The not so mean machine rocket_launch

By Chris Hurtado

Published: 2023-10-09

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Introduction
Manufacturer:Estes
Diameter:1.6400 inches
Length:79.0000 inches
Skill Level:2
Style:Sport

with a rocket called the mean machine, you’d expect it to growl at you and shake you down for your lunch money. Instead, it’s more like the classic “gentle giant”. One can hardly apply “mean” to simple night. 6ft is impressive though and usually draws a crowd along with my home but launch rig and control. Now, it is pretty awesome how high this gentle giant can reach on an E12-A. Recovery works like a champ, and on its maiden flight had an entire soccer team chasing it wwhe it seas their refereea frantically blowing the whistle to trZ we{ y to draw them back to the game. (6yr old bunchball/soccer) about to circle back to why I refer to it as “gentle giant” or…. “The Innuendo”


Version bought from amazon

Components

Typical kit. Several tubes, couplers, engine mounts, fins and a handy “de-coupler” twist and pull apart section for easy travel or storage

Construction

Everything has help up well so far after 20-ish launches, BUT! It’s the wimpy teenie tiny fins that I just couldn’t get passed. Enter…Imagination! Wimpy fins on something called the mean machine. UNACCEPTABLE. so I set out to make something that would scream ‘mean’. The fins I created ARE fins, forward swept, leading and trailing edges, but definitely look more like blades that would cut you. NOW I had a mean machine! Pix supplied below

Flight

flies amazingly straight, and very impressive with an E12-6 motor

Summary

Kits are fun. But they’re even better when you do something to it to truly make it your own and not a cookie cutter product. Overall great rocket. But get rid of those wussy fins. It’s supposed to be mean, like it’s gonna come after you. Not, dainty, like a butterfly.


   

   

Estes Mean Machine Reviews

ID
Title
Published
Type
Reviewer
Action
4376
The not so mean machine - Estes Mean Machine
2023-10-09
Kit
Chris Hurtado
list
1314
Estes Mean Machine
2005-06-06
Kit
John Gordon
list
1316
Estes Mean Machine
2004-11-23
Kit
David Austerberry
list
1315
Estes Mean Machine
0000-00-00
Kit
Jordan Hiller
list
329
Estes Mean Machine
0000-00-00
Kit
Scott Danielson
list
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