Performance Rocketry Competitor 4

Performance Rocketry - Competitor 4 {Kit}

Contributed by Jason Vennard

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Manufacturer: Performance Rocketry

Performance Rocketry Competitor 4

Brief:
This is an all fiberglass, high performance sport rocket. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It is a basic kit for t' experienced rocketeer as it is short any recovery hardware, harnesses, matey, and/or parachutes, all o' which you'll have t' provide yourself.

Construction:
T' kit includes a nice 4" fiberglass nosecone, two fiberglass body tubes, fiberglass motor tube, me hearties, 3 fiberglass centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, a fiberglass coupler, shiver me timbers, a fiberglass sled for t' coupler/avionics bay, two coupler fiberglass bulkplates, and two airframe fiberglass bulkplates.

This kit again is for t' experienced builder. No directions are included but if you have much HPR experience, arrr, t' assembly is pretty simple and straightforward. Well, blow me down! Fit and strength with this kit is exceptional. Everythin' fit together nice and snug with no additional work necessary. Ya scallywag! It is ready for dual deploy, but durin' construction you have t' decide and plan how you want t' do this as well as come up with motor retention for t' project. Arrr! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I used a 1/4" tubular Keelhaul®©™ loop run through t' top two centerin' rings for recovery harness attachment and an Aero Pack 98mm t' 75mm tailcone retainer t' handle motor retention.

Everythin' be put together with Aeropoxy and milled fiberglass added. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Construction was simple enough and I followed t' general motor tube/fin can assembly and worked me way up from thar bein' sure t' include plenty o' internal fillets as I went as this one will be gettin' plenty o' power under it at some point and should hold up t' t' task without any problem. Aye aye! There is a lot o' variety in end weight with others I have talked t' that have built this kit, which I believe is just an example o' differin' build techniques (e.g., ya bilge rat, Each o' me fins has 6 fillets each with each fillet consistin' o' 15cc's o' AeroPoxy with milled glass added).

Finishing:
Compared t' your typical high power kit, matey, matey, finish is very easy with this bird. Begad! T' fiberglass is smooth with no spirals. Aye aye! However, t' weave be apparent in a few places, but it still didn't take much t' fill and finish it. Ya scallywag! This bird's first flight will be a memorial flight so I went with silver and black for me colors and had custom decals made.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Performance Rocketry Competitor 4

Flight:
Currently me sims are showin' it able t' fly on anythin' from an I600 up t' t' largest 75mm motors without needin' any noseweight or alterations other than motor adapters.

First flight was on 05/21/2006 with TQC in Walcott, IA. Ya scallywag! For this flight, me bucko, me motor o' choice be t' CTI 75mm K510 with a nice long 5 second burn. Blimey! Rocket was prepped for flight with dual Missileworks RRC2 altimeters t' control recovery functions. Begad! T' rocket was set up t' be drogueless at apogee and a SkyAngle Classic 60 at 1,000' for t' main.

Upon ignition, arrr, arrr, me bucko, t' motor hiccupped bad and just fizzled for over 2 seconds like t' bottom o' t' motor had lit. Arrr! It did finally come up t' pressure though and lifted off nicely. T' flight went nice and up t' 7,611' accordin' t' t' RRC2.

Recovery:
Recovery system is completely up t' you and somethin' you'll need t' think about and plan for durin' construction. Arrr! Blimey! I will be goin' with an all Keelhaul®©™ recovery system, drogueless at apogee with t' main at 1000'.

At apogee, t' RRC2 fired t' apogee charge and t' rocket separated and began t' fall drogueless, matey, separated by 45' o' shock cord. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! At 1,000 t' RRC2 fired t' main charge and t' SkyAngle Classic 60 opened smartly and caught air. Begad! Aye aye! T' backup charge visibly fired at 800' and everythin' came down for a nice soft touchdown.

T' flight and recovery went off without a hitch and I wouldn't change a thing. Avast, me proud beauty! Next up is maybe a L850 or M1297.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This be me first all fiberglass kit. Arrr! I liked that it was a kit with t' basic parts needed yet still left plenty up for grabs in t' design as far as figurin' out t' recovery and finishin' o' t' rocket. Avast! Fit was exceptional and overall thar be nothin' that I personally would want t' change.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Performance Rocketry Competitor 4 By Kyle Cornelius (June 26, 2007)

    Brief: This review is for an all fiberglass high performance rocket made by Performance Rocketry. It stands almost 8' tall and 4" in diameter. I tend to overbuild so mine came out a little heavier than most, 15lbs without motor. Dual deployment is a must with this rocket. Construction: This kit comes with the following parts: 4' fiberglass body tube with fin slots ...

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Comments:

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unknown (October 19, 2006)
Please take into consideration: I, and many others, have had issues with this vendor after sending payment for products and not receiving them. Communication has been poor, therefore, buyer beware.
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J.F. (December 6, 2007)
From my experience, Performance Rocketry has been nothing but a pleasure to deal with. Since 2004, I have ordered PR products directly from Curtis and through Wildmman Rocketry, and Rockets Magazine. Each and every time I have ordered from ANY of the three sources, I never once had an issue with availability, communication, or delivery. Around this time last year I ordered 48" of PR 54mm carbon fiber tubing through Tim at Wildman Rocketry. I was told up front that it may take 3-6 weeks for the carbon order to be completed and delivered. It was on my door step less than a month (4 weeks) later. I'm not trying to "sell" anyone on PR products, I'm just stating my first hand experiences.

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