Flight Log - 2014-03-15 - Kirk Greenfield's Hyper Bat by Estes

Appealing to the Batman fan in all of us, this 2-stage rocket is dressed in basic black, with bat-shaped balsa fins.  The lower section falls away, making it a risk for snapping a fin, but the upper stage is complete with parachute.  A slick little number, this black streak is expected to go like "A Bat Out of..." ...well, you know.

***NOTE UPDATE AT END: 

As I build this kit, it appears I have the first review of it.  So, let me make a few in-progress notes, so that you may benefit from my mis-steps:

 First, let me point out that there are no instructions to prep or seal the balsa wood fins.  Neither set.  In other kits, this is a recommended step, so I made a slurry of Elmer's Wood Glue and painted one side of the larger first-stage fins, and the smaller second-stage fins.  As they dried, I discovered a very disconcerting effect.  The smaller second stage fins dried just fine.  The larger fins appeared to WARP!  I thought I had ruined the kit!  The next day, as the second side of each fin was sealed, I found that the fins tended to almost flatten out.... but not quite.  The warp is not as noticeable at this point.  I later used Thick CA to attach the fins as directed, and ALMOST attached the first one reversed! GUARD AGAINST MAKING THIS ERROR!

Second, There is a diagram on the third page of instructions, second row, third step, that seems to indicate some additional glue being inserted to glue a tube in the engine mount... but no indication of where this glue is to come from.  Earlier diagrams had indicated the use of Plastic Model Cement in one instance, and otherwise, some form of wood glue on all other joints.  But the icon showing which glue this is to be, is missing.  I chose wood glue.

HOWEVER, on the facing fourth page of instructions, top row, first step, there is an additional icon of Model Plastic Cement seemingly randomly positioned...in fact, atop the metric measurement of 19 cm.  It would appear that in the mock-up of the instructions, this icon has become un-stuck and stuck itself onto the wrong location. Immediately adjacent to this odd double layer of instruction is an icon for the Wood Glue...and so, that's what I used for this step.

The kit is going well, but I think these points need to be addressed in future editions.

 

***UPDATE: I have spoken with the R&D department at Estes. They were very nice and supportive: Offered all kinds of tips and advice on how to procede. However, Estes now knows they have multiple problems with the diagrams on the fourth page, specifically to insert the glue more than 3/4" into the upper stage to glue in the motor mount. They see several other problems with that sequence of diagrams and are going back to the printer with corrections and improvements.  Any experienced builder will be able to figure out what to do, but Estes knows of the problem and has plans to correct it. If your instructions are printed in 3 languages, you have an early, outdated version. If the 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: A8-3
Wind Speed: 9.00 mph
Launch Site: Bob Evans Farm, Rio Grande, OH

Launched this single stage the first time, with the lowest value engine recommended.  Pleased, but not as high as I would have liked.  All seemed fine with the flight, so we proceded to a two stage the next time around.

StageMotor(s)
1Estes A8-3

 

comment Post a Comment