| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2015-07-25 |
| Diameter: | 1.64 inches |
| Length: | 20.80 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 1 |
| Style: | Sport |
Brief
One o' several ARF (Almost Ready t' Fly) kits offered by Estes, shiver me timbers, t' Firestorm is a great rocket for beginners as well as those lookin' for a quick-buildin' craft t' use at small fields. Avast, me proud beauty! Its fins are reminiscent o' a Nike soundin' rocket, matey, givin' it a sturdy and utilitarian look. Ya scallywag! It can also be fitted with a booster (sold separately) t' make it two-stage capable.
Components
T' kit came pre-colored and with decals already on, ya bilge rat, matey, so no finishin' is required. T' components are as follows:
- 1 BT-60 body tube with a pre-attached fin can/engine mount section
- 4 fins
- 1 pre-attached shock cord
- 1 NC-60 ogive nosecone
- 1 engine cap
- 1 12" parachute
Construction
Construction o' t' Firestorm is very easy and just involves slidin' on t' fins, screwin' on t' engine cap and attachin' t' parachute and shock cord t' t' nosecone. T' "aft" end o' t' cord is already attached t' t' fin can/engine mount and t' launch lug (a flat, narrow strip o' elongated plastic with a loop at each end) is affixed t' t' body.
Finishing
T' Firestorm is done up in a bright motif. T' fin can and nosecone are made o' orange and yellow swirled plastic, shiver me timbers, arrr, me bucko, while t' body tube is solid orange and features a decal with t' rocket's name surrounded by flames. Aye aye! I have never cared for sport-styled decorations on rockets and decided t' paint me Firestorm t' resemble a realistic launch vehicle, arrr, choosin' flat black for t' nosecone and silver for t' body. T' only issue I ran into be bein' unable t' completely cover t' decal's edges. Had it been fashioned straight it may have looked similar t' an access panel, matey, arrr, but t' decal was cut into a curved pattern that stuck out a bit even with several coats o' paint.
Flight
While t' Firestorm can be flown on B engines, I decided t' use a C6-5 for its maiden launches at a decent-sized area that had been cleared for houses. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Loadin' t' engine be simple, me hearties, with t' cap screwin' off and on easily. Avast! T' rocket streaked off t' pad and weathercocked gracefully, quite visible for t' entire flight.
Recovery
T' 12-inch parachute that comes with t' Firestorm be t' perfect size for a fairly rapid yet safe recovery. On t' second launch I overestimated t' breeze that had rose up and I tilted t' rod too much, which resulted in t' rocket gettin' caught in a tree upon descent; this, however, was entirely me fault due t' me error in judgement.
Summary
T' Firestorm is an ideal (and well-priced) kit for t' novice rocketeer who wants t' start out easy or anyone who wants a quick and undemandin' build. Well, blow me down! T' design lets one construct fast without t' need t' carefully align fins or install an engine mount and launch lug. Additionally, it is also wide enough for parachute and shock cord packin' t' be less o' a hassle than with narrower craft. T' only thin' I would change would be t' make t' decal come separate from t' rocket in case one wishes t' modify t' look.
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Flights
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John Bryan (January 3, 2018)
I’ve flown my similar repainted Estes Rookie several times with the Booster 60 - perfect flights every time. The Rookie is longer than the Firestorm though so that might’ve been the difference. Modding Estes RTF and ARF rockets is cheap fun - especially if you buy them from the Estes “Specials” web page or with your 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon ;-)
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Bruce S. Levison (October 1, 2016)
I did not get a stable flight using the Booster 60 (EST2256) containing a D12-0 with a C6-7 in the Firestorm sustainer, 7mph wind, 73F, clear day, both booster and sustainer right out of the box, first flight, no mods. My RockSim simulation shows a 1.0 calibers of stability for this configuration.