
(Contributed - by Greg Lane - 12/18/05
)
Brief:
Cluster Flying Saucer Kit with 3 complete interchangeable motor mounts that can
be changed at any time.
Construction:
Components include cardstock to form the top and bottom, fiberglass tape, foam
backed board, 75mm core tube, and motor mount tubes.
The assembly is a departure from the usual 3 fins and a nosecone rocket. The
included assembly instructions are straightforward and include helpful
pictures. The top, formed from cardstock, is reinforced by using fiberglass
tape on the inside and a coating of epoxy. I used the recommended Devcon 2 hour
epoxy from Walmart.
Finishing:
You can specify various colors for the cardstock when you order. I used no
paint initially. I later refurbished the saucer and gave it a coat of Krylon
H20 paint with good results.
Construction Rating:
5
out of 5
Flight:
The flying is the best part. Most of my flights have been with the 3x24mm
mount. C11s seemed to only give only about 50 feet. I would not use them. D12s
are good. E9s are best with the three second burn. I used a clip whip and the
club's heavy duty launch system. I have had a lot of success with getting all
three motors to light and a few failures. When one motor lit, the saucer just
cleared the rod and did a few back flips before landing six feet from the pad.
Two motors lit and the saucer did a long arc, but nothing too dramatic. You can
use BP -0 motors, but I have had success with the short delays. The ejection
charges from BP motors are a nice effect on the way down. Recently, I used the
29mm mount with a F25 and the 38mm mount with a H73. The H73 is very impressive
with the black smoke.



Recovery:
A great feature about Art Applewhite saucers is no recovery device required.
According to Art's web site the decent rate is between 23 and 32 feet per
second. I have had no damage except one small ding in the top that was
repairable. There is never a long walk, I don't know how you could lose this
rocket.
Flight Rating:
5
out of 5
Summary:
The pro to this rocket is minimal prep time and an attention getting flight,
particularly on three E9s. Likewise, the interchangeable mounts are a plus
allowing BP and AP flights with at least twenty five different motor types. If
the winds or low clouds have fliers holding off flights, you can bring out the
Cluster Saucer and have some fun.
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5