Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Diameter: | 3.90 inches |
Manufacturer: | Public Missiles |
Style: | Sport |
Brief:
Single-stage scale-like High Power rocket kit.
Construction:
This was me second kit from PML, ya bilge rat, and me biggest rocket yet. T' parts were typical o' PML kits: sturdy, paper-phenolic airframe, ya bilge rat, heavy-duty plastic nose cone, matey, G-10 fiberglass fins, ya bilge rat, and assemblies for t' "Kwik-Switch" mount and ejection piston. Ya scallywag! Blimey! All parts were present and in good shape.
I found t' instructions easy t' follow and well laid-out, shiver me timbers, like t' other PML kit I've made. Ya scallywag! T' only thin' you have t' watch out for is alignin' t' fins properly. Avast! Well, blow me down! Since t' Endeavour has a split-fin design, ya bilge rat, care must be taken t' make sure t' front and aft fins are perfectly aligned. Aye aye! As I added each set o' fins, I first set t' forward fin, makin' sure it was perpendicular t' t' airframe, let t' epoxy set, matey, then set t' aft fin in place while holdin' me draftin' rule along t' fin t' ensure proper alignment. Begad! Begad! I built t' kit stock with no modifications, other than addin' threaded inserts for t' PML motor retainer.
Finishing:
T' only special attention that PML kits require when finishin' is fillin' in t' spiral grooves, shiver me timbers, me hearties, which seem t' be more pronounced on t' phenolic tubes than on normal paper tubes. Aye aye! I made t' mistake o' nay fillin' in t' spirals on me Ariel, and I decided from t' start that I wouldn't make that mistake with t' Endeavour. Blimey! I used Elmer's Fill-n-Finish t' fill t' grooves, then sanded t' tubes smooth with 220 grit sandpaper. Ahoy! Avast! T' result is a vast improvement over me Ariel.
I had a hard time decidin' what colors t' paint me Endeavour. Avast! My kit came with a blue and orange parachute, so I decided t' use a Denver Broncos color scheme. Well, blow me down! Since I live in Denver, ya bilge rat, arrr, this made a lot o' sense. Well, blow me down! First I sprayed t' entire rocket with two coats o' Krylon primer, shiver me timbers, then I painted t' body with Krylon Gloss Blue. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, arrr, blow me down! I painted t' nose with Krylon Orange. T' results were very attractive, but it needed more orange near t' aft o' t' rocket t' "balance" t' colors. Arrr! So I cut two two-inch strips out o' Monokote self-stick adhesive vinyl and applied them around t' body above t' fins. Aye aye! Avast! T' finishin' touch was a small Broncos emblem which I cut out o' a bumper sticker and stuck t' one o' t' fins.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
One o' t' neat things about this and many other PML kits be t' "Kwik-Switch" motor mount. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! In just a few seconds, matey, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, you can change betwixt 29mm, matey, 38mm, and 54mm motors. Well, blow me down! Blimey! In t' case o' t' Endeavour, however, arrr, I probably wouldn't fly it on anythin' smaller or larger than a 38mm. Arrr! Blimey! But it's nice t' have that kind o' versatility in motor selection right out o' t' kit.
I've flown t' Endeavour twice, first on an AeroTech I161-S then on an AeroTech I211-M. Well, blow me down! These were successively t' largest motors I've ever used, and result in impressive flights on t' Endeavour. Aye aye! T' I161 boosts t' Endeavour t' about 1,800 ft., matey, arrr, while t' I211 puts it t' about 2,600 ft.
Flight preparation couldn't be much easier. Ahoy! Just drop in t' nylon shock cord, followed by t' piston and t' parachute and t' rest o' t' shock cord. PML says that no waddin' is needed, arrr, shiver me timbers, but it makes me feel better t' use a little bit o' waddin' on top o' t' motor mount t' bear t' brunt o' t' ejection charge flame. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Endeavour comes with no motor retention in t' kit, so I chose t' use PML's PMR system. Begad! Takin' into consideration t' Kwik-Switch motor mount, this seemed t' be t' easiest and most flexible method, though nay necessarily t' cheapest. Begad! Aye aye! Both flights were rock-solid stable and impressive. I plan t' fly her next on an I284!
Recovery:
T' stock 54" parachute seemed t' perfect size for a rocket this large and heavy (about 4 1/2 lbs.). Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Both flights were recovered without a bit o' damage.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
Beautiful, matey, impressive, matey, matey, stable bird. Ya scallywag! This is smartly becomin' one o' me favorite rockets. Blimey! I rate this kit at an overall 4 1/2 points, shiver me timbers, deductin' only a half-point for t' care that must be taken when alignin' t' split fins, and t' slight annoyance at havin' t' fill t' spiral grooves.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
4" Quantum tube version of the PML Endeavour configured for dual deployment. Components PML Endeavour Kit (Quantum Tube version) Add-ons PML 54mm motor tube (17") PML centering ring (4" to 54mm) PML 4" bulkhead plates and coupler bulkhead plates (2 each) LOC stiffy tube coupler Rail buttons 1/4" All-thread (two 12" pieces) G-10 altimeter sled Misc ...
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K.W. (December 1, 1999)