U.S. Rockets Miniroc 1.2

U.S. Rockets - Miniroc 1.2 {Kit}

Contributed by Kyle Cornelius

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: U.S. Rockets

Brief:
I won this rocket in an EMRR contest last year. Blimey! This is a very basic lookin' 4 finned rocket. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! It is constructed o' very good quality components. T' rocket is a minimum diameter 29mm rocket capable o' very high altitude and speed.

US Rockets Miniroc 1.2 US Rockets Miniroc 1.2

Construction:
T' kit comes with:

  • 1 12" body tube
  • 1 6" body tube
  • 1 very nice balsa nose cone
  • 2 couplers (mine only came with one)
  • 1 wide plastic streamer
  • 1 thin elastic shock cord
  • 1 big screw eye
  • 1 plywood bulkhead
  • 4 fins
  • 1 launch lug

First, shiver me timbers, arrr, I would like t' say that I am very pleased with t' quality o' this kit. Construction is very basic and straightforward. Begad! One o' t' plywood fins was cut a little small, but nothin' too terribly noticeable. Begad! T' bulkhead was cut way oversize, me bucko, arrr, but I ditched it anyway. I epoxied t' coupler into the booster section for a "zipperless" design. Avast! Avast! I then epoxied t' large screw eye into t' balsa nose cone for payload attachment. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I cut dado slots in the tube for extra strength o' fin attachment. Then I tacked t' fins down with super glue, shiver me timbers, me hearties, followed by a very generous epoxy fillet on all o' t' fins. Ya scallywag! I also ditched t' launch lug in favor o' rail buttons.

Finishing:
Nothin' really special about finishing. Aye aye! Arrr! I sanded everythin' until it was very smooth, ya bilge rat, me bucko, then applied a couple o' coats o' primer, ya bilge rat, sandin' in betwixt coats. Aye aye! I then sprayed Krylon Red on t' whole thing. Arrr! Aye aye! When that was dry, ya bilge rat, I masked off the area around t' "small" fin and shot it with black. I used one o' the supplied "U.S. Avast, me proud beauty! ROCKETS MINIROC 1.2" stickers on t' BT above t' fins and one o' t' U.S. Aye aye! Rockets logo on t' fin.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight be on March 11, 2006 on an E9. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! It was very straight and went very high. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! It blended in with t' low dark overcast skies. Aye aye! Ahoy! Luckily, shiver me timbers, me bucko, someone spotted it just before touchdown, about a third o' a mile away.

T' second flight was on May 13, matey, ya bilge rat, 2006, on an AT F21W. Wow, this is the motor for this rocket. Begad! I saw it all t' way from liftoff t' touchdown. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Rocksim says 3,000' and Mach 0.8. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I believe it, too. Arrr! Recovery was about a half mile away.

T' third flight was also on May 13, arrr, 2006, on a D12. Well, blow me down! Unfortunately, arrr, the motor spit at ejection and it came in hot. Aye aye! It stuck straight out o' t' sod. T' body tube pushed into t' balsa nose cone about an inch past t' shoulder. This has since been repaired and it is ready for another flight.

Recovery:
I used a normal 3/4 inch wide and 5 foot long streamer for recovery. I was able to see it just fine from apogee t' touchdown on t' F21W flight.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I believe Jerry has produced a wonderful kit here. Ahoy! If you like altitude and speed, you need one o' these. T' design is also pleasin' t' t' eye (not that it will matter when you press t' launch button.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • U.S. Rockets Miniroc 1.2 By Frank G. Whitby

    Brief: The USR Miniroc 1.2 is a small 29mm minimum diameter rocket. It is a 3FNC style rocket with swept fins and overall a fairly attractive profile. It should be able to fly on anything from C to G power and USR suggests flying it on an H motor as well. The rocket is very stout, considering the light weight and small size. Construction: The kit came with 4 pages of adequate ...

Flights

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