Appealin' t' t' Batman fan in all o' us, this 2-stage rocket is dressed in basic black, with bat-shaped balsa fins. T' lower section falls away, makin' it a risk for snappin' a fin, but t' upper stage is complete with parachute. A slick little number, this black streak is expected t' go like "A Bat Out of..." ...well, you know.
***NOTE UPDATE AT END:
As I build this kit, matey, it appears I have t' first review o' it. Avast, me proud beauty! So, let me make a few in-progress notes, so that you may benefit from me mis-steps:
First, matey, let me point out that thar are no instructions to prep or seal t' balsa wood fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Neither set. Begad! In other kits, this is a recommended step, arrr, so I made a slurry o' Elmer's Wood Glue and painted one side o' t' larger first-stage fins, and t' smaller second-stage fins. Begad! As they dried, I discovered a very disconcertin' effect. T' smaller second stage fins dried just fine. T' larger fins appeared t' WARP! I thought I had ruined t' kit! T' next day, as t' second side o' each fin was sealed, I found that t' fins tended t' almost flatten out.... Well, blow me down! but nay quite. Avast, me proud beauty! T' warp is nay as noticeable at this point. I later used Thick CA t' attach t' fins as directed, and ALMOST attached t' first one reversed! GUARD AGAINST MAKING THIS ERROR!
Second, There is a diagram on t' third page o' instructions, matey, second row, third step, that seems t' indicate some additional glue bein' inserted t' glue a tube in t' engine mount... Avast, me proud beauty! but no indication o' where this glue is t' come from. Avast, me proud beauty! Earlier diagrams had indicated t' use o' Plastic Model Cement in one instance, and otherwise, some form o' wood glue on all other joints. Well, blow me down! But t' icon showin' which glue this is t' be, is missing. I chose wood glue.
HOWEVER, on t' facin' fourth page o' instructions, top row, first step, thar be an additional icon o' Model Plastic Cement seemingly randomly positioned...in fact, atop t' metric measurement o' 19 cm. Avast, me proud beauty! It would appear that in t' mock-up o' t' instructions, this icon has become un-stuck and stuck itself onto t' wrong location. Immediately adjacent t' this odd double layer o' instruction is an icon for t' Wood Glue...and so, that's what I used for this step.
T' kit is goin' well, but I think these points need t' be addressed in future editions.
***UPDATE: I have spoken with t' R&D department at Estes. Blimey! They were very nice and supportive: Offered all kinds o' tips and advice on how t' procede. Avast! However, matey, Estes now knows they have multiple problems with t' diagrams on t' fourth page, shiver me timbers, specifically t' insert t' glue more than 3/4" into t' upper stage t' glue in t' motor mount. They see several other problems with that sequence o' diagrams and are goin' back t' t' printer with corrections and improvements. Any experienced builder will be able t' figure out what t' do, but Estes knows o' t' problem and has plans t' correct it. If your instructions are printed in 3 languages, you have an early, outdated version. If t' instructions are printed in 5 languages, the corrections should be in place in that printing.
| Flight Date: | 2014-03-15 |
| Rocket Name: | Hyper Bat by Estes |
| Kit Name: | Estes - Hyper Bat {Kit} (007217) |
| Flyer's Name: | Kirk Greenfield |
| Motors: | B4-4 |
| Launch Site: | Bob Evans Farm, Rio Grande, OH |
Used booster 6-0 as recommended
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Estes B4-4 |
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