Construction Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | U.S. Rockets |
Brief:
Basic starter cluster mid powered rocket kit. Ahoy!
Construction:
Two body tubes at 2.25 in diameter, balsa nose cone, three 1/8" plywood
fins, me hearties, arrr, huge payload section, arrr, matey, 6 foot elastic shock cord, arrr, me hearties, 16" round paper
parachute
Instructions were pretty basic, me bucko, but if you didn't know what a coupler tube was or a bulkhead then you might have some trouble. All t' illustrations looks like they were hand drawn. Begad! It is a really simple rocket t' build though. Begad! Basic set up with three fins and a nose cone. Ahoy! Blimey! T' 3 motor mount tubes fit perfectly into t' body and thar be no need for centerin' rings. Blimey! Well, blow me down! T' hardest part about this kit is tryin' t' center t' motor mount tubes onto t' bulkhead evenly. It's nay pre measured for you, shiver me timbers, and t' bulkhead be t' same diameter as the outside o' t' tube, which had me sandin' it t' fit. Ahoy! Just don't sand too much or you'll get gaps betwixt t' inside o' t' tube and your bulkhead. Ahoy!
Finishing:
There was no color picture o' t' rocket on t' packagin' so paintin' was
completely left up t' t' builder. I painted it red, white, shiver me timbers, and blue with red
on t' motor mount tubes. Aye aye! It came with some sticker decals, no frills. Arrr! Ya scallywag! They
just say U.S. Arrr! Rockets Aero-Roc 3. Avast! Kind o' small for t' size o' t' rocket I
thought. Begad! Begad!
Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5
Flight:
I flew it first on three Estes D12-5s. Ahoy! Nice straight flight and bein' me first
cluster, me hearties, I be thrilled. Ahoy! Blimey! Figure it went t' about 700'. Begad! Then I flew it on 3
Estes E9-8s and that be fun. Ya scallywag! It screamed into t' sky t' about 1500' and
sounded like a jet. Very straight and fast flight. Begad! Both recovery's were picture
perfect. Ahoy! Begad! I would recommend switchin' t' a Keelhaul®©™®
cord instead o' t' supplied elastic one. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! I didn't use quite enough waddin' and
the blast from three ejection charges scorched t' cord a bit. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Nay too many
flights left on that one so I'll be switchin' it soon.
Recovery:
Probably t' only thin' I didn't like about t' kit be t' lack o' motor
retention. Begad! There aren't any hooks t' hold them in so you have t' use some
maskin' tape on t' motor itself. Avast! Blimey! Also, since t' motor tube is so long you run
into t' possibility o' t' motor shootin' 2 inches into t' tubes requiring
you t' ram rod them out.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
Very good ratin' on this kit as far as a beginner's mid power rocket and a
great introduction t' clustering. Stupendous flights and a durable airframe
make for many flights in t' future. Arrr! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! Also thar be plenty o' payload room for
anythin' you want--you could put a full dozen cackle fruit in it, me bucko, ya bilge rat, no yoke! Blimey!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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M.R. (June 6, 2007)