Weighin' in at 7.5 ounces with a reach o' 23 1/8" and sportin' a 2.6" thick body with punchin' power from a 24mm motor, t' Meanie is a contender! Blimey! Nordic Rocketry packages this "stout, ya bilge rat, tough and extremely cool" rocket with t' tauntin' message nay t' take their word for it but t' get one and "warn your friends t' keep their wimpy rockets at a safe distance, ya bilge rat, ‘cause this one’s mean."

That’s exactly what I did. I got one and put it t' t' test against two other "fat" kits, t' Estes’ Fat Boy and Vaughn Brother’s Blobbo. Avast! Avast! Bein' taller and usin' a larger motor set this kit apart from t' other two from t' get-go, shiver me timbers, arrr, however, consider all three reviews before you purchase your next 2.6" Sport kit. See me 2.6" Stubby Rocket Comparison Page

T' kit comes with a 12" long, thicker (1/16") single body tube and 9" long balsa nose cone. It’s 24mm motor mount comes with laser-cut plywood centerin' rings and a motor retention clip. Begad! Ya scallywag! It’s most unique feature are t' three laser-cut 1/16" plywood fins which are shaped so as t' set this kit apart from any other. Blimey! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It comes with a 19" rip-stop nylon parachute, and eye-screws for attachin' t' ¼" elastic shock cord. Begad! It also includes two brass launch lugs and a rub-on Meanie™ decal. Blimey! Aye aye!

CONSTRUCTION:

There are six pages o' construction instructions and a single page o' operatin' instructions. There are plenty o' clear, shiver me timbers, instrumental illustrations for ensurin' accurate alignment and build. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' instructions are in logical order and if followed can ensure a successful build. Ahoy! T' kit is rated skill level 3, however, I think it falls betwixt 2 and 3. Well, blow me down! T' introduction does indicate that Nordic Rocketry kits are designed "for those with some experience building" model rockets. Ahoy!

Another feature o' t' instructions, that I liked, me bucko, was t' banter contained throughout. For example, comments like, "when you have epoxy settin' up is nay t' time t' discover mistakes" after t' suggestion o' readin' all instructions before you begin. Begad! Also after a warnin' t' ensure straight fin alignment t' banter reinforces this by reading, "A misaligned part in this step could make your Meanie a little meaner than planned!"

Assembly o' t' Meanie™ be fun and employed a couple o' new techniques t' me. All o' t' parts fit, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, with minor sandin' as noted below, shiver me timbers, and allowed for quick assembly. Arrr!

T' motor mount assembly requires notchin' o' t' lower centerin' rin' t' allow clearance for t' motor hook and also an eye-screw is attached t' t' upper centerin' rin' as t' anchor for t' shock cord. Avast!

When installin' t' motor mount, arrr, t' instructions suggest checkin' for fit and nay t' force t' mount into t' body tube. I found that t' fit seemed very tight, however two things remedied this. First, ya bilge rat, although discovered second for me, me hearties, was that thar be a small ridge around t' end o' t' body tube. Sand this off first, me bucko, then check for fit. If still tight then a light sandin' o' t' centerin' rings will resolve it. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I sanded t' centerin' rings first, me hearties, which probably wasn’t necessary.

One suggestion that is nay made in t' instructions, is t' tuck t' shock cord back through t' motor tube t' avoid gettin' glue on it when installin' t' motor mount into t' body tube. Arrr!

T' fin’s unique shape merited a picture showin' which edges t' taper and round. Well, blow me down! There are actually four edges on each fin that need sanding. Begad! I used me Dremel t' get started and then sand paper t' do t' finishing. Avast! Well, blow me down!

One o' t' new techniques used in t' construction o' this kit, me hearties, me hearties, was t' use a T-pin t' poke holes along both sides o' t' centerline where t' fins attach. This is done t' allow t' glue t' seep into these holes makin' t' attachment o' t' fins t' t' body tube stronger. Avast! They act like little rivets!

Another new technique was t' attachment o' t' eye-screw t' t' nose cone. This is screwed, me hearties, glued and bridged. Begad! Avast! T' bridgin' was a new idea t' me. Begad! This is where t' glue is "bridged" through t' eye-screw t' increase its hold t' t' nose cone. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty!

To start t' finishin' process I used sandin' sealer on t' large balsa nose cone. Blimey! Then, me bucko, as always, I began preppin' for paintin' with Plasti-Kote primer. Avast! T' nose cone really needed a lot o' work. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' nose cone really needed a lot o' work. Aye aye! This could have been reduced if I followed t' finishin' instructions. Aye aye! They suggest usin' wood putty and sandin' sealer t' fill t' spiral seam in t' body tubin' and nose cone. Ahoy! I simply used multiple coats o' primer, shiver me timbers, sandin' back t' a smooth surface each time. Avast, me proud beauty!

Next, while walkin' through t' Walmart, me bucko, I discovered their brand o' paint for $0. Avast! Blimey! 98/can. Avast! Blimey! I couldn't resist. Begad! Blimey! I got a can o' yellow, me hearties, clear and primer. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' made me final coat o' primer with t' Walmart brand. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Then 2 coats o' bright yellow. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' recommendations on t' Walmart can is t' do additional coats within 4 hours or after 1 week. Avast! Blimey! Small price t' pay for t' paint costin' so little. (additional comments about Walmart paint)

A week later, ya bilge rat, I painted t' one fin with a blue t' match t' decal. Aye aye! I also applied t' single decal which is a self-adhesive vinyl decal spellin' out Meanie™. Well, blow me down! Begad! Followin' t' instructions carefully and only applyin' pressure on t' letters, I was able t' successfully apply t' decal. Once complete, me bucko, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I hit t' entire rocket with two light coats o' Walmart Clear paint. Ya scallywag! Done!

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 1/2 points. Arrr! Other than t' single instruction suggestion and t' extra work o' havin' t' deal with a balsa nose cone, it be excellent!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY: 

While gettin' ready for flight, two passer-bys stopped and introduced themselves. Arrr! Arrr! Both o' them commented on t' Meanie™ askin' who manufactured it. Begad! Blimey! One person picked it up and commented on how durable it felt and admired t' fins. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! Now, ya bilge rat, me hearties, we know it looks good but that this contender fly?

Usin' an Aerotech 24mm RMS casin' loaded with a D15-4, ya bilge rat, t' Meanie™ be ready for it's premiere. Avast! It was placed into t' rin' (launch order) on rod number 9 (3/16 launch rod) durin' t' NOVAAR Vacuum-22 event. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' t' referee (launch controller) announced t' fight (I mean flight) and began t' count down for t' main event. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! 5, shiver me timbers, 4, me bucko, 3, 2, 1 . Begad! . . Blimey! Arrr! ding, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, ding! Meanie™ was out o' it's corner quickly, ya bilge rat, delivered an explosive punch that left t' launch rod vibratin' and jerkin' t' heads o' all observers upward. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! After a line o' smoke, and at what seemed t' be Meanie's™ slowest point, pow, ya bilge rat, me hearties, t' last punch! It was all down(hill) from here as it floated safely back t' t' ground. Ya scallywag! Thus concluded t' matter. Avast!

Upon inspection, t' piece o' Rogue Aerospace's Perma-Wadding™ had a hole punched through it. Aye aye! However, it did it's job and protected t' 18" rip-stop nylon parachute. Well, blow me down! T' recovery system did it's job. Begad! A light blackenin' o' t' shock cord near t' motor mount be noticed. I'm concerned about how durable this system will be in t' long run. Only time and flights will tell. Blimey!

T' second challenger that Meanie™ had t' face was an Aerotech E28-7. Avast! I removed half o' t' ejection charge before attachin' it t' t' RMS casing. Blimey! T' flight be straight but I could nay see ejection. Well, blow me down! Assisted by a good wind, matey, t' rocket was carried and good distance. Begad! I landed in someone's driveway just outside o' t' flyin' field, chippin' two o' t' fin bottoms and a small spot on t' top t' body tube. Arrr! Aye aye!

Still showin' t' bruises from it's second challenger, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, arrr, t' Meanie™ faced it's third "seasoned" challenger, me bucko, me bucko, Estes D12-3. Ya scallywag! This old timer delivered a devastatin' blow that CATO'd t' rocket t' t' ground with a hole clean through t' chute and multiple points o' damage on t' nose cone. T' D12-3 displayed it's pleasure by throw a fire ball into t' air.

After t' three flights (if you count t' last event), t' shock cord is showin' some crackin' on t' edges but it still solid and intact. Blimey! Blimey! I still think a Keelhaul®©™® leader or a protective sheath would help this kit out. Begad!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, arrr, I would rate this kit 4 1/2 points.

Overall, me hearties, arrr, for t' combination o' toughness and uniqueness and ease o' build, this kit should be a qualified contender for anyone's next 2.6", short, ya bilge rat, sport flyer. Begad! Begad! Nordic Rocketry's catalog only contains 5 kits, ya bilge rat, but after buildin' this one, I'm lookin' forward t' future releases! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 1/2 points.

Update 9/23/08: After over 10 years o' flying, this rocket has now reached it's 60th flight (captured below).

What's interestin' about t' Meanie is that it is nay some super-duper high strength rocket that is built t' be indestructible. Begad! Rather, arrr, quite t' opposite. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body tube is paper (1/16" thick cardboard), its fins and centerin' rings are 1/16" laser-cut plywood, arrr, and its nose cone is balsa. Aye aye! Avast! T' fins are surface mounted t' t' body tube. Avast!

There were two techniques used durin' t' build that improved t' strength. Avast, me proud beauty!

One be t' use a T-pin t' poke holes along both sides o' t' centerline where t' fins attach. This is done t' allow t' glue t' seep into these holes makin' t' attachment o' t' fins t' t' body tube stronger. Ahoy! They act like little rivets!

T' other technique was t' attachment o' t' eye-screw t' t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! This is screwed, glued and bridged. Bridgin' where t' glue is "bridged" through t' eye-screw t' increase its hold t' t' nose cone.

So, shiver me timbers, despite a CATO o' an Estes D12 on t' 3rd launch (which required t' nose cone t' be filled and re-painted), ya bilge rat, several other parachute deployment issues, me bucko, and one descent that took nearly 8 minutes… this rocket has been a Meanie toward t' skys. It has flown on 28 D's (D9, D10, D12, arrr, arrr, ya bilge rat, D15 and D21), 14 E's (E9, me bucko, E11, me bucko, E18, and E28), ya bilge rat, and 19 F's (F12, shiver me timbers, F24, and F39). Begad!