Brief:
T' Chariot is a single stage, ya bilge rat, payload rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! It is one o' Rocket Vision's line o' Rugged Rockets and is specifically designed for mid-range power (E-G). Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! T' body tube and payload tubes are o' heavy duty phenolic. T' nose cones (there are faux strap-on boosters) and transition are poly-vinyl. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' BP section 8 inches long and has an interior dia. Begad! o' 1.86", plenty o' room for eggs, altimeters, cameras . . Begad! Blimey! . Blimey! Blimey! whatever.

Construction:
T' component specs are as follows:

Finished length... 31.125"

Body Tube (BT) L=15" dia. Begad! Begad! ex. Avast! 1.12", me bucko, me bucko, me bucko, int. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! .990" material= phenolic Payload Bay (PB) L=8" Dia. Avast! Avast! ext. Blimey! 2.05", int. Arrr! Well, blow me down! 1.86" Material= phenolic Fins (4) Material= G10 Thickness= .054" Root= 3.25" Span= 3" Tip= 1.5" Sweep Length= 3.350

Faux Boosters Material= phenolic L= 6.75" (incld. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! NCs) Dia= ext. .945", int. Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey! .8" (20.5mm) Motor Mount (MMT) Material= rough cardboard L= 8" Dia= ext. Begad! .992", arrr, int. Ahoy! .945" (24mm) Shock Cord Material= 1/8" braided Keelhaul®©™ L=40" 'Chute Material= DayGlo Orange ripstop plasticized paper Dia.= 18" at grommet points Shroud Lines= 6, ya bilge rat, 200lb. Keelhaul®©™ [all connections t' t' 'chute are double thickness and have brass grommets] 'Chute Protector= 9.5"X4" black Nomex with a grommet connection t' t' shock cord

T' three nose cones (one main and two for t' boosters) are made o' white polyvinyl material and are very thick. Arrr! T' rocket divides at t' base o' t' transition formin' a section consistin' o' t' fins and Body Tube (BT) and another section consistin' o' t' Nose Cone (NC), ya bilge rat, arrr, Transition and Payload Bay (PB).

T' construction is very simple. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' instructions are clear and concise. If greater detail is needed, matey, t' online instructions are ideal. Ahoy! Blimey! Here you can get t' step by step color photos that are lackin' from t' packaged instructions. This rocket requires t' use o' epoxy exclusively. No other glue will work. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' reader is advised t' use a long cure epoxy for t' best joints. Arrr! Blimey! I used SIG's two part epoxy that is mixed 2/1. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It sets in about an hour and cures in 24 hrs. T' only exception t' t' SIG epoxy was in t' area o' t' Motor Mount (MMT). Here, matey, I used 5min epoxy. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' stress here is longitudinal and I see no reason for super strength here. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Other than that, ya bilge rat, I think I'd make one change. I would build a bulk head about three inches into t' base o' t' PB. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Then I would NOT glue t' PB t' t' transition. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Instead I would glue t' transition t' t' BT and use t' transition and t' three inch chamber in t' bottom o' t' BP for packin' t' recovery system. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This would allow easier 'chute packing, me hearties, more certain deployment and a larger 'chute for heavy payloads.

Finishing:
I left this rocket in t' raw. Ahoy! However, shiver me timbers, based on me experience with other Rocket Vision kits, me hearties, matey, sandin' would be minimal and t' finish should go on quite well. Avast, me proud beauty! I can see only one area o' concern. Well, blow me down! At t' base, where t' false boosters join t' BT, it is goin' t' be tough t' get paint in thar usin' a rattle can. Blimey! Even worse, matey, on t' booster that has t' bottom rod guide attached, thar be even less space betwixt t' booster and t' BT. Begad! Here, you are either goin' t' have t' use a brush or a airbrush.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
It uses several motors. Aye aye! T' first flight was with t' recommended E15-4. Begad! Lift-off be smooth and t' rocket reached 1200' as measured by two theodolites on 1,000' baselines. Recovery was without a hitch about 400 yards from t' pad in light wind. Aye aye! I think a larger 'chute will be necessary if any payload is included.

T' second flight was trickier. Blimey! For this one, I took two Estes C-0 boosters and filled t' tops with epoxy. Ahoy! Then I wrapped them in maskin' tape until they fit tightly in t' booster tubes. Ahoy! For t' sustainer, I used another E15-4. Ignition was facilitated usin' a Vaughn Brothers QuadCon controller. Begad! I wired t' E15 t' one switch and t' C-0's t' another. Aye aye! I opened t' switch t' t' E-15 and pushed t' fire button. Begad! Begad! As it lit, I opened t' second switch t' t' two C's and they lit too. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket moved off t' pad smartly and flew t' just over 1500'. Begad! T' C's burned out just after t' E motor. Arrr! Recovery be as before. (Please note that this technique is nay indorsed by Rocket Vision and would nay be allowed at an NARRRRR event.) Modifyin' t' C6-0's alone would cause most RSOs t' DQ you. Ya scallywag! Blimey! In t' end, me hearties, matey, t' altitude gain was minimal and hardly worth t' risk and trouble. Begad! Blimey! My advice is t' forget it.

T' largest motor I have used t' date is an F72-10. Ya scallywag! This produced an altitude o' 2800'. I'd like t' try a G55 but I doubt that I would be able t' see it at t' projected altitude o' 4,300' so I'll hold off on that one.

Recovery:
T' 'chute is a very stiff material that gets stiffer in cold weather. Blimey! Do nay prep this rocket until moments before flight. Also, arrr, I wouldn't leave t' 'chute stored in t' packed position. It most definitely will take a set. Ya scallywag! T' Nomex chute protector is an iffy thing. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! On t' surface it seems ideal. Ya scallywag! However, in practice it takes up a lot o' space, matey, sometimes hangs up causin' ballistic recoveries and it doesn't always stop t' 'chute from gettin' pin holes. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I recommend usin' cellulose insulation. Aye aye! It is lighter, packs easier and will nay hang up. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Repeated launchings (20 t' date) reveal very little wear and tear on t' components. I've had t' re-tie t' knots in t' Keelhaul®©™ a few times but that is because I refuse t' set them with glue.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is another excellent product from Rocket Vision. T' parts are sturdy, well made and correctly dimensioned. Arrr! T' design is very good. It is practical, esthetically pleasin' and flexible. T' generous payload section coupled with a powerful selection o' motors should make this an excellent egg lofter or experimental platform. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! My one big criticism is in t' area o' t' launch lugs. Blimey! They included two sets in me kit; 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. T' 1/8 are too small. Begad! This rocket is heavy and long and needs more stability that can be achieved usin' a 1/8 inch rod. Aye aye! T' 3/16" lugs are t' large in diameter. For some reason, shiver me timbers, RV uses and especially thick polyvinyl tubin' for its lugs. Blimey! In t' small diameter it is ok. Blimey! But in t' larger 3/16 diameter, shiver me timbers, it is so large that it looks obviously out o' scale on t' Chariot. Begad! I recommend nay usin' t' lugs and either usin' Estes lugs or better yet, usin' rail buttons and a rail.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5