King Kraken for an L1 Cert flight?

[rbelknap]

I'm thinking about going for my L1 certification this year. I've also been wanting to build a Kraken ever since I first saw them on the Apogee Components web site. The King Kraken can be flown on H and I motors, so why not kill 2 birds with one build?

What do people think, would the King Kraken make a good rocket for an L1 cert flight, or should I be looking at something else?

 

[Fe Dude]

I did my L1 on a King Kraken. I LOVE this rocket.

I got the cert on a CTI I180SK 9 seconds on the delay would have been perfect.

It also eats G180VM all afternoon too (note my avatar)

 

[rbelknap]

I did my L1 on a King Kraken. I LOVE this rocket.

I got the cert on a CTI I180SK 9 seconds on the delay would have been perfect.

Thanks for the advice, I was thinking about being conservative flying the cert attempt on an H motor - but maybe I should go big.

(note my avatar)

Oh, I've noted that avatar more than once around here

 

[azgreg]

The King Kraken is an awsome rocket, but paint it different...maybe black and red?:grin:

 

[Fe Dude]

I was also thinking about an H motor for cert, but Crazy Jim was sitting at AMW when I was buying the motor, he talked me into the 3 grain I. I'm glad he did. :dark:

 

[troj]

What do people think, would the King Kraken make a good rocket for an L1 cert flight, or should I be looking at something else?

Does the rocket make you happy? Is it something that's capable of flying on an H motor?

We know the answer to the second question is a "Yes", and it sure sounds like the first one is a "Yes".

Anything beyond that is irrelevant -- a cert flight should be a flight that makes you happy. Playing conservative and flying a rocket you don't enjoy is a waste of money, as you'll likely relegate the rocket to the corner, where it will collect dust and never be flown again.

-Kevin

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I feel the King Kraken would make a great L1 cert kit as well.

Although I am L2 certified, I flew my King Kraken on an AT H123W for fun. It was a great flight.:smile:

Now I'd like to ramp it up to maybe an I161W or I218R. I'd also love to fly it on the H170M or definitely the new H178DM.

 

[rbelknap]

The King Kraken is an awsome rocket, but paint it different...maybe black and red?:grin:

Hmm, black and red, you say? How about red and black? Although the green interior tube fins on Fe Dude's kraken look striking...

Actually, I have a rather ambitious (for me) paint scheme in mind using duplicolor mirage paint. I'm planning to get 1 (or 2!!) of the baby krakens to practice on.

 

[rbelknap]

Troj, you are absolutely right! I hadn't really thought of it that way. I was about 90% sure I wanted the Kraken to be my L1 rocket, but not any more. Unless I'm unable to actually procure one, I'll be flying a King Kraken on an I motor by the end of 2012.

 

[KevinDunn]

...Unless I'm unable to actually procure one.

Apogee shows out of stock, and the last I heard on TRF, Layne is temporarily out of business. Yet his website seems capable of taking orders:
https://www.pembertontechnologies.com/modules.php?name=Kits

If you are unable to buy a kit, download the "Destructions" from the website and build it from scratch. I went through a Kraken phase a couple of years ago after my wife bought me one for Xmas. The next thing I did was to kit bash a Mean Machine into a 3-fin Kraken, dubbed "Krakenstein." After that, no tubing was safe. Once you learn to cut the tube fins, you can make them in any size from any tubing.

That said, if you can buy one, do it. It's a great design and Layne deserves every nickel he can squeeze out of it.

 

[Fe Dude]

Heck, send Layne a PM.

 

[gdjsky01]

I too saw the site would take an order. But I PM'd him and he was not yet ready. That was a bit ago. If you find out differently, I could use a 3FNC an a KK.

 

[UPscaler]

Absolutely!



Braden

 

[rbelknap]

I took your advice and contacted Layne before ordering back in April. I didn't say anything before now because he wasn't officially open yet, but Layne agreed to work on getting a kit together since I was planning to do my L1 flight with it.

There were issues locating some of the parts, but as I don't think I'll be launching until October anyway, I told him I wasn't worried about the delay. I got a nice box in the mail today. A King Kraken, and 2 baby Krakens. I'll be starting up some a build threads soon.

Old news now, but PemTec is officially back in business!

 

[Pem Tech]

Hey! You said those were for the kids!

Hmm, black and red, you say? How about red and black? Although the green interior tube fins on Fe Dude's kraken look striking...

Actually, I have a rather ambitious (for me) paint scheme in mind using duplicolor mirage paint. I'm planning to get 1 (or 2!!) of the baby krakens to practice on.

 

[Pem Tech]

One of my favorite lower end HPR motors is the AT H180.
It is loud, fast, smokey and gives spectacular flights.
Besides, you want to be sure to get your cert bird back.
View attachment 85587

And thanks for being so patient with us.....
Thanks to everyone that trusted Pem-Tech to get your kits to you, even if it was two months late.

I'm thinking about going for my L1 certification this year. I've also been wanting to build a Kraken ever since I first saw them on the Apogee Components web site. The King Kraken can be flown on H and I motors, so why not kill 2 birds with one build?

What do people think, would the King Kraken make a good rocket for an L1 cert flight, or should I be looking at something else?

 

[o1d_dude]

Yup. The H180 is one if my favorite motors. Nice and loud.

 

[rbelknap]

Hey! You said those were for the kids!

I decided to get them for the boys between the time I posted that and I contacted you.

Don't worry, they ARE for the boys, but my youngest is 4, so I'm building and painting that one. He'll be the the one pushing the button. My older boy is 7 - The plan is to let him build/paint his, but I'll be providing assistance as needed.