Manufacturer: | Public Missiles ![]() |
Brief:
T' kit is designed t' use a piston ejection system (motor) ejection t' deploy
the parachutes. T' booster section uses a 60" parachute and t' payload
section uses a 48" chute.
Construction:
Instructions for this kit were useful, as in most PML kits. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! However, I modified t' kit quite a bit. First I added 3 more 38mm tubes. Begad! I figured there was room for them, matey, shiver me timbers, matey, I might as well use it. Arrr!
Finishing:
Finishin' be simple, or at least as simple as seven feet o' six-inch airframe
can be. Blimey! There are a lot o' seams t' fill!!! Although phenolic tubin' is strong,
larger diameters are somewhat flimsy and prone t' cracking. I would suggest
glassin' t' airframe - nay necessarily for flight stress, me hearties, but for landings and
handlin' around t' house. Blimey! Be sure t' align t' fins! I didn't come up with any
method o' doin' this, I eyeballed them and they came out fine.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
Just like t' Ultimate Endeavor's two little brothers, this kit is nothing
short o' awesome in t' air. It is very stable and produces good, arrr, arrr, straight
flights. Begad! Blimey! T' first flight was with a K550. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! This was me L2 cert flight and
attained an altitude o' 2988'. Well, blow me down! Second flight be on a K550 as well and reached
3074' (less wind). Blimey! Blimey! On these two flights, I used apogee ejection only. Avast, me proud beauty! This was
accomplished with an adept ALTS2 and motor backup. For a third back up system,
I installed a missile works wrc2. Begad! Blimey! Yes I am paranoid! Blimey! I have seen big rockets
crash into spectator areas, ya bilge rat, so I take all precautions. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Besides, arrr, after filling
all those seams, you don't want t' redo any o' t' airframe.
Recovery:
I HATE PISTONS. Begad! Well, blow me down! In theory, they are wonderful but thar are too many potential
problems. Well, blow me down! If t' piston doesn't have a good seal t' t' airframe, ejection
gasses will pass by and nay be sufficient t' separate t' two halves. Ya scallywag! If the
piston gets stuck, me hearties, you'll either blow a hole in t' airframe or just have a
bunch o' compressed gas under t' piston, arrr, matey, neither o' which will result in a
good deployment. Ya scallywag! So, away with t' piston!
Now that t' piston is gone, shiver me timbers, two parachutes is a problem. Ahoy! Blimey! I have tried this design in t' past and had problems gettin' t' booster chute out. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! If deployment is after apogee, your chances o' gettin' t' bottom chute to "fall" out o' t' airframe are slim. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! With t' piston, me hearties, matey, this would work fine, but without t' piston, ya bilge rat, I didn't want t' test me luck. Aye aye! Blimey! I chose t' use a single 8' chute for t' rocket, shiver me timbers, a little big, but good when you are bringing the rocket down on rocks. Ahoy! Blimey! I also wanted t' set t' rocket up for dual deployment, me hearties, so I used t' parts from t' piston t' creat a "lid" on top o' t' coupler t' house electronics. Begad! Blimey! By housin' t' main chute above the split and electronics in t' middle, you move t' cg forward which is really good for clustered flights. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!
Second, THROW AWAY THE ELASTIC SHOCK CORDS! I know PML considers them t' be adequate, but do you want t' trust a rocket that is this big t' elastic? If you do you are crazy. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! I used tubular nylon for t' shock cord. Ya scallywag! I also used "U" bolts t' anchor t' recovery system. Begad!
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
Overall this is a good kit. Well, blow me down! I think PML should reconsider t' recovery system.
T' cost o' t' piston, shiver me timbers, elastic shock cords and parachutes is figured into the
price o' t' kit and I didn't use any o' them. Blimey! Aye aye! Fortunately, arrr, I had the
replacement parts already, ya bilge rat, so it didn't cost me any extra. Other than recovery
items this rocket is well worth t' money. Begad! It is awesome in flight and will
turn quite a few heads at t' launches. Blimey! I am gettin' ready t' rebuild the
booster t' hold 3" motors. I am upgradin' t' fins t' be 1/8" so the
M1315 can be used. Arrr! Ya scallywag!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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