Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | DG&A High Power Rocketry |
Photos courtesy o' DG&A
Brief:
Anyone heard o' BSD? Well this kit is equal t' t' quality o' that now popular company. Begad! Danny Cantu, t' owner, ya bilge rat, has designed a line somewhat challengin' t' build and extremely fun t' fly kits, from t' 29mm Predator up t' t' special edition limited production Armageddon and Sonic Blast (3 K1100's no problem). Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! This kit is designed for a 38mm I161-J570. It has standard parachute deployment on t' main body and t' sustainer section as well. This is a solid kit with clearly illustrated directions with pictures and t' most important thin' o' all, Danny's phone number if you have problems. Well, blow me down! I have opted t' make a few modifications in t' kit from normal, arrr, but really does nay effect t' overall design.
Construction:
This is a 4 inch kit that comes with a parts list o' t' main components. Arrr! They are t' 34" booster tube, ya bilge rat, matey, 24" airframe tube, 10" payload bay, matey, and 34" 38 mm motor tube. I extended t' motor mount due t' me recovery design. Blimey! It has a 4 inch nose cone. It also comes with t' main fins, upper canard fins, 4 centerin' rings, 1 bulkhead, 8 nozzle fins and 8 win' supports. Begad! All are 1/4 inch plywood, ya bilge rat, very beefy. This kit has a shock cord strap which you attach t' shock cord to, matey, arrr, and has t' hardware for t' standard eyebolt attachments. Avast, me proud beauty! It also comes with 1/2" launch lugs, but I have opted t' use rail guides instead, shiver me timbers, me hearties, since I have a rail.
T' instructions are very easy t' follow with pictures. T' only gotcha I found was t' parachute attachment method. Begad! I did nay quite understand t' directions. I am incorporatin' Stu Barrets' anti-zipper design, so I have me own plans. Aye aye! Go t' InfoCentral at ROL under construction and you will see Stu's article on this. Arrr! Well, arrr, blow me down! I also added tubular nylon for t' shock cord, about 18 feet o' it. Ya scallywag! All I had t' add t' t' kit for this be 1 extra coupler and 1 extra 12" payload section I got with t' kit from Danny. Ahoy! T' assembly directions are straight forward. Lots o' sandin' on those huge wings. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Danny includes pre-marked tubes for t' fins and alignment guides, ya bilge rat, plus a wrap around win' guide for t' nozzle. Begad! Aye aye! This kit is extremely sturdy and constructed o' high grade components. Avast! I opted only t' fiberglass t' payload section, matey, just for a little added strength. Well, blow me down! I used t' basic 30 minute epoxy from me hobby store. Ya scallywag! You can use 5 minute epoxy on a few steps, arrr, but I prefer t' stronger 30 minute.
Finishing:
T' fins require some fillin' in t' grain, and since they are so big, me hearties, arrr, ya bilge rat, I used Duplicolor auto paint. Epoxy primer would be better, matey, shiver me timbers, but I don't have a spray gun. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Kilz also works good too. Ahoy! Avast! Those fins have over 16' o' fillets, go slow and get them right. Begad! Begad! Makes PML's Pterodactyl look like a baby on fillets. Well, blow me down! Begad! I chose t' bevel t' fins somewhat. Blimey! Begad! This kit should fly great even in a little wind with those big fillets. Aye aye! Very nice lookin' rocket! This kit comes with its own decals. This kit has a basic 2 color paint scheme but you can design your own if you wish.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
This kit goes great on I161's. I estimate about 1200-1500 feet. Aye aye! I use 1 chute with t' long shock cord. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I use me PML 55 inch chute I have, works great, settles it down softly. Aye aye! Danny's 2 parachutes that are included in t' kit will work great also. Begad! Blimey! I added blind nuts t' t' aft centerin' ring, just in front o' t' nozzle. I use extra long screws t' screw into them, and cover t' screw with a pre-cut launch lug so I know how far t' screw needs t' go in. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! Do this before you glue t' motor mount into t' main tube. Aye aye! Positive motor retention works.
Recovery:
I used medium delays for t' lower flights, me bucko, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and plan t' use long delay's on t' J350 or J570 flights. T' fins are plywood, but a little layer o' glass on t' edges may help. Begad! If it needs that, me bucko, I will make t' edges a different color t' set it off. Arrr! Wind does nay effect those big fins.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
PRO-strong kit, ya bilge rat, good for t' middle experience modeler, people who have nay had t' cut tubes for fin placement may get a little lost, me bucko, but t' great directions will tell you how t' do it right. Ahoy! Nice big fins, matey, great futuristic lookin' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! CON-I would switch t' birch plywood t' increase t' ease o' finishin' t' fins.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
The Armageddon is a large, unique looking, high power kit produced by DG&A Rocketry. The components include: three 3.9 inch body tubes, 2 couplers, 1 54mm motor mount tube, 4 large fins, 4 canard fins, 1 nose cone, 4 centering rings, 1 bulkhead, 1 60 inch parachute, one 9/16 inch thick nylon webbing shock cord with pre-sewn loops, 8 nozzle fins, 8 fin reinforcement strips, 2 launch ...
Very heavy kraft paper, aircraft ply fins, Single stage HPR. The kit comes with: four BT's, two couplers, four fins, eight nozzle fins, four canard fins, eight fin detail pieces, four CR's, 1 MMT. one nose cone, one 74" chute, one shock cord and ½ launch lugs and other hardware. The kit was shipped in a large thick walled box. When you open the box you can't help but say "WOW!" Lots ...
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