Decided to see for myself what all the fuss was about. I did this same build on RocketReviews.com and it showed up on Facebook, (or Facebox as the One They Call The Conehead calls it,) but I know some of you guys are still holding to your caveman belief systems, so I thought I'd poop it out here as well.





I ordered mine from Don's Hobby Shop and it was here almost as fast as a Semroc order. Nicely packaged. All parts accounted for and in great shape. Good first impression.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Took me a while to get started on the project because it arrived just as the funk did. I didn't do any building from late August to January. My build season was a disappointment, but I enjoyed the break.
As for the open kit, I was impressed with the parts. Tubes were nice and sturdy. Fins were dead straight 1/16" ply. The nose cone was a generic plastic one that I immediately swapped out for a longer balsa cone. The plastic one would have worked fine. I just wanted a sleeker look.
First up was the attachment of the centering rings. Nice and sturdy. They meant business.



I did a dry-fit and tried to figure out the paper transition pattern that was included. I slowly unraveled the puzzle and figured that this was what was considered US Rocket's "exclusive "Integrated Tube-tm" technique for the reducer shroud for light weight and high strength." In other words, I was supposed to use the paper pattern to figure out where to cut triangular pieces out of the top of the lower body tube, then bend the pieces over to attach them to the bottom of the upper body tube. A man has to know his limits, and I know mine. I never could get the little glue and balsa dust cones to look like anything but a booger when I built the Semroc VF-261, and I wasn't about to do that to this bird. I went with a paper shroud instead courtesy of Payload Bay. http://www.payloadbay.com/page-Tools.html I used 1.22" and 1" for the top and bottom, and .375" for the length. Took me three tries, but I have a lot of file cards. I was not the least bit sorry not to learn a new skill.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Attaching the fins was pretty standard. Trace the corresponding spots onto the lower tube from the template that was printed in the instructions. Pretty much the same as a Semroc kit, and I've built one or two of those.



Fins were then mounted with Elmer's Wood Glue. Had I opted for 29mm power, I'd probably have gone with epoxy.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

I don't have a field big enough to do the 29mm thing with this bird. I believe they call those dry lake beds. No such feature in Kentucky or Ohio, so I went with an open ended 24mm mount. No engine block. Yet. As such it can fly on any C11, D12, E9 or E12 motor currently in my range box.



This is the finished transition, CA'd and ready for primer. I have a hard time believing that I could have come anywhere close to with with the "Integrated Tube" technique. Maybe some other time.



And the aforementioned balsa nose cone.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

The finished build, ready for the paint booth. We went shopping last night after dinner and I wound up with metallic orange and black paints. Thinking orange on the lower body tube and black for the upper tube, transition and fins. No decals, but I may go with something simple. I'll see when the paint is finished.



I didn't have a piece of Kevlar stout enough to do the recovery system the way I normally do it, so I went with the tried and true folded paper mount, which was included with the kit. The included elastic shock cord was plenty stout and plenty long. Flight results to come, as are finished paint pics, but to this point I'm very impressed with the finished product. Good value, speedy delivery, and a great design.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

I'd swear you have dealt with F.G.P. in a Dr Zooch kit before.

Too bad you did not attempt the tube reducer. I would have liked to see how that turned out.


Bill

__________________
It is well past time to Drill, Baby, Drill!

If your June, July, August and September was like this, you might just hate summer too...

Please unload your question before you ask it unless you have a concealed harry permit.

: countdown begin cr dup . 1- ?dup 0= until cr ." Launch!" cr ;

Give a man a rocket and he will fly for a day; teach him to build and he will spend the rest of his days sanding...

If I'd have been dealing with a standard BT-55 or other easy to replace body tube I probably would have. What's F.G.P.?

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Funky Glue Putty.


Bill

__________________
It is well past time to Drill, Baby, Drill!

If your June, July, August and September was like this, you might just hate summer too...

Please unload your question before you ask it unless you have a concealed harry permit.

: countdown begin cr dup . 1- ?dup 0= until cr ." Launch!" cr ;

Give a man a rocket and he will fly for a day; teach him to build and he will spend the rest of his days sanding...

Or G.B. for glue boogers. Nope, the only place I've run into that is Carl's VF-261 kit. I was at NSL, building Friday night in my ghetto hotel room. I planned to be the first one to fly one of the kits. I wish I'd have taken a picture of the result. It really did look like something you'd see on the underside of a school desk.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Tube transitions are legitimate in 3 forms (Paper, Balsa, or Plastic) and preferable in only TWO, Balsa or Plastic.
The way this kit suggests is somewhere between goofy and insane.
Tanx, but no tanks.

Everything else about this kit seems nice though.
May have to pick up some of their offerings.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !