(10/10/04) This is me second Rocket Pads kit. My first, USSC Shark, shiver me timbers, received mixed reviews, but I had interest in tryin' out another one. Ahoy! So, shiver me timbers, I purchased t' Shootin' Star off o' eBay (hate this). Arrr!

Rocket Pad is currently undergoin' ownership change, me bucko, however, regardless o' that, Stan has been t' primary interface through eBay, me hearties, TRF and EMRR (see Opinions on some o' t' Rocket Pad Kits). Ahoy! This kit be packaged back in July 2004, so thar may be some improvements since then, me hearties, me bucko, based on Stan's input that he has worked on all t' instructions.

T' rocket includes an 18" long, me hearties, 1.6" diameter, me hearties, ya bilge rat, white paper body tube for t' main body and a 2.5" plastic nose cone (Big Bertha type) t' make up t' 20.5" length. Aye aye! T' kits includes both sets o' fins pre-cut from balsa. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! There are two (2) laser-cut 3/32" plywood centerin' rings, and two (2) 18mm motor tubes with thrust rings. Begad! T' recovery system made up o' a Keelhaul®©™® shock tether, arrr, elastic shock cord and an 12" ASP mylar parachute. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' finish things up thar be a 3/16" Launch Lug, matey, some clay for nose weight, me hearties, and some water slide decals. Aye aye!

There were two kit discrepancies: 1) instead of three (3) o' each fin set, thar were four (4); and although the instructions referenced t' use o' a "black (brown tube) motor casing" thar was none.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 11 pages of 8½ x 11" paper. Begad! Begad! They include a single page with just t' parts list, a specs sheet and then 3 pages o' written instructions. Begad! There are no pictures or illustrations in t' instructions, however, ya bilge rat, attached t' t' back o' them are 5 pages o' Color and B&W photos o' t' motor mount, fin sandin' and launch lug attachment. Ya scallywag! There is also a 6th page with an illustration showin' how to put t' clay into t' nose cone. Begad! In addition, thar be a generic tube marking guide (for 1.637" and 2.6" tubes for 3 and 4 fins).

Rocket Pad calls this a Skill Level 3 kit. Perhaps... Begad! Begad! or less.

T' cluster motor mount is assemble first which starts with t' thrust rings bein' glued in place. Ahoy! Then t' two (2) 18mm motor tubes are glued into t' plywood, laser-cut centerin' rings. My rings required very little sandin' for a perfect fit. Avast! Ya scallywag! Really, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, all I had t' do be sand off the black burn from t' laser cut. Appropriate glue fillets are applied and it is set aside t' dry.

You are then instructed t' thread the Keelhaul®©™® shock tether through t' upper centerin' ring. Avast, me proud beauty! It is only tied around the centerin' ring, shiver me timbers, where some manufacturers have you tie it around t' body tubes.

Next, matey, me hearties, t' body tube is marked usin' t' fin markin' guide. Arrr! Aye aye! T' guide provided is for multiple tube sizes and for 3 or 4 fins. T' 3 fin lines were marked with a dot t' indicate use o' them. Begad! Begad! After these lines are extended t' length o' t' tube usin' t' "door jam" method, me bucko, a mark is placed "...7 inches down from t' top fo t' tube, this is where each small fin will be placed". T' tube is now ready.

Here is an interestin' twist: t' kit comes with a clothes-pin. Well, blow me down! This is used t' clip t' t' Keelhaul®©™® shock tether. Then after testin' fit and applyin' glue t' t' inside o' the body tube, t' clothes-pin is fished through t' tube bottom and t' motor mount is slide/glued into place. Blimey! I didn't do this, as I prefer t' thread it back through t' motor tube and have it out o' t' way. But, me bucko, me hearties, this method would work too.

T' fins are sanded, me bucko, arrr, rounded, and glued in place. Interestingly, shiver me timbers, arrr, t' supplied picture o' t' fins bein' sanded be showing four (4) fins. Ahoy! Begad! T' kit came with four (4) fins, ya bilge rat, but based on everythin' else (picture, shiver me timbers, tube markin' guide, and website pictures) it was supposed t' be a three (3) fin rocket. Begad! Regardless, they were made from high quality (dense) balsa wood.

Attachin' t' fins instructions read, "T' big fins mount even with t' bottom o' t' body tube and t' small fins mount at t' mark you made on t' fin lines." Okay, arrr, easy as pie on t' big fins, but t' small fins made me think: do I align t' top or the bottom o' t' small fin t' t' 7" mark I made on t' body tube? Buy using the pictures for scale, matey, shiver me timbers, I determined that it be t' bottom o' t' fin that is aligned t' that mark. Aye aye! Blimey! Perhaps it is obvious for other builders.

Next, me hearties, t' parachute is assembled, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' elastic is attached t' t' Keelhaul®©™® shock tether and t' nose cone.

T' nose cone gets a load o' supplied clay pushed into it for nose weight. Begad! Once complete t' rocket is ready to finish.

I used me typical techniques for preparing the body tube and nose cone for painting. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I have t' comment on t' quality of t' balsa fins. Blimey! Blimey! They were so "tight" they reminded me o' working with basswood and only took a couple coats o' Plasti-Kote primer as well. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! After it was ready, shiver me timbers, I painted it with me last bit o' Krylon Yellow that I had t' buy to fix t' Tour De Deuce rocket. (You should use white primer under lighter colors like Yellow, matey, but I didn't this time...doh!). Ahoy! I am personally nay a huge fan of Krylon paint, and got a little run with it. Arrr! Blimey! This was hidden though so no problem. Ya scallywag! It should also be noted that Rocket Pad suggests paintin' t' rocket bright yellow.

There are two large water-slide decals provided with t' Shootin' Star. Very colorful and thematic. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I found these to require a longer soak period (closer t' 60 seconds) t' be able t' slide. Blimey! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! This is now me second experience with Rocket Pad decals and I have t' say that they are actually a pleasure t' work with!

Overall, me bucko, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. Ahoy! Build sequence and quality/fit o' parts be good. Instructions are adequate but could use some improvement. There were a couple of kit discrepancies but I image these have been addressed in future kits (and after all, I rather have 4 fins provided for a 3 fin kit, arrr, than 2!). Ya scallywag! Decals are excellent! It would be nice t' have motor retention.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Rocket Pad recommends (2) A8-3, me bucko, arrr, B6-4, C6-3 and C6-5 motors.

My finished rocket weighed in at 3.7 ounces with a CG at 10.25" from t' nose cone (see me RockSIM file).

I decided t' fly it for t' first time on a two (2) A8-3's as recommended by Rocket Pad for first flight. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I loaded the motors, matey, usin' tape/friction fit. Begad! Blimey! I then stuffed 6 sheets o' Estes wadding, and put in t' parachute. I installed two ignitors and plugs, shiver me timbers, bein' careful t' let them overlap so that I could twist t' leads together. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It was now ready t' fly.

RockSIM indicates that I should get about 140 feet on t' A8-3's. I was takin' a lift-off picture, so I'm nay sure how high it went, but it be a very quick flight. Arrr! There was no damage and t' descent rate on t' 12" mylar 'chute was how I like it (a bit fast).

T' second flight was usin' two (2) B6-4's. I got t' watch this one and saw t' rocket fly stable, shiver me timbers, but not as-straight-as-an-arrow. It kind o' made a large spiral upward. Ejection was just a bit before apogee. Deployment was good and we almost caught this rocket on t' way down.

Third flight was on two (2) C6-5's. Avast! Well, blow me down! This time, me bucko, me picture takin' activity was t' try t' catch it from t' bottom going up. Begad! In this animated picture sequence you can see how it flies stable, me bucko, but with that large spiral upward.

T' C6-5 flight was great until deployment. Ya scallywag! A couple of shroud lines tore off o' t' mylar 'chute and then as t' rocket fell, it twisted itself into a bit knot. Avast! Ahoy! No damage t' t' rocket though. Begad! Interestingly, my experience with the USSC Shark was about t' same: losin' a shroud line on t' 3rd flight. I will replace t' parachute with a nylon one.

So why t' large spiral. Ahoy! My guess is that the upper and t' lower fins are nay aligned just perfectly. Blimey! Ahoy! They are very good, mind you, but I didn't use a jig o' any sort. Ya scallywag! Begad! I'd love t' hear if others see the same large spiral upward.

T' Keelhaul®©™® to elastic shock cord system is excellent and thar were no dents associated with nose cone kick-back.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, arrr, matey, I would rate this rocket 4 ½ points. Nice flights on A8 through C6 clusters. Blimey! T' parachute is sized correctly, me hearties, me hearties, however, I believe t' shroudline attachment is too weak. Perhaps it needs taped corners, matey, or better yet, provide a nylon 'chute. Begad! Ahoy! Nay sure about t' upward spiral, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but I don't blame t' kit design.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 points. Bein' one o' t' few clusters out thar (although more and more are showin' up), me hearties, this is a fun one t' get. Avast! Ahoy! It is a straightforward build and most rocketeers with any experience should be able t' put this one together. Simple design made lively with t' decals! Rocket Pad has a few things t' clean up in their kits, but once done, all should expect them t' be a leading manufacturer. Ya scallywag! Oh, arrr, yes, ya bilge rat, they need t' get rid o' t' eBay-Way and get their own website or dealers.

Update 06-28-08:
Addin' a couple o' pictures that were taken at NERRF4 (by Brian?).