Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Published: | 2010-06-13 |
Diameter: | 0.75 inches |
Manufacturer: | Starlight Rockets |
Skill Level: | 1 |
Brief:
An interestin' dowel stabilized Rocket. Avast! Aye aye! Small minimum diameter for 18mm engines with streamer
recovery.
Construction:
Simple kit with 18mm tube, balsa nose cone, 3 finlets, matey, me bucko, 3 dowels, launch lug, silver Mylar
streamer and shock cord. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Minimum diameter for 18mm engines. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Friction motor retention. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Uses what I think be t' Stine
shock cord mountin' method -- paper strip with 3 holes. Arrr! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Shock cord is threaded through holes and a knot is tied at end.
Very easy t' build Rocket with laser cut finlets, and beveled dowels for fins with premarked body tube. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Good instructions and with simple hand drawn illustrations. Blimey! Blimey! I used white glue and results seem strong as it stood up to sub-optimal recovery. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Decent length o' shock cord, me bucko, though I should have used Keelhaul®©™® and mounted it t' t' engine block. Begad! Good materials, me bucko, laser cut balsa and straight dowels. Begad! Dowels are pre-beveled t' glue against t' finlets and tube.
Pro's:
Con's:
Finishing:
Standard balsa/kraft tube finishin' methods used. Arrr! Blimey! I filled t' balsa and sanded. Begad! Blimey! I used
rustoleum automotive primer. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I launched it twice and haven't yet done final painting.
Pro's:
Con's:
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
I flew it twice with Estes A8-3 motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! Took off fast and straight in very light winds. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Flew
very high, nearly out o' sight. Aye aye! This is a simple rocket with simple preparation. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I put some maskin' tape on t' motor
and put in some Estes recovery wadding. Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I used 3 and 5 sheets, ya bilge rat, but this wasn't enough or me packin' technique was poor.
It landed close by on both flight.
On first flight, me hearties, t' streamer be burned through about 1" from attachment point. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Rocket was recovered with no damage. Aye aye! Avast! Rest o' streamer was recovered as well.
On second flight I taped t' streamer back together and it flew very very high and I lost sight o' it. I told my son t' keep lookin' for it but it might be lost. He then informed me that it had already landed about 40 feet away. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! The streamer be intact but burned more. T' shock cord looks like it should be replaced as t' outer layer is burn off near t' attachment. Ahoy! T' rubber inside is still completely intact. Begad! Begad!
I'm a new BAR so I'll blame myself for poor recovery system packing. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey! This is a small diameter rocket so maybe this is t' be expected. I should have used Keelhaul®©™® tied t' t' motor mount. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! Still t' shock cord seems better than Estes short rubber bands.
I was very pleased with t' two flights. Would be 5 points if it recovered perfectly.
Pro's:
Con's:
Recovery:
Pro's:
Con's:
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
Nice simple kit that isn't just 3FNC. Aye aye! Blimey! Flies high on modest engine. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I'm very pleased with flight
characteristics but recovery needs some work (mostly me fault). It's a very classic kit with classic materials (no
plastic except for streamer). Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Inexpensive and it was on t' shelf at a LHS. Begad! Blimey! My 8 y/o son liked it as well. Avast! Blimey! As I've seen
on many other reviews o' many other rockets, me bucko, I now recommend usin' Keelhaul®©™®
shock cord!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
Other:
Use Keelhaul®©™ shock cord and attach t' motor mount. Well, blow me down! Be extra careful packin' t' recovery wadding.
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A.K.B. (August 5, 2010)