Brief:
T' Little Bucky Jones is a downscale o' Pemberton Technologies' Bucky Jones. Ya scallywag! Layne makes some other stuff too but it is t' retro science fiction look that he practically owns. This rocket is nay exception. It hearkens back t' a day when Flash Gordon and Buck Rodgers ruled t' serials. Blimey! I miss those days.

Construction:
I normally don't worry about t' spirals in me tubes unless they are excessively hideous. Blimey! Blimey! T' spirals on t' body tube for this kit were minuscule. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! Even so, I decided that I wanted t' make this rocket a "best effort". Accordingly, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me bucko, and guided by t' "desctructions", ya bilge rat, I decided t' start off by fillin' in t' spirals. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! I brushed some Elmer's Wood Filler over t' lines and then scraped away t' excess with a razor blade. Ahoy! Blimey! This did nay leave much to dry so it dried quickly. About an hour later, me bucko, I sanded t' tube down with #330 sandpaper, also removin' t' sheen from the BT. Well, blow me down! After that, I gave it a once over with t' #400.

Printed on t' last page o' t' instructions were templates for t' fins, finlets, mitered tube cuttin' guide and alignment guide. Ya scallywag! I cut out t' miter guide and t' alignment guide. I lined t' marks for t' dorsal fin up with the point at which t' spiral ended at t' edge o' t' tube and decided that this would be me dorsal surface. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' miter guide was then wrapped around t' tube so that its farthest extension lined up with t' dorsal line. Ya scallywag! T' guides were taped into place and an angle be used t' transfer all o' t' alignment marks t' t' BT. Ya scallywag! T' contour o' t' mitered cut was also transferred.

A fresh blade was put in t' X-Acto and t' process o' cuttin' t' mitered end o' t' BT began. Ahoy! I drew t' blade around t' marked line nay pressin' very much. Arrr! It took several circuits t' complete. T' resultin' cut be pretty good with just one significant burr and a few minor ones. Arrr! These were sanded away with #330.

T' templates for t' fins and t' finlets were cut from t' last page. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! They were then taped down t' t' plywood sheets and t' outlines transferred with a mechanical pencil. Well, blow me down! Orientation really does nay matter because o' the plywood. Ya scallywag! Begad! There are 2 finlets and 3 fins.

T' instructions give suggestions for several ways in which t' cut t' sheet material. Arrr! Since I didn't have any of the nice power tools, most o' t' "good" options were out. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I wasn't about t' try it with a pair o' shears. That left just t' "multiple pass with X-Acto" method. Well, blow me down! It is fortunate that I had a new box o' blades. I went through 5 o' them cuttin' t' first fin. Avast! Ya scallywag! After that I had t' leave this project aside for a while.

It took a while. Blimey! Lots o' passes with t' X-Acto and many blades, shiver me timbers, matey, but I finally got all three fins cut out. Arrr! I used #220 sandpaper t' smooth out t' rough edges and then used #330 t' round all t' edges except for t' root. Begad! Then, breakin' from me usual practice, I filled them with Elmer's, arrr, scraped off t' surplus, and gave them a couple o' hours to dry. Avast! I then sanded them down with #400 and have t' admit they look much better than they would have if I had waited until after they are installed.

Cuttin' out t' little finlets turned out t' be harder than t' big fins. Avast, me proud beauty! There was nay as much t' cut but keepin' t' right shape was tougher, as was handlin' and sealin' them.

Since I was in fillin' mode, I went ahead and sealed t' nose cone. Unfortunately, t' scrapin' with a razor blade does nay work on this type o' surface so it will take considerably more time t' dry. Begad! Ahoy! T' recommended method in the instructions is t' seal and sand with thin CA but I found me bottle hardened past t' possibility o' use.

When t' NC filler had stiffened up a bit but was still t' soft t' sand, arrr, I added t' nose weight. Blimey! I used a 3/8" drill bit t' bore 3" in from t' base and then poured in t' little bag o' lead droppings. Avast! I mixed a batch o' 15min epoxy and poured it in on top. Ahoy! Begad! I used a bigger bit than t' instructions said be needed and I found that me lead just barely fit.

Thinkin' I had more time left on t' pot life o' me epoxy than I really did, I went ahead and marked t' motor tube at 1/8" and 1-5/8" for t' centerin' rings. They both had t' be sanded just a bit t' fit around the tube. Begad! Begad! I slipped them on and found t' epoxy had hardened. Avast, me proud beauty! I placed them with yellow glue which was t' recommended practice anyway.

After t' epoxy had set, I stared t' insert t' screw eye into t' middle o' t' NC base but that epoxy along with t' lead droppings made for hard going. Begad! Begad! Instead, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I screwed it in a bit off center, where it would penetrate the surface layer o' epoxy and then go into balsa.

When t' fillets around the centerin' rings had dried, matey, I test fitted t' motor mount in t' BT and found that it was a bit tight. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Some judicious sandin' solved this problem. Avast! T' mount was then removed and a notch was carved into t' forward end t' accommodate the Keelhaul®©™®. T' Keelhaul®©™® was then tied into place and t' rin' be given another fillet t' keep it from moving.

As t' Keelhaul®©™® fillet on t' motor mount dried, me hearties, I turned t' sandin' t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! T' first pass be with #330. T' dust be brushed away and then I went back over it with #400.

With t' structural part o' t' motor mount done, it was time t' start on t' "cool" part that gives this model a lot o' its character. Ya scallywag! T' parts package is full o' 3/16" launch lugs (mistakenly called 3/8" in the instructions). Ahoy! T' are t' form a cluster o' "exhaust tubes" around t' motor. A single exhaust tube is affixed t' t' motor mount tube, parallel, and butted up against t' aft centerin' ring. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! After that, matey, pairs o' lugs are cut down in 1/8" increments and butted on either side o' t' first one. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' result is a series o' exhaust ports of diminishin' length goin' around 2/3 o' t' motor tube for a pleasin' retro, supercharged look. Blimey! Aye aye! T' instructions give a good piece o' advice here and say t' butt t' cut end against t' centerin' ring. This gives a more finished appearance at t' business end.

When t' exhaust tubes are in place and t' CA dried, I used maskin' tape t' protect t' edges o' t' centering rings from paint and began t' paint t' motor mount with a glossy, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, flaked metallic silver from Rustoleum. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! This is one of those that would be a nightmare t' mask after installation.

T' finlets were glued 1" back from t' front o' t' BT along t' win' lines. Ahoy! They were applied with a double glue joint usin' yellow glue.

T' fins were applied in t' same manner usin' a double glue joint. Arrr! Begad! Each fin is t' be mounted flush with t' back end o' t' BT. Begad! Begad! Since t' BT is mitered, this give a bit o' a funky look until all three are in place and t' rocket is seen in t' horizontal attitude. Begad! Then it really starts lookin' good.

T' kit comes with a pair o' 1/4" launch lugs meant t' be cut for decorative effect but they are fully functional...and thar be usually less o' a wait for me club's 1/4" facilities. Begad! Blimey! It also has a pair o' 1/8" lugs in case you want t' go for t' slimmer look. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I decided t' use t' 1/4" lugs in and mount a single 1/8" between them t' give myself t' most options. Each end o' each lug was cut at a 45 degree angle and t' larger ones were applied along t' lug lines 3-1/4" back from t' front. Aye aye! Blimey! T' 1/8" lug was centered betwixt t' two of them.

T' canopy does nay look much like a canopy. It starts out as a fairly irregular hunk o' balsa. I used some #220 sandpaper t' make it roughly rectangular. A pencil was then used t' inscribe a diamond pattern on t' top surface. A vertical line was run from t' top and bottom points o' t' diamond t' t' edges o' t' balsa. An X-Acto be then used to whittle away material and give it a rough profile. Sandpaper was then used tho smooth things out and get rid o' any sharp edges. Avast! Aye aye! I be fairly leery o' this process at first but am quite pleased with t' results.

I took me time buildin' op t' fillets on t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I used yellow glue but tried t' be very careful about where it got smeared, buildin' up t' fillets one thin layer at a time. Begad! Doin' this gave me t' chance t' turn me attentions elsewhere and I decided t' go ahead and prime and paint t' nosecone. Ahoy! There were several paints I be considerin' so I wanted t' try one and see what it looked like. Begad! T' NC be primed with Kilz and then sanded smooth again.

Waitin' on fillets also let me finish up on t' silver paint for t' motor mount. I peeled back t' tape and was please with what I saw.

I also started on sealin' t' cockpit canopy. Avast! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I didn't used Elmer's for this one but used balsa fillercoat, figurin' that would be easier t' sand in this situation. Aye aye! I taped a piece o' maskin' tape, me bucko, sticky side up, me hearties, t' a scrap of cardboard and then stuck t' canopy t' it. It got two coats o' filler and a light sandin' then I brushed on some glossy black acrylic.

Still payin' attention t' t' fillets, ya bilge rat, I went ahead and tried a paint option on t' nosecone. I used a Rustoleum "hammered Brass". Avast! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' manual calls for a gaudy shade o' gold but I think I am goin' t' save that for me full size Bucky. Well, blow me down! Avast! There I will use a very bright polished gold for t' body and chrome for t' exhaust work.

I eventually got t' fillets built up in 4 layers and was satisfied with them. Ahoy! Begad! Then it was time t' prime the rocket. Well, blow me down! I used Kilz and applied 2 coats over t' space o' 2 days. Blimey! When they had dried, I sanded down with #400 sandpaper.

After t' primed rocket be sanded down, ya bilge rat, me hearties, arrr, I test fit t' motor mount once again. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I found one place on t' forward rin' that be a bit too tight for comfort and sanded it down. Well, blow me down! T' Keelhaul®©™® was then fed through t' body tube and a rin' o' glue was applied about an inch in. Blimey! T' motor mount be then inserted so that t' forward centerin' rin' was in but t' aft one be nay yet in. Avast! Another rin' o' glue be smeared around the BT at t' high point o' t' mitered cut and t' mount was shoved in with t' longest exhaust tube aligned with the dorsal fin. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! A long handled swab was then used t' apply a yellow glue fillet around t' forward centerin' ring.

T' instructions included advice on maskin' t' motor tube, me bucko, which I'd already painted silver, and protectin' it from t' final paint job. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! A sheet o' notebook paper was simply rolled into a tube, arrr, arrr, insertin' into t' space betwixt the exhaust tubes and t' BT, and allowed t' expand. Avast! Begad! That prepped t' rocket for its final paint. I had decided t' use the hammered brass I tried on t' nosecone.

T' rocket took 2 full coats o' t' brass paint and then a little extra around t' front end on some spots I had missed. Avast! Begad! Blimey! When done, it was obvious that thar are some places where it went on a bit too heavy, but all in all, me bucko, I am satisfied with t' paint.

T' hand whittled cockpit still had t' be attached. Avast! Blimey! I chose a spot along t' dorsal line and used a razor to scrape away t' paint and primer. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! T' cockpit had been sanded t' fit t' BT by wrappin' a piece o' BT-60 in sandpaper and sandin' in t' correct profile. Some yellow glue be applied t' t' bottom o' t' cockpit and it was pressed in place over t' base spot I had made.

All that be left be t' finish t' shock cord system. Avast! T' kit came with a very generous length of Keelhaul®©™® which had been fixed t' t' motor mount. It did nay come with any elastic. Aye aye! Aye aye! I like t' have a bit o' sprin' in t' system so I tied on an 8" piece o' sewin' elastic t' t' Keelhaul®©™® and tied t' other end t' t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' rocket be ready for a chute and a flight.

Finishing:
T' actual finishin' be done durin' t' course o' construction and was described there.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' day o' t' maiden flight was extremely windy. In fact, it was probably nay too good an idea t' try and fly. Havin' missed t' previous month's launch window for t' same reason be enough t' make me want t' give it a try anyway. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! With that in mind, ya bilge rat, arrr, I selected a C11-3 and loaded it in t' rocket. Well, blow me down! As I watched it in t' few moments prior to launch, shiver me timbers, arrr, I realized that t' dull brassy color scheme was also probably a poor choice for findin' t' rocket in the winter colored field. Too late. Ahoy! 3, 2, 1, launch!

It took off well and weathercocked much less than I anticipated. It flew t' a respectable height and deployed the chute just a bit before apogee. Begad! Then began t' long drift with t' wind. When it landed, matey, thar be no damage. Avast! This was a good one. Avast! A video o' t' first flight can be seen here.

T' first flight went so well that I debated with myself about usin' a D for t' second. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I finally decided against doin' so because o' t' wind and t' distance t' first one drifted. I decided t' use a C11-5 instead o' t' 3 second delay reasonin' that it would come down a little bit more and drift a little less. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! As it happens, shiver me timbers, matey, shiver me timbers, t' C11-5 seems t' be t' perfect C motor for this rocket and it ejected right at t' perfect point o' apogee. A video o' t' second flight can be seen here.

PROs: Good flier.

CONs: None.

Recovery:
I used a 15" nylon chute for recovery. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It was installed with a short length o' elastic and connected with a swivel t' t' Keelhaul®©™® provided. Avast! This brought t' rocket down a little fast but it was solidly put together and suffered no damage.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5