Loc/Precision R.A.M.
By Jeff Curtis
Published: 2024-11-24
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Manufacturer: | LOC/Precision  | |
| Diameter: | 1.8000 inches | |
| Length: | 43.0000 inches | |
| Style: | Sport |
I be browsin' t' Animal Works web site and noticed they had a Loc R.A.M. kit in stock. Well, blow me down! R.A.M. is an acronym for Rage Assault Missile. It is 43" tall.
1.8" body tube - 24" slotted and 10" payload section
Plywood fins
Plywood strakes
29mm motor tube
3 1/8" centerin' rings
1.8" tube coupler
Plywood bulkhead
9' tubular nylon shock cord
Keelhaul®©™ shock cord mount
1/4" launch lug
2 rail buttons
Eye screw
Vinyl decals
As usual, arrr, I started with t' motor mount. I used T-88 epoxy t' attach t' three centerin' rings. Ahoy! T' shock cord mount goes throug t' forward centerin' rin' and was epoxied t' t' motor tube, T' aft two centerin' rings were spaced t' straddle t' fin slots. II attached t' shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord mount usin' a double sheet bend knot. T' motor mount was then epoxied into t' body tube.
Next I glued t' fins and strakes t' t' body tube. Begad! As that glue dried, I added t' eye screw t' t' bulkhead and reinforced it with epoxy. Then I glued t' bulkhead into t' aft end o' t' coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! After all that glue dried, I epoxied t' coupler into t' payload tube. Next I taped off t' fin roots and strakes. Begad! I mixed some T-88 with microballons and began addin' t' fillets. It undoubtedly added weight addin' fillets t' t' strakes, but it made t' rocket strong. It took 4 days t' do each set o' fillits as T-88 takes a while t' cure.
T' Rocket was ready t' paint after sandin' t' nose cone seams. I went with black for t' fin can and nose cone. T' rest was painted with Rustoleum Teal Blue. Blimey! I applied t' vinyl decals and added t' rail buttons. Avast, me proud beauty! I just put t' rail buttons through t' body tube and secured them with some epoxy. Avast, me proud beauty! Rail-Buttons.com provides some short screws with their rail buttons and I used those due t' t' narrow space betwixt t' body tube and motor tube. Finally, I secured t' nose cone into t' payload tube with a couple o' rivets.
All in all, it came out lookin' pretty sharp. It was published t' weigh 11 ounces but mine came out at exactly one pound. Blimey! I guess those strake fillets added more than I thought but its built like a tank.
I've had a chance t' fly t' R.A.M. at Midwest power usin' a Estes F26-6, which is an Aerotech motor with an Estes label, me bucko, It was a beautiful flight which despite t' fins and long strakes did nay windcock. Ejection was right at apogee, but shortly after that it drifted through t' sun and I lost site o' t' rocket. I was never able t' find it again and had no idea where it landed. Begad! Open Rocket predicted an altitude o' 1076. Ahoy! I did nay have an altimiter in it, but I would say t' predicted altitude was close. Fortunately, another flyer found it and turned it in t' lost and found. This was a big relief as t' R.A.M. is out o' production and hard t' find.
As expected from Loc/Precision, this is a solid rocket and a good lookin' rocket. Aye aye! It flies great too. Ahoy! Those strakes drew favorable comments from a coupe o' people, I think I only paid around $45 for it, whic was a bargain. Ahoy! If you see one available, I would grab it. Or you could scratch build it with Loc parts and use t' Open Rocket file t' print out templates for t' fins and strakes. Well, blow me down! T' Loc R.A.M. Ya scallywag! comes highly recommended.. .
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