Brief:
Single stage, scale, high power rocket with parachute recovery.

Construction:
One 48" phenolic body tube, me bucko, a 22" phenolic payload bay, four (4) G10 fins, shiver me timbers, three (3) plywood centerin' rings, a 54 mm motor mount, me hearties, a fiberglass nose cone, ya bilge rat, PML's piston ejection system, me hearties, me bucko, two (2) 3/8" launch lugs, two (2) PML parachute's (a 60" and a 48") and PML elastic shock chord.

T' instructions were easy t' follow with illustrations for every step. Blimey! It was extremely easy t' build, but it took TONS o' epoxy. Begad! This wasn't t' kit's fault, matey, though, it's just really big. Begad! Everythin' fit well and thar were no alignment issues. Well, blow me down! All be well thought out.

There was only one part o' t' instruction that I didn't understand; how the recovery was expected t' be done. Begad! There were two 'chutes, t' piston, and a lot of t' Public Missiles elastic (which we wouldn't have used anyway). Begad! We decided it would be best t' just have t' rocket split at t' middle t' put less stress on t' rocket, and come down in two pieces.

T' instructions, ya bilge rat, after re-readin' them, said t' attach t' rocket with the elastic. Blimey! Blimey! Here's what it said: "Tie t' parachute t' one end o' t' elastic shock chord. Arrr! Blimey! Repeat this step for both chutes. T' larger chute and longer shock cord attach t' t' piston and t' smaller chute and shorter shock cord attach t' t' eye-bolt on t' payload section."

One o' t' most important techniques with this kit that was new t' me and my dad both was t' piston ejection system. Avast! Lookin' at it, me hearties, I really didn't trust it, matey, me hearties, but it worked great, shiver me timbers, much better that I had seen any other system work. Well, blow me down!

It also taught us a better way t' make fillets, ya bilge rat, -first, matey, arrr, put t' epoxy on, but then, arrr, matey, me hearties, tape down saran wrap tightly on either side o' t' fin or launch lug, and t' you won't have t' worry about it drippin' down t' side o' your tube. Avast, me proud beauty!

Finishing:
T' Rocket is absolutely enormous! It looks awesome, me bucko, but t' spiral groove takes days t' fill. Ya scallywag! Begad! We used some putty from Hobby Town, me bucko, pretty thick stuff, sanded, and you could still see t' groove!

There were no decals t' make t' rocket scale, me hearties, but thar were directions to paint it so. Aye aye! It gives you t' paint scheme with a main black body, ya bilge rat, red fin can and payload, and with t' nose cone and letterin' paint schemes. Arrr! Aye aye! We didn't follow this paint scheme recommendations.

To finish it, ya bilge rat, we took our first shot at auto paint. Well, blow me down! Nay knowin' what we were gettin' ourselves into, me bucko, arrr, we bought t' $70 dollars o' paint, me hearties, me bucko, ya bilge rat, primer, and gloss-coat, Then we saw that you must spray it on. Ya scallywag! Avast! All in all, ya bilge rat, t' paint job cost us about $300, o' course, most o' t' expensive stuff is reusable, and we now have t' supplies t' paint a car. Avast, me proud beauty! We did t' rocket Metallic Copper, ya bilge rat, (Base coat, shiver me timbers, matey, Clear Coat), me hearties, with two black metallic stripes. Avast! Blimey! If you do use this paint (DuPont Automotive), wear a respirator with t' correct cartridges, me bucko, arrr, and have very good ventilation; t' neighbors will get over t' noise. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
They only give you t' smallest recommended motor, me bucko, which is a J415, me bucko, arrr, though on the Public Missiles' site, it says you can use any 54mm motor aside from the J90. Begad! Begad! We flew on a K550-10 for an awesome, me bucko, arrr, matey, roaring, perfectly straight boost. T' piston worked great, and t' rocket broke apart (how we had set it up). Aye aye! It said you don't need wadding, but we went ahead and put some under t' piston anyway, ya bilge rat, me hearties, shiver me timbers, just t' feel better. Blimey! Arrr! Sims put it at a little over 3000 feet, so we just went with that. Blimey!

Recovery:
I liked t' method o' lettin' it break apart. Begad! It's nay too tough t' find these pieces! T' chutes brought it down without a scratch, arrr, gettin' Level Two certification for me dad, arrr, David Wheeler. Arrr! When we recovered t' rocket, there was one shroud-line torn from t' chute. We will probably switch it out with a Rocketman one next time, and attach t' two pieces with some tubular nylon or Keelhaul®©™®. T' decent rate was good, but t' smaller chute did loose a shroud line, so I won't be usin' t' PML 'chutes anymore.

T' recovery system, like other PML kits, ya bilge rat, came with a piece o' nylon which attached t' t' motor mount through t' upper-most centerin' rin' and attached the piston t' t' rocket. Avast! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! This was long enough t' let t' piston come out of the rocket about 2 feet. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It appeared t' be just a seat belt, me hearties, very strong! Blimey! The elastic was very long and looked very sturdy, ya bilge rat, but I've heard numerous times to throw it out and that's what I did (as mentioned above). I have no idea o' how strong it is, just what others have said.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Me and me dad really enjoyed buildin' this rocket. It is really cool t' own a rocket this big, shiver me timbers, most people don't even believe it flies, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but it does, shiver me timbers, and quite well. Ahoy! T' Pro's o' t' kit are its size, quality, me hearties, and building techniques. Avast, me proud beauty! I think I will buy many more Public Missiles kits in t' future. T' Con's were few and small, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but t' spiral grooves, and t' overall quality of t' parachutes.

Most o' all, ya bilge rat, matey, shiver me timbers, it was fun and a neat experience buildin' a kit o' this size. Though it is expensive, matey, you don't really need t' fly it that often, me bucko, but it's really cool t' show off, and I believe it t' be more fun t' have one giant K flight, me hearties, that two or three I powered flights. It'll also usually get you on the launch highlights page. Well, blow me down! This rocket was t' first rocket we've used auto paint on, and it looks absolutely stunning, matey, but it's really expensive. Well, blow me down! Avast! I think it was worth it though, me hearties, we must have gotten twenty compliments on t' paint job alone, not t' mention t' awed faces lookin' at it. Aye aye! I strongly recommend this kit to anyone who has a big enough budget; you don't even need an altimeter. Well, blow me down!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5