Brief:
This is a single stage, 4 finned payload rocket by Vaughn Brothers Rocketry. This rocket can achieve some pretty extreme altitude on a G42 or G55 motor. Aye aye! Fin attachment is through t' wall.

Construction:
This kit contains:

• 2 body tubes, arrr, one for t' payload section and one for t' booster
• 2 Estes cardboard style centerin' rings
• 4 fiberglass fins
• Plastic nose cone
• A nice steel leader type attachment for t' shock cord
• A nice nylon 18" parachute

There are two and a half pages o' directions, with a single illustration on the back for reference. They are easy enough t' follow. Begad! Like most kits, just take one step and a time and it's fairly straight forward. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Illustrations are lackin' when compared t' an Estes kit, but I felt they more than adequate.

Construction begins with assemblin' t' motor mount. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! This was me first kit that recommended epoxy, and t' recommendations were either 5 or 30 minute epoxy. Avast! I assembled this kit with 5 minute epoxy.

T' top centerin' rin' has a steel leader already attached. This steel leader extends out t' top o' t' body tube, where t' very adequate length of elastic shock cord provided is then attached. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! After epoxyin' all parts in place and allowin' t' dry, me bucko, arrr, t' motor mount is then placed into t' body tube, me hearties, and epoxied into place.

T' hardest part comes next. Arrr! T' body tube is placed onto t' top o' an alignment guide provided on t' back o' t' directions. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Fin locations are then marked. Directions are a little light here but if you have some building experience, it's easy enough t' figure out how t' do this. Blimey! I then used a door frame t' mark t' tube for t' fins based on t' previous marks.

T' tough part is cuttin' in t' slots into t' body tube for t' fins. Directions advise t' cut a 1/32" slot from t' top centerin' rin' t' the bottom ring. I did this, matey, and was a little sloppy. Begad! Blimey! However t' epoxy fillets cover t' area nicely.

T' fins were epoxied in place, and t' epoxy fillets were added. Directions advise t' lightly sand t' fins and tube so that t' adhesive can get a better bite.

T' launch lug was added next without any problem.

T' coupler and bulkhead assembly was last, and fairly straight forward with t' directions. Aye aye! A screw eye is inserted into t' bulkhead for attachment of t' shock cord. Begad!

Finishing:
There are no decals with this kit, matey, nor any directions for paint scheme. Directions do call for light sandin' o' t' fins and body tube. Knowin' that the manufacturer's colors are primarily black and yellow, I attempted t' stay with those colors. I'm nay all that happy with me end results, shiver me timbers, but I'm just original when it comes t' paint schemes. Nothin' t' do with t' kit itself.

T' manufacturer lists a finished weight o' 4.2 ounces, shiver me timbers, and mine came in just under at 4.0 ounces.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Our first flight was on 2-19-03. Aye aye! We had light winds and were ready t' launch. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye!

I used an Estes D12-5. Begad! It was retained in t' motor tube via tape and friction fitting. Avast!

T' rocket was loaded up with some Estes waddin' and t' recovery system was loaded. Begad! I had a nice 16" nylon parachute that matched t' color o' the rocket well. Arrr! I elected t' use it instead o' t' 18", me bucko, as t' rocket really is fairly light.

Havin' everythin' loaded up and t' rocket on t' pad we were ready t' go. At t' end o' t' countdown I pressed t' button on t' controller, matey, and nothing happened.

Upon inspection, t' ignitor lit, but I didn't have it up into t' motor enough/correctly. We corrected that with a new ignitor and were once again ready t' go. Avast, me proud beauty! However believin' in t' rocketry version o' Murphy's law I began to wonder about launching, matey, arrr, thinkin' t' first attempt may have been a sign. Ahoy!

I was talked into proceedin' by me wife. Blimey! Arrr! We counted down again, shiver me timbers, pressed the button and had ignition. Ya scallywag! T' rocket took off from t' pad very smartly and straight. It was a beautiful straight flight, and just at apogee t' chute deployed. Ahoy! Perfect flight on this D12 motor.

Recovery:
Upon deployin' t' chute we had our first problem. Begad! T' kit started t' come down in two pieces. T' chute deployed fine and was still attached t' t' payload section. T' body tube was free falling. Luckily it be unstable enough nay to nose dive. It came tumblin' down and knocked a fin loose on landing.

Both pieces were recovered and I found me problem. Blimey! T' steel leader suppled with t' kit be looped and then crimped at both ends. Ahoy! T' leader looped around the upper centerin' ring. Aye aye! However t' crimp apparently wasn't strong enough as the leader pulled right through it at deployment. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! This let t' two pieces separate. Avast! Blimey! T' leader came already in place around t' centerin' ring. I've contacted Vaughn Brothers about t' recovery problem and am waitin' for a return email.

Damage was minor however and I really believe this was a fluke, me bucko, arrr, I'd still consider t' steel leader assembly t' be t' strongest, ya bilge rat, nay t' weakest link in the recovery system. Aye aye!

T' fin was easily repaired, but now I'm stuck with an Estes style paper shock cord mount on t' inside o' t' body tube. Blimey! I don't know if I'll have confidence in it for t' bigger G motors though. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:

PROS:T' kit is fairly simple in design and goes together well. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! All parts fit nicely and were o' good quality.

CONS:T' directions are a little light. They are more than adequate if you have some experience, but I wouldn't recommend this for a first or early build for a new modeler. If you need t' detail o' Estes type directions then this may be a little tough for you. Well, blow me down! Begad!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5