| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2012-07-20 |
| Diameter: | 4.00 inches |
| Length: | 45.75 inches |
| Manufacturer: | LOC/Precision  |
| Style: | Sport |
Brief
A 4" diameter rocket with a 38mm motor mount that is perfect for Level One Certification or someone just getting into HPR.
Components
The kit includes two 1/4" rings, a slotted body tube, motor mount tube, 3x1/8" plywood fins, a LOC shock cord and mount, and a nose cone, launch lug, and a 36" parachute. I had to separately but eye bolys, quicklinks, a retainer, rail buttons, a better shock cord, a third ring, and nomex parts. I also bought a payload bay to weigh the kit down for certification attempts.
LOC has you mount the shock chord Estes style, which is NOT recommended for HPR flying.
The parts are not the "high-tech parts" like Kevlar or stainsteel, but are of amazing quality and fit. I could dry-fit everything right out of the package without sanding.
Construction
THe rocket is a basic 3FNC, and the instructions are minimal, but straight to the point and easy to follow. The only structural alterations I made to the kit were to sandwich the fin tabs inbetween rings and to add internal epoxy fillets. I inserted a quarter inch eye bolt into the front ring and connected a quikclink to it. I also added an eye bolt to the nose cone and foamed the inside of it to help in the manner of CG/CP issues. The shock cord was replaced with 15' of #1200 kevlar, which is lined with a protector, to help reduce the risk of zippers. I added a nomex sheet below the parachute to prevent melting, and so far it has worked. The rocket was built only with epoxy, and it has held up amazingly well.
Finishing
I decided to paint the rocket a simple red/black scheme. It was primes with Rustoleum sandable primer three times, and sanded down inbetween coats. Then went on gloss black. Three coats did the trick, and I masked off the retainer, main airframe, and rail buttons. The fins, payload bay, and nose cone were all painted a gloss black. The results werent amazing, but it was all painted in a day and ready to fly.
Flight
The rocket had a maiden voyage on a G125 Redline motor. It went straight up without any wobble, thanks to the precut fin slots. The rocket soared to about 1200' and popped right at the top. Included is a video, and the Fantom is the last rocket to fly in the video.
Recovery
The recovery was flawless, and the decent rate was spot on, even with the payload bay. I then decided to add an 18" pilot chute, since once the 'chute almost didnt come out of the tube fully. It still lands nice and soft, and has flown three times without a hitch and barely a scratch on the paint.
Summary
This is an amazing kit and worth the money and investment. It is without a doubt my favorint flyer.
Other Reviews
- LOC/Precision Fantom 438 By Kyle James Yawn
Brief: This is a large mid and high powered rocket which is a very good transition into HPR. I purchased this kit for the EMRR Hit List and used it to obtain my NAR Lever 1 Certification. It's a great kit that is very strong with the basic three fins, body, and a nose cone. Construction: The kit comes with a 34" long by 4" diameter slotted body tube, 4" diameter ...
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Flights
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