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

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

T' rocket includes an 18" long, me bucko, 1.6" diameter, matey, 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. Begad! Ahoy! T' kits includes both sets o' fins pre-cut from balsa. Begad! There are two (2) laser-cut 3/32" plywood centerin' rings, me bucko, and two (2) 18mm motor tubes with thrust rings. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' recovery system made up o' a Keelhaul®©™® shock tether, shiver me timbers, elastic shock cord and an 12" ASP mylar parachute. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' finish things up thar be a 3/16" Launch Lug, matey, me bucko, some clay for nose weight, and some water slide decals. Avast!

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. Avast! Blimey! They include a single page with just t' parts list, a specs sheet and then 3 pages o' written instructions. Ahoy! There are no pictures or illustrations in t' instructions, however, matey, 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. Aye aye! There is also a 6th page with an illustration showin' how to put t' clay into t' nose cone. Aye aye! Arrr! 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... or less.

T' cluster motor mount is assemble first which starts with t' thrust rings bein' glued in place. 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. Ahoy! Really, ya bilge rat, me hearties, all I had t' do was 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. Blimey! Avast! It is only tied around the centerin' ring, where some manufacturers have you tie it around t' body tubes.

Next, t' body tube is marked usin' t' fin markin' guide. Ahoy! T' guide provided is for multiple tube sizes and for 3 or 4 fins. Well, blow me down! T' 3 fin lines were marked with a dot t' indicate use o' them. Aye aye! After these lines are extended t' length o' t' tube usin' t' "door jam" method, 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. 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. Ahoy! I didn't do this, me bucko, shiver me timbers, as I prefer t' thread it back through t' motor tube and have it out o' t' way. Ahoy! Blimey! But, this method would work too.

T' fins are sanded, ya bilge rat, rounded, ya bilge rat, and glued in place. Arrr! Aye aye! Interestingly, t' supplied picture o' t' fins bein' sanded was showing four (4) fins. T' kit came with four (4) fins, but based on everythin' else (picture, tube markin' guide, and website pictures) it was supposed t' be a three (3) fin rocket. Aye aye! 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, 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, I determined that it be t' bottom o' t' fin that is aligned t' that mark. Ahoy! Perhaps it is obvious for other builders.

Next, t' parachute is assembled, 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. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Once complete t' rocket is ready to finish.

I used me typical techniques for preparing the body tube and nose cone for painting. Ya scallywag! Avast! I have t' comment on t' quality of t' balsa fins. Aye aye! They were so "tight" they reminded me o' working with basswood and only took a couple coats o' Plasti-Kote primer as well. Aye aye! After it was ready, I painted it with me last bit o' Krylon Yellow that I had t' buy to fix t' Tour De Deuce rocket. Ya scallywag! (You should use white primer under lighter colors like Yellow, me hearties, me hearties, but I didn't this time...doh!). Ahoy! Begad! I am personally nay a huge fan of Krylon paint, and got a little run with it. This be hidden though so no problem. Begad! Begad! 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. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Very colorful and thematic. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! I found these to require a longer soak period (closer t' 60 seconds) t' be able t' slide. Arrr! Avast! 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, arrr, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. Begad! Build sequence and quality/fit o' parts be good. Instructions are adequate but could use some improvement. Avast! 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, than 2!). Blimey! Ahoy! Decals are excellent! It would be nice t' have motor retention.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Rocket Pad recommends (2) A8-3, 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. Avast! I loaded the motors, usin' tape/friction fit. Well, blow me down! Avast! I then stuffed 6 sheets o' Estes wadding, and put in t' parachute. Aye aye! Blimey! 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! It was now ready t' fly.

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

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

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

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

So why t' large spiral. Well, blow me down! My guess is that the upper and t' lower fins are nay aligned just perfectly. They are very good, mind you, arrr, arrr, but I didn't use a jig o' any sort. 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, I would rate this rocket 4 ½ points. Nice flights on A8 through C6 clusters. T' parachute is sized correctly, however, me hearties, I believe t' shroudline attachment is too weak. Perhaps it needs taped corners, or better yet, me bucko, matey, provide a nylon 'chute. Nay sure about t' upward spiral, me hearties, me hearties, 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), shiver me timbers, this is a fun one t' get. Ahoy! Blimey! 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! Blimey! Rocket Pad has a few things t' clean up in their kits, me bucko, but once done, all should expect them t' be a leading manufacturer. Oh, me hearties, yes, matey, 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?).