Estes - Trajector {Kit} (9709)

Estes Trajector

Estes - Trajector {Kit} (9709)

Contributed by Lester Anderson

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2014-01-13
Diameter:	2.00 inches
Length:	35.30 inches
Manufacturer:	Estes
Style:	Futuristic/Exotic

Brief

Trajector

This is a sci-fi inspired kit recently released by Estes. It uses t' same nose cone as t' Interceptor E and Cosmic Interceptor, shiver me timbers, matey, shiver me timbers, only pre-colored silver and black.

Components

Where t' begin, me bucko, Nose down? T' nose be t' same one as on t' Interceptor E/ Cosmic Interceptor, me bucko, ya bilge rat, only it's been pre-colored silver with black for t' cocpit windows. Body tube is also pre-colored silver, and comes pre-slotted for t' mountin' tabs on t' fins. Begad! Arrr! And about t' fins, shiver me timbers, nay a big fan o' these fins. Yep, they do t' job, arrr, but they are a plastic, 2 piece assembly molded in black. Blimey! Good for t' "no paintin' required" description on t' box, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, but they feel kinda weak. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! T' fins also get capped with those orange "gun pods" which look cool, matey, and hold t' tips o' t' fins together. Avast! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Next be t' motor mount, heavy wall 29mm for t' tube, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but t' centerin' rings are, agian, molded plastic. Avast! Bein' an interior part, shiver me timbers, it does nay matter that they are black, matey, but they are. Begad! So be t' new, me hearties, arrr, 2 piece, shock cord mount, molded black plastic. Well, blow me down! Parachute is 18 inch nylon fabric, shiver me timbers, with 8 shroud lines, and is pre-sewn. Well, blow me down! Lastly, matey, t' launch lugs are, ya bilge rat, you may as well guess, molded black plastic. For those noticin' a pattern, arrr, thar be nay 1 piece o' wood anywhere on this kit. Aye aye! Aye aye! Just paper tubes and plastic.

Construction

Lets see, Pro's and con's. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It be really fun for me buildin' this kit. T' only part prep that was needed for any o' t' parts be a light scuffin' where ever any glue joint was t' happen, and nay much glue was needed. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! It goes together, me bucko, me hearties, per t' instructions, matey, with 30 minn epoxy and thin CA glue. Begad! Blimey! This makes t' build time much faster than "normal" rockets. Begad! Blimey! That makes for a big Pro for me, matey, as I enjoy t' build process a lot. Ya scallywag! Blimey! But it also makes t' build over too fast for me liking, shiver me timbers, as this kit had nothin' new for me t' learn while buildin' it.

Finishing

Finishing, me bucko, almost non-existant. Aye aye! All t' exterior peices are pre-colored t' same as t' box art, me hearties, so t' only finishin' prep is a light wipe down with an alcohol rag t' clean t' surface prior t' decal placement. And those decals?? "Pressure Sensitive Transfer Decals", which means STICKERS!!! Stickers belong on a kids kit, shiver me timbers, nay a Pro Series kit. Blimey! However, me hearties, they do stay stuck on durin' flight, ya bilge rat, so Estes at least used t' right adheasive on these ones.

Construction Score: 4

Flight

Flight, t' fun part. Well, blow me down! Estes calls out for one o' their new, me hearties, 29mm black powder F15-6 engines for t' first flight o' this one. My only problem is me local hobby store does nay yet have this engine (as o' 11/09/13). So I had t' improvise, ya bilge rat, and ended up usin' an Aerotech F22-6 reload in me 29/40-120 Aerotech casing. Ya scallywag! I never bough an F load for this casin' before, but it goes together t' same way as t' E and G reloads for this case.

But t' flight is perfect, arrr, straight up, slight arc over at apogee, me hearties, and perfect ejection right after apogee. Ya scallywag! It would nay suprise me if I got a little higher than t' advertised 1600 feet on t' box.

Recovery

As mentioned in t' components block, shiver me timbers, she comes with an 18 inch nylon parachute. Fearin' for t' safety o' me new rocket and t' reload casin' in her, I substituted an extra 24 inch nylon chute I had in t' range box. Maby this was a bad Idea, as t' shock cord and parachute got tangled on those orange "gun pods" on t' end o' t' fins. But she still came down slowly enough t' nay recieve any damage on landing. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Perhaps it is a common failin' for all sci-fi rockets that t' parachute gets tangled on t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight Rating: 4