Is Giant Leap's Talon 4 worth the wait?

[Willie]

My wife wants to buy me a rocket for my birthday. I keep looking up the Giant Leap Talon 4, and the Wildman Eagle Claw 4. They both are very unique designs to what I currently have. The Talon 4 appears to have been out of stock for a long time, and I currently own a Wildman Jr that I think is awesome.

Any good reason to wait and see if Giant Leap makes some Talon 4 rockets available?

Either option requires me to progress to L2.

 

[dave carver]

It might be worth your while to give them a phone call. I'm thinking it's a custom item now and they would cut you out a kit with no problems.

You got nothing to lose, give 'em a call

And I'd bet an I600 would hump either of those rockets up into the air, not all that high but...test flight...you know...

 

[glenbo]

I have had my Talon 4 for 3 years now and a Talon 3 as well. I got my L2 on my Talon 4. I have had no less than 15 flights on the 4 my last one to 8118 ft. on a CTI K590. Mine is a Dynawind design which is no longer available.The nice thing about the Giant Leap kits is they provide great quality everything from the rocket design to the harness and the parachute. If they can promise you one go for it. I dont know if dynawind or fiberglass is an option anymore. Make the call to find out. Wildman kits are great I have two and Tim is a great guy to deal with. But when it comes to this particular rocket I would go with the Talon if avalable.

 

[dixontj93060]

The single most important thing that Tim Lehr has done for this hobby is to manage and open up the supply chain for fiberglass kits and related products (adhesives, etc.). I flew a Wildman Dark Star Extreme at LDRS 33 called "Better Endeavor." This name was to tease Tim a bit as the first split-fin design I was looking to buy was the PML Endeavor, but you know, the Dark Star really is "better." And that is my same conclusion for other designs, thus I have a 4" Eagle Claw in my build pile.

 

[patelldp]

There's 2 things that I'd offer up here:

1. Wildman is bare bones and Fiberglass, Giant Leap is a complete package and phenolic/paper.

2. Giant Leap (Kent Burnett) is the original designer of the kit. Not sure if he owns a copyright or whatever (doubtful), but he's the "original source."

 

[glenbo]

I just looked on the Giant Leap site and it looks like they only make the Magnaframe tubing.
(Giant Leap's answer to Bluetube.) I would call to see if fiberglass is available.

 

[AndyC]

I build the WIldman Eagle Claw a few years ago, and have flow it a bunch. Its a great kit, and you would have a hard time hurting it. As others said, a big difference is that it is an all glass kit. The fins are thick, and the entire rocket is heavy, like all glass kits. If you want the max altitude, get the Gian Leap cardboard kit, its a bunch lighter. If you want something you can toss in the car without worrying about damaging it if its on the bottom of the pile of stuff you take to launches, get the wildman kit. For reference, I get something a bit over 7000' with a 54/2550 motor (baby L), while glenbo noted above he got ~1000' more with an only slightly smaller K motor with the Giant Leap kit.

 

[barstoolmike]

My wife has two Wildman Eagle Claw 4", one with a 54mm mount & Tim did a special one for her w/ a 75mm mount. The 54mm was her Level 2 rocket & has flown at least 20 flights to date, most flights have been on "L"s or big "K" skids. The 75mm has had 4 flights on 6 grain "M" skids, you can't beat the strength of fiberglass.

Tim also made a 6" Eagle Claw w/ a 4" mount for her that she is building now.

Mike

 

[EightBitBelmont]

I recently ordered a Talon 3 from GLR. Kent told me he was working on a new version of the Talon 4, so it might be worth the wait to get something new and different

 

[JohnCoker]

If you want the max altitude, get the Gian Leap cardboard kit, its a bunch lighter.

Minimum mass doesn't always translate to maximum altitude. A well-built (not over-built) rocket is generally under optimal weight for larger motors. RockSim allows you to calculate the optimal weight by running repeated simulations if you want to experiment.

More important than mass is diameter and thrust profile. Larger diameter means more frontal area and of course higher velocity means much more drag (drag ∝ v²). See my Flight Physics article for a fuller explanation.

 

[grouch]

Personally I'd get the Talon. There is something to be said about going with the original. One of these days I plan on adding a Talon 3 to my build pile. I also prefer a lighter rocket over a full FG kit.


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

 

[EightBitBelmont]

Personally I'd get the Talon. There is something to be said about going with the original. One of these days I plan on adding a Talon 3 to my build pile. I also prefer a lighter rocket over a full FG kit.


That's exactly why I got one. A very nice looking rocket that will handle the 3" scientific payload that some students put together

 

[Cpig]

My wife wants to buy me a rocket for my birthday. I keep looking up the Giant Leap Talon 4, and the Wildman Eagle Claw 4. They both are very unique designs to what I currently have. The Talon 4 appears to have been out of stock for a long time, and I currently own a Wildman Jr that I think is awesome.

Any good reason to wait and see if Giant Leap makes some Talon 4 rockets available?

Either option requires me to progress to L2.

I have the Talon 3 and Eagle Claw 4. Loved the T3 and really wanted the T4 but gave up after waiting forever on Giant Leap. Went with the Eagle Claw 4; happy with the rocket but didn't really like the service I got from Tim at Wildman's; won't ever buy from him again.

 

[Willie]

I sent Giant Leap an email. Let's see how he responds.

Thanks for all the input.


Willie

 

[REK]

I sent Giant Leap an email. Let's see how he responds.

Thanks for all the input.


Willie

I'd cast my vote to be patient. Trust me when I say you wont be disappointed. I've always wanted a Talon 4 and looks like I'll get my chance eventually.


Alexander Solis

Level 1 - Mariah 54 - CTI-I100 Red Lightning Longburn - 6,345 Feet

 

[troj]

Let me put it this way...

About 18 months ago, I sweet-talked Kent into kitting up a Talon 6 for me. I haven't regretted a minute of it.

-Kevin

 

[dixontj93060]

Let me put it this way...

About 18 months ago, I sweet-talked Kent into kitting up a Talon 6 for me. I haven't regretted a minute of it.

-Kevin

Is that build done? I mean painted and everything?

 

[troj]

Is that build done? I mean painted and everything?

'tis painted. I need to pick it up from Jay, then finish the av bay and it's good to go.

I'll pick it up at AirFest.

-Kevin

 

[Willie]

MSG sent to Giant Leap using their contact info on the web site. Zero response.

Thanks for all your inputs.


Willie

 

[DizWolf]

I have had my Talon 4 for 3 years now and a Talon 3 as well. I got my L2 on my Talon 4. I have had no less than 15 flights on the 4 my last one to 8118 ft. on a CTI K590. Mine is a Dynawind design which is no longer available.The nice thing about the Giant Leap kits is they provide great quality everything from the rocket design to the harness and the parachute. If they can promise you one go for it. I dont know if dynawind or fiberglass is an option anymore. Make the call to find out. Wildman kits are great I have two and Tim is a great guy to deal with. But when it comes to this particular rocket I would go with the Talon if avalable.

Great looking rocket....fun to watch fly. I need to get one someday.

Caught ya loading this year...

 

[Willie]

Giant leap didn't respond.


Willie

 

[Cl(VII)]

I spoke to them on the phone the last two days. In any event, I have some rocket envy.

 

[dixontj93060]

Giant leap didn't respond, but wildman did.

Another great example of the value Tim provides; he has all the tools to turn raw fiberglass parts to kits in a matter of hours.