Brief:
The Delta Syx is a very nice single stage payloader that looks fantastic and flies great! It flies on 18mm motors and recovers by parachute. I got my kit from John as a beta test kit. The rocket would normally be slightly longer than 23" tall, but mine is only 22 1/2" long since I modified the fins. While the Delta Syx is a nice looking rocket, in my opinion I think it looks better with the root and leading edges swapped. I asked John if it was OK to modify the fins. He's such a nice guy! He said, "Sure!" I added clay to the payload tube to improve the CG/CP relationship after the modification.

Modifications:
No special tools needed. Just turn the fins over and install as usual. Be sure to add that weight to the payload though.

Construction:
A ST-10 body tube, 18mm engine mount with engine hook, balsa nose cone, payload tube with a balsa reducer mating to the main body tube, screw eye, Kevlar®/1/8" elastic shock cord combo, 12" mylar parachute, 1/8" launch lug, 6 fin laser cut fin sheet, and water slide decals are provided. The shock cord was super long as I modified the way it is installed. John has a neat way of looping the Kevlar® over the motor mount between the centering rings, passing it through a notch in the forward centering ring and then attaching the elastic cord to that. I used my standard tri-fold shock cord attachment. Having the Kevlar® already provided was a nice plus!

The instruction sheet contains easy-to-follow, numbered instructions and helpful illustrations. The motor mount is a standard installation, except for the shock cord attachment as I described earlier, and includes an engine hook for positive motor retention. I very much appreciated the "small parts" bag that keeps all the little things in one place. A fin-marking guide is supplied to properly align the fins. John's instructions for attaching the fins using a "double glue joint" are very good. This method helps assure that the fins are aligned as placed, since they set much quicker. The laser-cut fins were perfectly matched, so minimal sanding was required. I filled in the seam lines as they were more noticeable than I would like on a finished rocket.

As is usual on any rocket I build, I installed a length of Kevlar® in the shock cord attachment with a loop at the end to attach the elastic shock cord. To minimize abrasion from the Kevlar® against the body tube, I soaked in CA around the top 1/2" of the body tube and tied a knot in the Kevlar® to meet the lip of the body tube. Before attaching the lower end of the payload tube to the balsa reducer, I glued on a black 1" felt pad (not provided) to the top of the reducer and to the base of the nose cone. I wanted my Crick-o-nauts to have a nice soft pad to sit on during flight. Then I wrapped black trim Monokote (also not provided) around the base of the nose cone and forward end of the reducer, also covering the side of the felt pads. This provided a snug enough fit to keep the payload tube from separating when attached. I did put a little CA at the base of the payload tube where it joined with the balsa reducer.

Next I put about a 1/4" of clay into the payload tube and tamped it down tightly with a spent 24mm Estes D motor. [Note: I added the clay after putting the rocket into RockSim and doing a few flight sims. It showed stable on a B motor but barely stable on a C. After adding the extra weight, it showed to be more stable. Considering the amount of fin area I reduced from the back end of the rocket, I thought it was safer to go ahead and add the payload weight, although the actual flights were arrow-straight on both motors. The wind was only about 5-8mph though.] The nose cone also fit snugly when attached. Glue on the launch lug, install the screw eye into the reducer and attach the shock cord and you're almost done. The parachute comes in a separate plastic bag, complete with instructions. Once assembled, you're ready for finishing.

Finishing:
The balsa nose cone, reducer and fins require standard finishing. I used Elmer's Light Fill 'n' Finish but any balsa filler will work fine. I followed the paint scheme on the face card and then went on to apply the provided decals. I ran into a problem there. The decals are really thin and the two long Delta Syx decals that go on the sides kept tearing, even though I had used detergent to help them slide. I finally managed to get them on so they looked decent. The remaining decals went on easily. Once complete, I put on a thick coat of Future floor finish on all the painted surfaces to protect everything. It looks fantastic. Now you have an option as to which way you want to attach the fins, too!

Flight and Recovery:
My first flight was on a B6-4. It jumped off the pad and flew straight as an arrow. The parachute deployed just before apogee and came down gently on the 12" parachute. I had called for a "heads-up" on the first flight just to be cautious, so when I called for one again on the 2nd flight with a C6-7 I got a lot of razzing. It was earned, as the rocket took off the pad with authority and zoomed arrow straight almost out of sight. Wow! The parachute deployed right at apogee and recovered perfectly.

Summary:
The Delta Syx is another excellent rocket from Red River Rocketry that can be built in a few hours. Its six fins and payload section will make it a unique addition to your fleet and it is reasonably priced. You'll need to make sure you've got plenty of room to fly if you put that C motor in, though.