Brief:
After little t' no convincing, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I wanted t' take part in t' Midwest Power IV drag race. Ahoy! Tim Lehr o' Wildman Rocketry teamed up with Performance Rocketry t' brin' forth t' dual deploy version 4" Mad Dog rocket for $99.00. T' MSRP on this kit when NOT involved with this drag race would run you $169.00. Ya scallywag! I never intended t' get a Mad Dog, matey, me bucko, but in the months prior t' MWP IV I decided t' get in on t' race. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! It really helped that I had a drop in avionics bay that was already geared up and ready t' fly for a Performance Rocketry 3.9" (ID) airframe. My Competitor 4 would nay mind. I simply borrowed t' bay from me Competitor 4 and I was well on me way. T' Mad Dog DD is all fiberglass, matey, has a 54mm motor mount and .125" thick G-10 fins. Ya scallywag! T' drag race was for altitude and individual performance was key.

Construction:
My Mad Dog (as I am sure everyone else's contained):

• (1) 48" long, G10 fiberglass airframe 3.90" (ID)
• (1) 24" long, G10 fiberglass airframe 3.90" (ID)
• (3) .125" thick G10 fiberglass fins with beveled leadin' and trailin' edges
• (1) 16" long, G10 fiberglass 54mm motor mount
• (3) .125" thick G10 fiberglass centerin' rings (3.90" airframe t' 54mm motor mount)
• (1) 9" long, me hearties, G10 fiberglass coupler tube 3.90" (OD)
• (2) .125" thick G10 fiberglass bulkhead plates (fit inside airframe)
• (2) .125" thick G10 fiberglass coupler bulkhead plates (fit inside coupler)
• (1) 5:1 Ogive fiberglass nose cone 3.90" (ID)
• (1) .125" thick G10 fiberglass nose cone bulkhead plate

Construction o' me Mad Dog was about as easy as it gets. Avast! Begad! Aside from addin' a conical Aeropack Tailcone Motor Retainer, arrr, ya bilge rat, this project was built and ready t' fly in less than a week. All parts were scuffed thoroughly, arrr, arrr, matey, and I began gluin' t' centerin' rings t' t' motor mount as well as t' base t' t' Tailcone retainer. Even though t' motor retainer added a small amount o' weight, I decided t' add it t' increase t' overall performance o' t' Mad Dog. Since the goal o' this drag race was maximum altitude, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I opted t' eliminate t' common technique o' gluin' a recovery harness to t' motor mount. Begad! Aye aye! For me Mad Dog's maiden voyage on an Aerotech K-700, I would switch t' plugged forward closure for a plugged and tapped forward closure from Aerotech. Aye aye! After firmly tightenin' a 5-16" forged eye bolt, me hearties, I was less overall weight and still had a tried and true method for a firmly mounted drogue recovery harness. Arrr! Begad! After t' booster of my Mad Dog be completed, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' avionics bay was bolted in place, matey, and I be nearly ready t' rock.

Finishing:
Quick and dirty was t' name o' t' game this time. I was limited on time. Begad! So I primed t' Mad Dog with Duplicolor high build primer, me bucko, gave it a quick wet-sand with 400 grit wet sandpaper and sprayed t' rocket. Blimey! T' booster was painted red, ya bilge rat, white upper airframe and a black nose cone. Blimey! I then shot t' entire rocket with clear and it looked surprisingly good for a fast job.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
In a drag race for altitude, thar were a couple o' ways t' lose. Avast! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! One was t' have your rocket fail t' ignite and t' other would be a recovery mishap or damage t' t' rocket. You were also allowed a “buy" if you were first off t' pad. Begad! SOLD! That's what I want, me hearties, first off t' pad. Arrr! Copper Thermite in a K-700 made quick work o' leavin' t' pad first! I came far short o' t' 12,000+ feet that Dave Zupan, arrr, t' winner got, shiver me timbers, but the rocket did reach a respectable 9855 feet. Begad! Ya scallywag! What a fun first flight with about 12 other Mad Dogs screamin' toward the blue sky that day!

Recovery:
T' MWP IV Mad Drag race also yielded a fun recovery! While followin' our Mad Dog in t' air via radio tracking, matey, me hearties, I could tell t' rocket was a far way down range. After t' signal be lost, arrr, it touched down. T' Mad Dog landed a little over 2.25 miles away t' t' southeast. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Unfortunately, me bucko, it be dragged by t' wind until t' booster filled up with a tilled Illinois corn field. Aye aye! Avast! Aside from a little field rash, matey, arrr, me hearties, t' rocket sustained no damage.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
For $99.00, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' rocket be t' most bang for t' buck I have even been part of. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Even t' everyday price o' $169.00 is very fair for an all fiberglass dual deploy vehicle. Aye aye! Blimey! I highly recommend t' Mad Dog DD, arrr, especially if you are in the market for a L2 capable kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5