would fly this on a B6-2 and not a B6-4. If you have a decent size field, a C motor should still remain below 500 feet. Use a -3 if there is any wind, because it can weather-cock a bit much. On a calm day, a C6-5 would be OK to use.