100% agreement with PaulK -- stick with the D12.

I've tried the E9-4 in my Soyuz (similarly sized to your Sputnik) and the result was almost a disaster in that the model was well past apogee ( by several seconds) at ejection. Parachute deployment was very low and tested the strength of my lattice work about as much as I would care to do.

My first thought was that the delay was -6 rather than -4 as marked; I haven't tested that theory in anything else, and I'm darn sure not going to try it in an R-7.

Oh, and a 48" rod wouldn't hurt.

__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7