
(Contributed - by Norbert Lis)
Brief:
Light weight is perfect for high-altitude flights and dependable streamer
recovery returns your rocket for one exciting flight after another!
Construction:
The kit contains:
- 1 body tube
- 1 motor mount tube
- 3 fins die-cut for easy assembly
- Plastic nose cone
- 2 foot recovery streamer
- Kevlar® shock cord
The instructions where easy to follow allowing me to build it in a half a
day. I really like the die-cut fins and the sturdiness.
Finishing:
I really like the Kevlar® shock cord system!
Construction Rating:
5
out of 5
Flight:
I flew it the next day for 3 flights and they all worked flawlessly with a C6-5
motor (even though it recommended a A6-4). It did require 2 or 3 sheets of
wadding and the motor slipped right it with the motor mount clip. And it flew
straight for all 3 flights!
Recovery:
Shockcord technique with the Kevlar® was flawless and recovery was just about
right; no burning and it came back again. The only bad thing was that I had to
pack the streamer to fly it again and I ran out of motors!
Flight Rating:
5
out of 5
Summary:
This is perfect for the beginning modeler. For about $10 you can buy this kit
and 3 motors which makes it for your budget minded rocketeers. And I'm going to
fly this one till it breaks or I lose it whichever comes first. Then I'm going
to buy another one!
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5

(Contributed - by Matt Gillard - 09/19/06)
Brief:
A three fin 18mm rocket with streamer recovery. Minimum diameter with swept
back fins. A small rocket designed for speed.
Construction:
Kit consists of:
- Motor clip
- Blue thrust ring
- Yellow motor mount tube
- Body tube
- 3 balsa fins
- Plastic launch lug
- Plastic nose cone in two parts
- 24 inch elastic shock cord
- 21 inch Kevlar®
shock cord
- 2 foot streamer
- 1 gripper tab
To build the kit I used:
- White glue
- Model knife
- Sand paper
- Plastic cement
The quality of the components are very good, the body tube had no grooves
etc, so finishing was easy. The instructions are very clear, and this rocket
builds in minutes plus glue drying time.
The only part of the rocket design that I did not like is that the motor
mount sticks out of the rear end of the body tube. I assume that this is so the
motor clip can flex, however, it does spoil the simple clean look of the rocket
and does bring the CG back. I would be tempted when building another, to ditch
the clip and move the motor mount up the tube so that the two tubes were flush
at the rear.
The fins need a bit of sanding and filling. I attached them using white
glue to the body tube after I had sanded the finish off the area of contact. I
used an Estes fin alignment tool to hold the fins in place whilst the glue
dried.
I trimmed the edges off the launch lug at a 45 degree angle at both ends.
Apparently this significantly lowers the drag on a rocket.
All joints were triple filleted with white glue.
Finishing:
The design on the insert card shows a plain yellow rocket with one orange fin.
I chose an all purple design.
Two coats of gray primer were applied, sanding between each coat, followed
by two coats of purple spray paint.
Construction Rating:
4
½ out of 5
Flight:
With its low mass, this rocket leaves the pad in a flash. My first and last
flight was straight and true.
Recovery:
The streamer brought the rocket to a safe landing in a tree! That was the end
of this rocket!
Flight Rating:
5
out of 5
Summary:
Built, flown, and lost all in a flash!
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5