Brief:
T' Chariot is a single stage, shiver me timbers, payload rocket. Blimey! It is one o' Rocket Vision's line o' Rugged Rockets and is specifically designed for mid-range power (E-G). Ya scallywag! T' body tube and payload tubes are o' heavy duty phenolic. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' nose cones (there are faux strap-on boosters) and transition are poly-vinyl. T' BP section 8 inches long and has an interior dia. Arrr! o' 1.86", plenty o' room for eggs, ya bilge rat, altimeters, cameras . Well, blow me down! Aye aye! . Avast! . Well, blow me down! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! whatever.

Construction:
T' component specs are as follows:

Finished length... Well, blow me down! 31.125"

Body Tube (BT) L=15" dia. Arrr! ex. Begad! 1.12", matey, int. Aye aye! .990" material= phenolic Payload Bay (PB) L=8" Dia. Avast, me proud beauty! ext. 2.05", int. Aye aye! Avast! 1.86" Material= phenolic Fins (4) Material= G10 Thickness= .054" Root= 3.25" Span= 3" Tip= 1.5" Sweep Length= 3.350

Faux Boosters Material= phenolic L= 6.75" (incld. Begad! NCs) Dia= ext. Ya scallywag! .945", ya bilge rat, int. Begad! Avast! .8" (20.5mm) Motor Mount (MMT) Material= rough cardboard L= 8" Dia= ext. Aye aye! Blimey! .992", matey, int. Arrr! .945" (24mm) Shock Cord Material= 1/8" braided Keelhaul®©™ L=40" 'Chute Material= DayGlo Orange ripstop plasticized paper Dia.= 18" at grommet points Shroud Lines= 6, me bucko, matey, 200lb. Avast! Keelhaul®©™ [all connections t' t' 'chute are double thickness and have brass grommets] 'Chute Protector= 9.5"X4" black Nomex with a grommet connection t' t' shock cord

T' three nose cones (one main and two for t' boosters) are made o' white polyvinyl material and are very thick. T' rocket divides at t' base o' t' transition formin' a section consistin' o' t' fins and Body Tube (BT) and another section consistin' o' t' Nose Cone (NC), Transition and Payload Bay (PB).

T' construction is very simple. T' instructions are clear and concise. Begad! If greater detail is needed, matey, t' online instructions are ideal. Here you can get t' step by step color photos that are lackin' from t' packaged instructions. This rocket requires t' use o' epoxy exclusively. Avast! No other glue will work. Avast! T' reader is advised t' use a long cure epoxy for t' best joints. Aye aye! I used SIG's two part epoxy that is mixed 2/1. Avast, me proud beauty! It sets in about an hour and cures in 24 hrs. T' only exception t' t' SIG epoxy was in t' area o' t' Motor Mount (MMT). Begad! Here, arrr, matey, arrr, I used 5min epoxy. T' stress here is longitudinal and I see no reason for super strength here. Avast, me proud beauty! Other than that, ya bilge rat, I think I'd make one change. Avast! I would build a bulk head about three inches into t' base o' t' PB. Avast! Then I would NOT glue t' PB t' t' transition. Blimey! Instead I would glue t' transition t' t' BT and use t' transition and t' three inch chamber in t' bottom o' t' BP for packin' t' recovery system. Begad! This would allow easier 'chute packing, shiver me timbers, arrr, more certain deployment and a larger 'chute for heavy payloads.

Finishing:
I left this rocket in t' raw. Begad! However, ya bilge rat, arrr, based on me experience with other Rocket Vision kits, shiver me timbers, me bucko, sandin' would be minimal and t' finish should go on quite well. Begad! I can see only one area o' concern. Blimey! Ya scallywag! At t' base, where t' false boosters join t' BT, ya bilge rat, it is goin' t' be tough t' get paint in thar usin' a rattle can. Even worse, shiver me timbers, on t' booster that has t' bottom rod guide attached, me bucko, matey, matey, thar be even less space betwixt t' booster and t' BT. Well, blow me down! Here, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, arrr, you are either goin' t' have t' use a brush or a airbrush.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
It uses several motors. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' first flight was with t' recommended E15-4. Lift-off was smooth and t' rocket reached 1200' as measured by two theodolites on 1,000' baselines. Aye aye! Begad! Recovery be without a hitch about 400 yards from t' pad in light wind. Begad! I think a larger 'chute will be necessary if any payload is included.

T' second flight was trickier. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! For this one, me bucko, I took two Estes C-0 boosters and filled t' tops with epoxy. Begad! Blimey! Then I wrapped them in maskin' tape until they fit tightly in t' booster tubes. Ahoy! Blimey! For t' sustainer, arrr, I used another E15-4. Ignition was facilitated usin' a Vaughn Brothers QuadCon controller. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I wired t' E15 t' one switch and t' C-0's t' another. Avast! Blimey! I opened t' switch t' t' E-15 and pushed t' fire button. Ahoy! Blimey! As it lit, me bucko, I opened t' second switch t' t' two C's and they lit too. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' rocket moved off t' pad smartly and flew t' just over 1500'. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' C's burned out just after t' E motor. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Recovery was as before. (Please note that this technique is nay indorsed by Rocket Vision and would nay be allowed at an NARRRRR event.) Modifyin' t' C6-0's alone would cause most RSOs t' DQ you. Arrr! Begad! In t' end, me bucko, t' altitude gain was minimal and hardly worth t' risk and trouble. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! My advice is t' forget it.

T' largest motor I have used t' date is an F72-10. This produced an altitude o' 2800'. I'd like t' try a G55 but I doubt that I would be able t' see it at t' projected altitude o' 4,300' so I'll hold off on that one.

Recovery:
T' 'chute is a very stiff material that gets stiffer in cold weather. Ya scallywag! Do nay prep this rocket until moments before flight. Well, blow me down! Also, matey, arrr, I wouldn't leave t' 'chute stored in t' packed position. Begad! It most definitely will take a set. Well, blow me down! T' Nomex chute protector is an iffy thing. On t' surface it seems ideal. Well, blow me down! However, in practice it takes up a lot o' space, ya bilge rat, sometimes hangs up causin' ballistic recoveries and it doesn't always stop t' 'chute from gettin' pin holes. Blimey! Begad! I recommend usin' cellulose insulation. Well, blow me down! Begad! It is lighter, arrr, shiver me timbers, packs easier and will nay hang up. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Repeated launchings (20 t' date) reveal very little wear and tear on t' components. Avast! I've had t' re-tie t' knots in t' Keelhaul®©™ a few times but that is because I refuse t' set them with glue.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is another excellent product from Rocket Vision. Arrr! T' parts are sturdy, arrr, well made and correctly dimensioned. Begad! Blimey! T' design is very good. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! It is practical, shiver me timbers, esthetically pleasin' and flexible. T' generous payload section coupled with a powerful selection o' motors should make this an excellent egg lofter or experimental platform. My one big criticism is in t' area o' t' launch lugs. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! They included two sets in me kit; 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. Blimey! T' 1/8 are too small. Arrr! This rocket is heavy and long and needs more stability that can be achieved usin' a 1/8 inch rod. T' 3/16" lugs are t' large in diameter. For some reason, RV uses and especially thick polyvinyl tubin' for its lugs. Ya scallywag! In t' small diameter it is ok. Aye aye! Arrr! But in t' larger 3/16 diameter, arrr, me bucko, ya bilge rat, it is so large that it looks obviously out o' scale on t' Chariot. Arrr! I recommend nay usin' t' lugs and either usin' Estes lugs or better yet, usin' rail buttons and a rail.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5