Brief:
The SU-47 is another in the line of 'fighter aircraft' rockets from Sunward Aerospace Group, Ltd. The kit is 27 inches long with a 12 inch wing span and recovers under parachute. This is an interesting model and will make a good impression with the 'X-planes' crowd and garner many 'oohs and ahhs' on the field.

Construction:
The kit is packaged in a heat sealed, heavy plastic bag with a very nice face card featuring a color photo of the completed model. The photo is a bit dark, but still can be used as an additional reference for decal placement. Both the face card and instructions are printed in English and French.

The model includes two bags of parts to build the rocket with either a 18mm motor mount or 24mm mount. My kit was missing the 18mm tube, but had all the other parts for that motor option. I highly recommend building with the 24mm mount and using an adapter for the smaller motors.

In addition to the motor mount parts, the kit includes:

• 1 plastic nose cone with an integrated canopy
• 1 BT-55 body tube
• 2 planks of laser-cut fin balsa
• pre-printed cardstock for body wraps and fin reinforcement
• 1 18" red plastic parachute, shroud lines and stick-on rings
• 1 long, 1/4" rubber band recovery cord
• silk screened decals
• 1 1/8" launch lug

The instructions, despite being printed in two languages, are laid out well and easy to follow. Simple yet clear and helpful illustrations abound. The fin marking template and tri-fold shock mount embedded in the booklet might be better placed on the cardstock which will be cut apart anyway.

The SU-47 is rated as a Skill level 3 kit but even fairly experienced builders should have no trouble with the assembly. By staggering subassemblies and glue drying, I was able to complete the primary construction in just a few hours.

One major deviation from the instructions I made was to glue all the wing segments (6 pieces, 3 for each side) on flat surface covered with a sheet of wax paper. This method practically guarantees good alignment of the entire wing piece. The instructions show gluing the wing segments to the body tube individually, which could easily lead to frustration and misaligned parts.

After the wings and tail fins are assembled, the body wraps are applied. This can be tricky, but the preprinted cardstock was right on the mark and made this step a snap. A preprinted marking on the lower wrap also made it easy to align the launch lug. The body wraps have exposed edges; front and rear for the under wrap and aft for the over wrap. These may experience wear and tear over time so it might be a good idea to strengthen the edges with some CA or layers of white glue.

Finishing:
The laser cut balsa ensures accurate and matching parts. The heavy grain of the stock may present a challenge to those modelers that prefer a glass like finished surface. The vertical tail fins are reinforced with small pieces of cardstock which might also detract from aerodynamic perfection.

In an industry littered with inkjet and ALPS printed decals, the inclusion of silk screened decals was a welcome surprise. The white lettering, red stars, and various accents should compliment just about any dark paint scheme.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
The instructions stress the importance of stability testing, especially when building the 24mm mount for heavy D motors. Illustrated directions for performing a 'swing test' are included. However, the kit is lacking the all important clay ballast, so the flier must provide their own (if it any is needed).

Since I was using an adapter to fly a C6-5 on the maiden flight, a stability test was certainly in order. "Paying it forward", I enlisted the assistance of a couple kids on the field that had never performed a swing test before. We cleared a 20' x 20' area and balanced the fully loaded rocket. Then each kid took a turn at spinning the rocket overhead until 10 or 12 feet of string had been let out. Even at very low speeds, the SU-47 was stable. The large wing area immediately forced the nose forward and the vertical fins held it there as speed built up. I suspect when loaded with a D12 motor, very little ballast will be necessary.

The first flight on a C6-5 was quick off the rod with a 90 degree roll turning the wings into the slight wind. It climbed to perhaps 500 feet, arched over, and deployed the chute just past apogee.

Recovery:
The very large surface area of the wings caused the body to fall horizontally, nearly in a glide. With some tweaking to ensure the vertical fins remain upright, it might even be possible to convert the SU-47 to glide recovery. In the photo, the recovery cord can be seen sagging due to the aerodynamic drag forces on the body. This would suggest slow and soft landings are to be expected, even if the chute were to tangle.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
Although I received my SU-47 kit as a gift, the suggested US retail price of $20.00 seems reasonable and a good value. The kit is made from quality parts and construction is straightforward. Impressive flights are assured thanks to the unique wing shape and rocket profile. I would certainly recommend this kit to anyone that enjoys X-plane rockets or is looking for an unusual addition to their fleet.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5