Brief:
T' Stubby is a simple but well thought out rocket for beginners. It's stubby appearance makes it distinctive from other "first rockets" and sets this 3FNC rocket apart from many others. Begad! It uses 13mm motors and recovers with a small mylar chute.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• Body Tube
• Balsa Nose Cone (poor condition)
• 1/8" Launch Lug
• Engine Hook
• Engine Tube
• Engine Block
• Wrapped Paper Centerin' Ring
• 2 Plywood Centerin' Rings
• 4 Laser Cut Balsa Fins
• Metal Screw Eye
• Keelhaul®©™Shock Cord
• Snap Swivel
• Mylar Parachute
• Cotton Shroud Lines
• Shroud Reinforcin' Rings
• Waterslide Decal
• Instruction Sheets with Tube Markin' Guide

T' balsa sheet containin' t' fins was broken but t' break was along t' laser cut line. Begad! There was no damage t' t' fins themselves. Aye aye! They do seem a bit thick for a rocket this size but I like that. Avast! Ahoy! It also seems appropriate for a kit o' this level where t' modeler may be a bit rough from lack o' experience or just plain clumsy like me.

T' body tube is a bit heavier than Estes quality. It was sturdy while bein' worked upon and seems like it will last a long while.

T' instructions consisted o' 3 pages o' 8.5" x 11" paper printed front and back. Avast! Aye aye! T' illustrations were simple line drawin' but were easily adequate.

If I had one real issue, it be t' nose cone. It looks like I probably got t' last one before t' cuttin' blades were sharpened. Ya scallywag! T' texture was extremely rough and it will need plenty o' filling. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! It be nay quite bad enough for me t' have made a major issue o' it.

Construction began with t' buildin' o' t' motor mount. Aye aye! This be fairly straightforward. Arrr! Blimey! A slot is cut into t' motor tube and t' engine retainer is inserted and held down with maskin' tape. Begad! T' two plywood centerin' rings were then slid on t' their marks and held with carpenter's glue. Begad! Blimey! An engine block be inserted in t' appropriate end, ya bilge rat, T' Keelhaul®©™shock cord is tied t' a rin' which is then glued just forward o' t' forward centerin' ring. It's nice t' see such a basic model includin' this method for mountin' t' shock cord.

Markin' o' t' body tube be done with a wraparound guide. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! ASP recommended that t' body tube be roughed up a bit with medium or fine grit sandpaper t' help t' fins adhere better. I used 400 grit sandpaper because that is what I had sittin' handy. Aye aye! Blimey! After t' body tube was roughed up and marked, me hearties, t' motor mount slid right in and was affixed with glue. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! T' parts fit together well and probably did nay need t' light sandin' I gave t' rings in order t' make them slide well. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! This assembly was then set aside t' dry overnight.

T' instructions give t' option o' sandin' airfoils into t' fins or not. Aye aye! I almost elected nay t' do so since t' laser cut edges would nay look out o' place on such a basic model, ya bilge rat, but then decided I would because part o' me purpose in buildin' this kit is t' brush up on some o' these skills. Well, blow me down! This is where t' extra thick fin material came in handy. Avast! Well, blow me down! My method o' roundin' t' edges involves runnin' sandpaper over them like a shoe shine cloth. Ahoy! I am nay as patient as I should be and I tend t' snap at this point. Begad! As a result, t' fins tend t' snap as well. Begad! This time though, thar was no trouble.

T' mountin' o' t' fins posed no problem at all. This model marks t' first time I have tried t' use me Art Rose fin jig. Aye aye! That kept me honest on matters o' alignment but this model is simple enough that it would have been easy anyway. Aye aye! Avast! T' launch lug was glued on and it was time t' work on t' recovery system.

This model is provided with a very long piece o' Keelhaul®©™. Aye aye! Apparently it is intended t' connect t' t' nose cone and t' parachute. I like t' Keelhaul®©™, me hearties, arrr, me bucko, but I also wanted somethin' with some stretch for when t' ejection charge goes off. I added a short length o' sewin' elastic and then put together t' chute.

As a rule, matey, I despise t' plastic garbage bag chutes. Avast! Aye aye! I like t' Mylar ones only a little bit better. Ya scallywag! On most o' me models I substitute a nylon chute for t' provided one. Avast! Well, me hearties, blow me down! In this case though I went with t' provided Mylar chute. Begad! It be small, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, only about 7 inches across. T' shrouds were precut and t' attachment was by reinforcin' rings. Avast! Aye aye! That is a definite step above t' tape disks. T' chute be easy enough t' assemble and t' model was ready for finishing.

PROs: Instructions were logical and in order, easy t' follow. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Modern Keelhaul®©™shock cord instead o' t' rubber band. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Sturdy materials.

CONs: No elastic shock cord t' use with t' Keelhaul®©™.

Finishing:
Finishin' is me least favorite part o' rocketry. I like nice lookin' rockets but I have t' artistic aptitude o' a turnip. I tend t' go with whatever scheme is on t' face card. Avast! In this case, me hearties, t' card shows a white rocket with red fins and nose cone. I changed this slightly t' white with maroon trim. Begad! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Gig ‘em Aggies!

Before I got t' t' paintin' though, I used Elmer's Wood Filler on t' fins and t' nose cone. Avast! T' fins came out fine with a single coat but t' nose cone did not. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' roughness meant that thar be a great deal o' fillin' and sandin' so 4 treatments were needed.

Paintin' was simple. Begad! I primed with white, added a few coats o' gloss white, matey, arrr, masked t' NC and fins, shiver me timbers, arrr, and painted with a dark red.

After t' paint had dried, me bucko, I applied t' 2 provided decals. Blimey! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' decals themselves were very simple. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' word, shiver me timbers, me hearties, "Stubby" be printed in large, me hearties, bold letters. A decal with some sort o' distinctive logo for t' rocket would have been nice but t' ones provided are just fine. Avast! Blimey! After t' decals, shiver me timbers, I sprayed on some clear coat and t' Stubby is ready t' go.

PROs: Simple design called for simple finish. T' simple design looks fine.

CONs: T' nose cone be so rough that it be a trial t' work with.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I decided t' go small for t' first flight, shiver me timbers, but I didn't have a 1/2A3-2T so I used a 1/2A3-4T instead. That was a mistake. Begad! In fact, t' entire 1/2A category should, perhaps be ruled out. T' flight was spectacularly low and t' delay be way too long. Begad! It tumbled t' t' ground and ejected about a second after impact. Well, blow me down! Fortunately, thar was no damage.

T' second flight was on an A10-3T. Begad! Ahoy! It lifted right off t' pad, went straight up, and ejected just after apogee. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Recovery took place under t' provided mylar chute and be just fine. Avast! Begad! This is a heavy rocket for a 13mm motor so I would stick with t' full A motors from now on.

Recovery:
PROs: Chute works well. Aye aye! Begad! Does nay drift far. Keelhaul®©™ provided.

CONs: No elastic.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a simple rocket that goes together easily, me hearties, is easy t' finish, arrr, me bucko, and flies well. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! It is big for a 13mm rocket, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and that means thar be less chance o' it just disappearing.

PROs: Simple. Good flier.

CONs: No elastic.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5