T' following text is from t' Binder Design Web site and describes t' Thug. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

**THUG**
DIAMETER : 4 inches
LENGTH : 33 inches
MOTOR MOUNT : 29MM
PARACHUTE : 24 inches
If you're lookin' for a small performer, matey, t' Thug is for you! Designed for those wantin' a 4 inch diameter sport rocket that can fly on as little as a an E motor, or you can throw a H-180 in it and watch it go! Kit includes plastic nose cone, 1/8 inch cut and sanded ply fins, excellent instructions, arrr, ya bilge rat, and computer designed and cut vinyl lettering. A great small flyin' site performer!

I decided on t' Thug after long deliberations on just which Rocket t' get. This be t' be me first Mid-Power/HPR rocket and I wanted it t' be t' right choice. Blimey! I was lookin' for a rocket that I would be able t' fly at a small field and that could be used for a level one certification as well. Arrr! From me research the Thug seemed t' fit t' bill.

I was very happy when it finally arrived. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! I be a little disappointed in a few things about t' kit I do nay think that they reflect on t' kit or Binder Design but t' vendor that I was workin' through t' obtain t' kit. He mentioned t' me that t' kit did nay have t' fins and that he would have them made and before he sent t' kit out t' me. Aye aye! Aye aye! Blimey! So after waitin' and waitin' and waitin' t' kit arrived, me hearties, by t' way I ordered it in July and received it in January. Ahoy! Ahoy! Blimey! Well t' fins were ill shaped and did nay fit, arrr, but I was nay about to send it back and wait again luckily t' fins were on t' big size. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! I spent a few hours reshapin' t' fins and testin' t' alignment before they were right. T' kit did come with a nice fin alignment guide that helped a lot durin' this process. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! T' rocket tube was clearly marked with pencil and magic marker for fin and launch lug locations. Begad! Once t' fins were shaped correctly t' rest was pretty easy. Arrr! Blimey! T' quality o' t' kit and it other parts were first rate and the instructions were simple and easy t' read.

I did make a few changes t' t' design to fit me own needs. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! I added an extra centerin' rin' out o' epoxied cardboard, the extra centerin' rin' was t' add more strength t' t' fin can since I was plannin' on cuttin' a hole betwixt two o' t' fins for an electronic bay. Arrr! Blimey! I decided t' put t' electronics bay in betwixt t' o' t' fins since I could find no other good place in a rocket this short. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' Thug will also be me test bed for some new electronics an altimeter and a magnetic apogee detector. Ahoy! Blimey! The magnetic apogee detector caused me t' rethink t' metallic parts t' t' rocket. For t' electronics bay I added nylon screws t' hold it shut and shock cord mountin' bolts are now brass. Avast, me proud beauty! Also I am nay keen on t' idea o' puttin' a 29 mm casin' in without motor retention so I used brass wood inserts and copper clips for motor retention. Avast! I replaced t' elastic strap with ten feet o' tubular webbin' and added Nomex® shieldin' for t' parachute. Arrr! Begad! With t' extra weight that I added t' t' rocket I checked t' CG and ran some sims on it and determined that it would need a few ounces o' weight t' t' nose for stability, probably due t' me over buildin' and t' added weight o' t' electronic in t' fin can. Flyin' weight o' t' rocket with motor and electronics be 2 lb 2 oz.

T' kit also comes with some very nice vinyl letterin' and some chrome decals for t' silver strap near t' nose. I did nay use t' letterin' but I did go with t' chrome tape around t' base o' t' nose cone.

For its first launch I go a F40, the weather be very windy on launch day but I be determine t' get it up. T' Thug weather cocked into t' wind but flew straight, t' charge went and it came down with out any problems. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! It was a little underpowered with t' F40, so the next launch was with a G64 and this time I put t' altimeter in t' electronics bay but only along for t' ride t' deployment be still up t' t' motor. Blimey! This flight went much higher, me bucko, still weather cocked but that be t' be expected with the high winds. Begad! Avast! T' Thug went t' 950’ and again came down without a scratch. Begad! I am very pleased with t' performance o' this rocket and plan on launchin' it with an H motor for me level one soon. Well, blow me down!

Construction – 4 - Why do HPR kits still come with elastic?
Flight/Recovery – 5
Overall – 5 Great Kit. Arrr!