Brief:
This is a rocket designed t' fly t' extreme altitude if desired. It has a 1.6" diameter and is 44" tall with a payload bay and solid resin nose cone. It can be flown with 38mm motors; or 29mm motors with an adapter. Everythin' that normally comes with a PML phenolic kit is provided includin' a piston ejection system, ya bilge rat, parachute, and fiberglass fins. Avast! Ya scallywag! A 29/38 adapter is not provided, nor are any motor retention or nose cone retention methods or parts provided. Since this rocket can conceivably go very fast and high, one item not normally provided with PML kits but provided with this one is fiberglass cloth for stronger fin attachment. T' finished weight o' t' rocket with a simple phenolic adapter and all retention hardware is 21oz. Begad! without a motor.

Prize Notification/Delivery:
This kit was provided as a prize from a periodic random drawin' sponsored by EMRR, and donated by Rocket Silo. Upon notification that I be t' winner, Rocket Silo very smartly responded, ya bilge rat, and had PML drop ship t' kit directly to my home. Begad! I received it within a few days. Ahoy! Blimey! I thank them profusely for their rapid response and generosity. Avast, me proud beauty! I would nay have chosen this kit myself because I was intimidated by t' high altitude design (the fields in Minnesota do not support real long walks). Begad! Ahoy! However, it stretched me t' learn how t' fiberglass for t' first time, gave me me first high power payload rocket (now I will have to buy an altimeter), me hearties, and by necessity led me t' find a source o' high quality motor retention for all me rockets. Avast! Avast!

Construction:
Construction o' this rocket is very straightforward as is typical with PML kits. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' method for fiberglassin' t' fin area was described adequately, and I experienced no problems. Ya scallywag! However, I had t' wait t' do this step till after I had designed, purchased, and installed motor retention hardware. Ya scallywag!

Since this is a minimum diameter rocket, matey, t' usual engine retention methods o' blind nuts and clips can nay be installed. Avast! Blimey! I decided t' try two different methods, with this rocket bein' a test bed for both. Ya scallywag! Blimey! One method would be t' epoxy a piece o' small threaded rod t' t' outside of t' body tube, and use a nut and washer t' retain either a 29/38mm adapter or a 38mm motor case. Begad! Blimey! T' fiberglass would then be applied over t' top o' this threaded rod for extra strength. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' second method is t' install a clip specifically designed for minimum diameter high power rockets, and for sale through SarahzRocketry (link-out dead). Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I highly recommend this hardware, me hearties, me bucko, as it is designed t' exactly fit this application. Begad! Blimey! T' only problem I encountered was that t' 29/38mm adapter I purchased had a longer than standard thrust ring. Begad! Blimey! So the brass clip that retained a 38mm motor case would nay fit over t' thrust rin' o' t' adapter. Aye aye! Blimey! I wrote SarahzRocketry, explained t' problem, and they were gracious enough t' make a second brass clip that exactly fit over t' end of me adapter. Arrr! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' MD-1 hardware normally includes a brass retainer clip sized for standard RMS motors, a stainless steel machine screw, matey, a threaded mounting flange and installation instructions. Ahoy! Blimey! T' web site also has detailed installation instructions with lots o' pictures. They probably had t' make toolin' capable o' makin' this second custom brass clip, so if others buy this kit and also buy t' adapter I did, it should be easy t' include both brass clips at t' same time if you ask. Avast! Blimey! T' adapter was purchased from Red Arrow Hobbies in Michigan over t' Internet. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! I purchased this particular adapter because it was $8.00 and included both a thrust rin' and motor retention.

T' other problem I encountered was nose cone retention. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! After irreplaceably losin' t' original nose cone off my vintage Estes SAROS several years ago because it be nay firmly enough attached to t' payload tube, I am particularly sensitive t' this issue. Aye aye! Normally, matey, with a hollow plastic nose cone, this would nay be difficult. T' PML instructions say "Now install t' nose cone atop t' rocket and secure it in place usin' small screws or rivets.", which would be easy t' do with a hollow nose cone. However, me hearties, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, this nose cone is solid resin, and you wouldn't want to trust screw holes tapped in t' relatively soft resin t' stand up t' repeated launches and recovery. Avast! Begad! So I found some small 4mm machine screws and compatible steel nuts at Home Depot. Ahoy! Begad! Holdin' t' nose cone firmly in t' payload tube, I drilled two 5/32" holes through t' phenolic body tube into t' nose cone shoulder about 1/2" deep. Blimey! Avast! These two holes are about 5/8" back from the front o' t' tube. Usin' t' 5/32" holes as pilot holes, ya bilge rat, I then carefully drilled two 5/16" holes 1/4" deep into t' nose cone shoulder after I removed it from t' body tube. Arrr! Blimey! Caution must be exercised with this step because steel bits dig deep fast into resin. Well, blow me down! I goofed and went too deep t' first time and had t' rotate 90 degrees and try again. Begad! I CA'd and then epoxied t' nuts into those holes. Begad! I used t' machine screws t' simultaneously keep glue out o' t' threads o' t' nut and keep t' nuts lined up vertically, but also bein' careful t' nay permanently glue t' screws into t' nuts. Ahoy! This was a dicey operation as I kept turnin' t' screws in and out o' t' nuts until the glue had cured.

One other minor deviation from t' kit was to elevate t' brass launch lug off t' rocket body by use o' a wooden popsicle stick. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I did this so that launch rod friction would nay mar t' finish or otherwise rub against t' body durin' takeoff. Begad! I used a little leftover fiberglass cloth t' cover t' front and back o' t' popsicle stick, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me hearties, and used plenty o' epoxy t' fillet t' sides o' t' assembly. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! It took quite a bit of epoxy and putty, but it looks nice and streamlined, me hearties, yet raised off t' body some. Well, blow me down!

Finishing:
Since this rocket apparently only comes with phenolic tube rather than t' new quantum tube, matey, finishin' involves quite a bit o' work with putty t' fill in the spiral grooves. Aye aye! Begad! T' body tube is essentially 38mm engine mount tubing. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! The transition t' t' fin area that had fiberglass also required quite a bit of sandin' and fillin' t' smooth it out as much as possible. T' 20 minute finishin' epoxy used on top o' t' fiberglass as recommended by the instructions is quite a bit easier t' sand than regular 30 minute epoxy. Well, blow me down! A coat of primer revealed spots requirin' more putty, shiver me timbers, arrr, and t' final paint coat was Krylon teal, which goes well with t' dark blue and red decal. Begad! Ahoy!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight be with a 29mm F40-4W reload. Blimey! T' rocket flew straight up to about 1000 feet, and deployed t' cute at apogee. Arrr! T' second and third flights were also hot, straight and normal with an F and a G. Begad! Ahoy!

Recovery:
At t' time o' t' first flight, I did nay have t' brass clip from SarahzRocketry and only had t' single threaded rod and nut t' retain the adapter/motor casing. Well, blow me down! T' small threaded rod was nay hefty enough and bent out of t' way t' allow t' adapter and motor t' eject out t' back when the ejection charge fired. Avast, me proud beauty! Fortunately, thar was enough gas pressure buildup to also eject t' parachute. Ya scallywag! T' adapter and RMS casin' were found by a spectator, and returned promptly. T' lesson here is if you can bend a threaded rod with your fingers, it is nay strong enough t' retain a motor. T' other lesson is to use t' hardware obtained from SarahzRocketry. Blimey! It is very strong and works great, arrr, as demonstrated durin' t' second and third flights. T' parachute is a little small for a 21-oz. Begad! rocket, but I am sure that PML downsized a little out of concern about how high it would be comin' down from if used with an H or bigger engine. Begad! Begad!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PRO: Strong PML materials and design. Arrr! T' solid resin nose cone provides plenty of CG shift forward for bigger motors. Blimey! CON: No provision for motor and nose cone retention. Avast, me proud beauty! 29/38 adapter nay included.

I understand PML's philosophy on nay providin' motor retention with their kits as many modelers have many different preferred methods and hardware. However, me bucko, matey, this is a minimum diameter rocket and most modelers' preferred methods and hardware are nay appropriate on this rocket anyway. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Since this is a rocket that will nay normally be flown with a 38mm motor unless someone regularly launches at large recovery areas, I feel that PML should also include an adapter with t' kit. I STRONGLY urge PML t' include a simple 29/38 adapter (like t' one I bought) and minimum diameter retention hardware for both a 38mm motor and a 29/38mm adapter. In fact, shiver me timbers, they should subcontract this to SarahzRocketry, where I obtained t' hardware used on this kit. Since this is the only rocket made by PML (that I know of) that has a solid nose cone on a payload section, I also urge PML t' include a method for nose cone retention, as normal nose cone retention methods are nay applicable either. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' rocket itself is a great addition t' me fleet. Blimey! Blimey! It flies well, and t' payload bay is large enough for an RRC altimeter. Ahoy! Blimey!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5