Brief:
Single-stage scale-like High Power rocket kit.

Construction:
This was me second kit from PML, and me biggest rocket yet. Arrr! T' parts were typical o' PML kits: sturdy, paper-phenolic airframe, me hearties, arrr, matey, heavy-duty plastic nose cone, me bucko, me hearties, G-10 fiberglass fins, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me bucko, and assemblies for t' "Kwik-Switch" mount and ejection piston. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! All parts were present and in good shape.

I found t' instructions easy t' follow and well laid-out, like t' other PML kit I've made. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' only thin' you have t' watch out for is alignin' t' fins properly. Since t' Endeavour has a split-fin design, care must be taken t' make sure t' front and aft fins are perfectly aligned. Aye aye! Begad! As I added each set o' fins, I first set t' forward fin, me hearties, makin' sure it was perpendicular t' t' airframe, arrr, let t' epoxy set, then set t' aft fin in place while holdin' me draftin' rule along t' fin t' ensure proper alignment. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! 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, which seem t' be more pronounced on t' phenolic tubes than on normal paper tubes. Avast! 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. I used Elmer's Fill-n-Finish t' fill t' grooves, ya bilge rat, then sanded t' tubes smooth with 220 grit sandpaper. Well, blow me down! 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, shiver me timbers, me hearties, so I decided t' use a Denver Broncos color scheme. Arrr! Since I live in Denver, this made a lot o' sense. Begad! First I sprayed t' entire rocket with two coats o' Krylon primer, then I painted t' body with Krylon Gloss Blue. Avast! I painted t' nose with Krylon Orange. Arrr! T' results were very attractive, but it needed more orange near t' aft o' t' rocket t' "balance" t' colors. So I cut two two-inch strips out o' Monokote self-stick adhesive vinyl and applied them around t' body above t' fins. Well, blow me down! Blimey! 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! Ya scallywag! Blimey! In just a few seconds, shiver me timbers, you can change betwixt 29mm, shiver me timbers, 38mm, arrr, and 54mm motors. Well, blow me down! Blimey! In t' case o' t' Endeavour, matey, however, arrr, I probably wouldn't fly it on anythin' smaller or larger than a 38mm. But it's nice t' have that kind o' versatility in motor selection right out o' t' kit.

I've flown t' Endeavour twice, shiver me timbers, first on an AeroTech I161-S then on an AeroTech I211-M. These were successively t' largest motors I've ever used, me bucko, and result in impressive flights on t' Endeavour. Aye aye! T' I161 boosts t' Endeavour t' about 1,800 ft., while t' I211 puts it t' about 2,600 ft.

Flight preparation couldn't be much easier. Well, blow me down! Just drop in t' nylon shock cord, arrr, me hearties, followed by t' piston and t' parachute and t' rest o' t' shock cord. PML says that no waddin' is needed, 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. Begad! Well, blow me down! 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, shiver me timbers, this seemed t' be t' easiest and most flexible method, though nay necessarily t' cheapest. Begad! Both flights were rock-solid stable and impressive. Ahoy! 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.). Aye aye! Both flights were recovered without a bit o' damage.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Beautiful, impressive, matey, stable bird. Avast! This is smartly becomin' one o' me favorite rockets. I rate this kit at an overall 4 1/2 points, 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