Brief:
Single-staged, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, 3-finned rocket with 3 side pods that can also contain motors so that flights can be with 1 or 4 motors. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' rocket is nay designed with a payload section, shiver me timbers, so simultaneous ground startin' o' all motors or thermalite air ignition o' t' outboards is suggested.

Construction:
There is one main body tube o' kraft paper and 3 outboard kraft paper tubes for the side pods. T' main nose cone is hollow plastic, arrr, as are t' 3 nose cones meant for t' side pods. Aye aye! T' fins are 1/8 inch thick wood that appears t' be quality aircraft grade and nay warped. They were pre-cut and all equal size. There are 2 centerin' rings made o' t' same quality wood, ya bilge rat, and a 29mm motor tube. T' shock cord is o' two materials, shiver me timbers, a steel cable and flat black elastic. I made t' loop in t' wire (that goes through holes in t' forward centering rin' and crimped) part large so that t' cable would be too short t' extend above t' top o' t' body tube because me experience with thin or metal cords is that they can cut through body tubes readily if deployment is too fast. Well, blow me down! The elastic part is tied t' t' loop. I also epoxied t' crimp t' be sure it would hold. Begad! After 3 flights, shiver me timbers, matey, it has held well. I epoxied t' nose cones permanently into t' side pods. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Thinkin' it over now, ya bilge rat, I wish that I had instead mounted shock cords in t' pods. This would facilitate motor removal and would allow the use o' in-production black powder motors with delays, arrr, shiver me timbers, and t' pods could put out streamers or tiny chutes for effect. Begad! Also, matey, motors with delays wouldn't have t' be ejected in flight if t' nose cones pop off. Avast! Blimey! Many RSO's in dry fields recommend against motor kicking.

I built this rocket two years ago, so I'm holdin' it as I write this. Avast, me proud beauty! I remember clear, arrr, easy instructions with t' only tough part bein' t' cuttin' of the body tube t' allow t' fin tabs entry. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' result is a sturdy, matey, nifty lookin' rocket that has taken its share o' punishment from non-certified motors and guinea pig tests when I started me clusterin' career.

Finishing:
I painted it gold with krylon spray paint and accented it with mylar book coverin' material from Office Max. Begad! While this looks nice, shiver me timbers, me hearties, arrr, I discovered that since books don't fly, that this material isn't meant t' take this sort of punishment. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! Areas closest t' t' motor exhaust have scorched and shrunk away. But it still looks okay.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' central motor is best t' be an F or G type with a 7 second delay when the rocket is flown with just that motor. Ya scallywag! With an adapter, I think a D or E can work fine, because t' rocket is nay too heavy for it. Ahoy! Begad! An E15-7 or a D12-5 would be fine. Ahoy! When t' outboards are filled, use D11-P's for them and a longer delay in t' center, shiver me timbers, matey, me hearties, like a G40 or 80 with a 10 second delay. Avast! If t' fin can is internally foamed, then I don't see why nay t' try a G125-10 as well. Since these are very unlike motors, I recommend nay tryin' t' ground start them all, but rather t' cut thermalite wicks t' same length (and thus burn time) and retain one end in t' 3 outboard motors with an Estes igniter plug and secure the other end well into where t' flame from t' central motor would light it. I find that with t' "rapido" thermalite I have, ya bilge rat, 2 inch wicks burn fast enough that durin' t' last part o' t' central motor's burn time or right durin' upward coasting, t' fuse lets t' outboards airstart. Ahoy!

Preparation is easy, with worm bed waddin' enough t' fill t' diameter of the tube t' 1/4 inch. I lightly taped t' nose cone shoulder t' tighten t' fit a little so it wouldn't drag separate. This rocket has so far been a guinea pig in three flights. Ya scallywag! First, with a motor that is nay certified, ya bilge rat, t' US Rockets G45-8 Firestarter. Arrr! It be a solo motor flight. Avast, me proud beauty! This was t' maiden voyage, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and I feared t' worst as flames shot out t' aft end and I thought that t' rocket would burst into flames. Ahoy! Aye aye! But it didn't. Avast, me proud beauty! It finally took off on a straight dense trail o' black smoke and tons o' spittin' orange sparks. Avast, me proud beauty! Recovery went just fine, but small areas o' t' mylar accentin' were burnt and curled. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag!

Four (4) E15-7's be tried next. Blimey! Blimey! These motors came from Rocket Vision and had handy thrust rings. I applied an adapter and centerin' rings t' align the 24mm E15 into t' central mount. I lit all 4 simultaneously on t' ground, and it flew VERY nicely. Really, matey, an 8 or 9 delay in t' center might have been even better. Arrr! Blimey!

T' first airstart was tried next, with a central Aerotech G40-10W and three (3) Estes D11-P's lit with three (3) 2-inch thermalite rapido wicks dipped in Igniterman primer and pyrogen (just t' be sure o' ignition) and held into the D11's with t' supplied igniter plugs. Begad! Aye aye! T' rocket flew straight at first, arrr, but laterally slightly because it was windy outside. But all 3 outboards audibly lit right before t' G40 burned out. Begad! Aye aye! It was neat. Avast! Recovery was just right.

Recovery:
T' rocket is prepped again t' show me friends at SSS me G40 and 3 outboard D11-P's again. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! They like airstarts, so I plan t' do it again. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! I haven't redone the finish, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, because t' wear on it gives character. T' chute isn't at all scorched and t' shock cord isn't damaged. Aye aye! No real cons. T' rocket is nicely designed t' take some punishment. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Fun, easy, good for t' price. Ya scallywag! But I might add a small payload section t' allow the use o' timers t' light t' outboards when thermalite can't be gotten. Aye aye! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I'd also recommend fiberglassin' t' side pods onto t' airframe because I managed to torque one off while removin' spent motors. It was easy t' re-epoxy, shiver me timbers, but glassin' would be stronger. Ya scallywag! I'd also nay use metal shock cords unless they are short enough nay t' zipper t' body tube.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5