| Construction Rating: |   | | Flight Rating: | | | Overall Rating: | |
Contributed by Patrick Byrnes
Brief:
This is an over three feet high E2X series rocket with a parachute recovery.
Construction:
This rocket came in a box that protected all pieces required in building this
kit. This kit can be built in about 1 hour because there is no painting
involved and the fins are plastic. The directions were very easy to follow and
at no time was this kit hard to build. All of the pieces fit properly and the
rocket is very sturdy if made correctly. To be built this kit needs only the
very basics: hobby knife, plastic cement, and white glue.
Finishing:
Pro's: -No painting required. -Decals are easy to apply and brightly colored.
Con's- -None
Construction Rating:
4
out of 5
Flight:
I have used A through C engines in this rocket. I do not recommend A engines
because the rocket only gets about 100 ft. off the ground. C engines are the
best for this rocket and the two times I launched it with a C it flew straight
and the parachute opened perfectly. The shock cord on this rocket should be
longer, but the one Estes gives you will work, but I recommend finding
something longer. The problem with this rocket is it doesn't fly very high. The
box says the rocket goes to 800ft. on a C, but it looked more like 500ft. to
me.
Recovery:
The parachute that comes with this rocket is the right size(12in.), but do not
make a spill hole. For this rocket's first launch, I put a spill hole in the
parachute and the rocket fell too hard. I replaced the parachute and all of the
times I have flown it since, I had no trouble recovering the rocket.
Flight Rating:
4
out of 5
Summary:
I recommend this rocket to anyone who wants a tall rocket that can be built
very quickly and easily. If you are looking for altitude this rocket is
probably not for you.
Overall Rating:
4
out of 5 Flight Log| Date | Rocket Name | Motor(s) | Altitude | Notes |
|---|
| 1999-05-16 | Bob Kaplow's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | stable w 3/4 clay | | 2000-04-08 | Bob Sanford's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | First flight for model. Good boost, ejected just past apogee, very small 'zipper' on lower body... | | 2000-07-03 | David Pacheco's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | Slight rod angle. Great flight. | | 2000-07-03 | David Pacheco's Estes Fireflash | B4-4 | - | Slow, majestic liftoff. Low flight. | | 2000-07-08 | David Pacheco's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Great flight. | | 2001-08-12 | William Frazier's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | Plastic chute melted, core sampled. Now on display. | | 2001-08-12 | William Frazier's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Another nice flight. | | 2001-08-12 | William Frazier's Estes Fireflash | A8-5 | - | Nice boost, good deployment. | | 2001-12-01 | Michael Mangieri's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Nice takeoff. Shock cord broke at ejection. The main rocket BT was destroyed on impact with the... | | 2002-01-12 | Steve Grace's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | | | 2002-03-26 | Jason Vennard's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | Great flight, however ejection charge blew out nosecone and clay, lost nose cone, otherwise... | | 2002-08-28 | John Rowan-Stern's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | This was the best launch of the day. Very straight flight, great ejection and nice recovery. No... | | 2002-09-25 | John Rowan-Stern's Estes Fireflash | C6-7 | - | Flew straight on impulse and then arced way over during delay. Ripped all shrouds except for 2... | | 2003-01-07 | Adam Sepe's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | chute melted together | | 2003-04-13 | Lance Alligood's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Surprisingly straight but short flight, maybe 250-300ft. Rapid descent with 12 chute. Parachute... | | 2003-04-27 | Lance Alligood's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Slow liftoff but arrow straight flight up. Mylar chute managed to get caught against main BT &... | | 2003-05-25 | Rocky Firth's Estes Fireflash | B4-4 | - | Poor choice for this very heavy 18 mm kit. A two second delay would have been alomost perfect | | 2003-07-01 | Matt Vennard's Estes Fireflash | C6-3 | - | Not a bad first flight, but rocket was nose heavy with all the weight added. Chute lines burned... | | 2003-08-24 | Rocky Firth's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Great flight for this rather heavy kit. | | 2003-09-07 | Niall Oswald's Estes Fireflash | B4-4 | - | Textbook flight - straight, apogee bang above the pad, recovered 30ft away. No damage. | | 2003-09-07 | Niall Oswald's Estes Fireflash | C6-7 | - | Weathercocked slightly, delay FAR too long - don't use a C6-7! Popped 3 shroud lines on chute,... | | 2003-09-14 | James Reyome's Estes Fireflash | C6-3 | - | Given some of the negative comments on this rocket I was concerned on this first flight but it... | | 2003-10-02 | Donald Besaw's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | Nice first flight with a nice recovery. This rocket flies well with only half of the provided nose... | | 2003-10-25 | James Reyome's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | Another good flight for the Fireflash. Got a lot of nice comments when flying. Did sustain some... | | 2003-12-28 | Donald Besaw's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | Nice flight on the way up but the chute ripped apart completely at ejection. I never saw the... | | 2004-01-02 | Paul Winder's Estes Fireflash | C6-7 | - | Anglesey Rocket Club. Flight was Vertical. Max Altitude Approx 300ft. Recovery Phase Commenced as... | | 2004-10-18 | Alex Jordan's Estes Fireflash | C6-7 | - | Ejection about 3 seconds after apogee..Came down, chute came out about 50 feet, never opened....No... | | 2005-10-22 | James Reyome's Estes Fireflash | B6-4 | - | First flight for refitted Fireflash (removed some nose weight, repaired crease in upper body tube... | | 2006-01-12 | Donald Besaw's Estes Fireflash | C6-5 | - | Great flight, went much higher than I expected. Recovered fine on a Quest chute, short recovery... |
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