Brief:
Designed for t' advanced builder and sport flyer, t' Galaxy is a 4" dia. High Power Rocket with a retro look. Begad! Begad! It comes with unique aluminum nozzle and motor retainer and rail buttons! Fly it on an H or I for your Level 1 certification, me bucko, me bucko, and then stick a J or K motor in it for your Level 2 flight and watch it scream.

Picture courtesy o' Binder Design

Construction:

Kit includes:

• cut and sanded 3/16" aircraft quality plywood fins
• high strength airframe tube and couplers
• centerin' rings
• bulkhead plate
• high quality hardware package (includin' rail guides)
• 54 mm motor tube
• plastic nose
• computer designed and cut vinyl decals
• 60" premium nylon X-parachute

With t' instruction manual bein' very thorough, all you need t' be able to do is read left t' right. Aye aye! T' longest part o' this project was t' buildin' of the aft section. Ahoy! Blimey! T' fin can assembly allowed for t' buildin' o' great internal fillets, matey, shiver me timbers, t' slower I went produced terrific results. Begad! As the instructions tell you, t' care that you take durin' these steps will insure a well built and solid rocket. Begad! Arrr! I found that a hand sander and dremel came in very handy. Well, blow me down!

I used t' Slim Line motor retainer that be included with t' kit. Begad! I am sold on these, and plan on usin' them in all future rockets. Avast, me proud beauty! It is sleek, arrr, me bucko, me bucko, easy to use and assemble, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, stronger, arrr, arrr, and better lookin' than maskin' tape. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I originally planned on usin' motor ejection, so I stayed away from t' optional avionics kit. However, arrr, ya bilge rat, now I know I am ready for electronics so it will save me a lot o' walkin' in t' future.

I took me time and made sure that t' rocket was goin' t' be solid because I wanted t' be able t' use t' maximum recommended motor, arrr, a K550W. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! T' rocket weighed in at 4.0 lbs. loaded and ready t' go (sans motor).

Finishing:
I had built this stock, so me intentions were t' finish it exactly as shown in the instructions. After sandin' and prep, me bucko, I applied two coats o' primer followed by three coats o' finishin' paint, me bucko, usin' chrome paint for t' entire rocket. Begad! T' nose cone tip was finished in red gloss paint. Well, blow me down! Binder Design provides excellent decals t' finish t' rocket and give it a great look. Avast! On top of that, me hearties, since this was t' first Galaxy ever sold, Mike provided t' me a '#1' decal.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Picture courtesy o' Binder Design    

Flight:
My level 2 certification flight be set for a Tripoli Launch in Walcott, arrr, IA. There were 5 NARRRRR levels 2 or higher certified flyers thar & they all helped me in some way in preparin' for t' flight. Begad! T' day be about as perfect as you could have. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Havin' obtained me LEUP earlier this summer and just passed the test for Illinois explosives. Arrr! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I be ready for me first 54MM motor, me bucko, a J415. Rocksim had t' rocket reachin' apogee at 6273 feet.

Havin' built t' motor and installed into t' rocket, I be ready t' pack the recovery system. Well, blow me down! Usin' motor ejection and a single chute I knew that it was goin' t' be a little risky, shiver me timbers, however t' great weather that day convinced me that I was goin' t' be fine. With no electronics on board, matey, this was goin' t' be a straight ahead launch. Arrr!

As I mentioned, me hearties, t' rocket is quite impressive when finished and I believe this was t' only Level 2 launch o' t' day so it attracted a fair amount of attention. Avast, me proud beauty! It was loaded on t' rail and we were ready t' go. Ahoy! With he wind comin' at about 5 miles an hour out o' t' NW, I adjusted t' angle o' t' pad to take advantage o' t' wind and keep t' rocket out o' t' neighborin' corn field. Blimey!

It looked great liftin' off t' pad, me bucko, shiver me timbers, straight as an arrow with no wobbling whatsoever. Aye aye! T' Galaxy took all that t' J415 would give her.

Recovery:

I be able t' see t' separation and chute deployment. Avast, me proud beauty! As t' rocket descended, arrr, I told myself that next time I would be usin' electronics and dual deployment. Ahoy! Arrr! Comin' down from 6300 feet, thar was a little more drift than I would have liked. Aye aye! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It was headed for t' corn field. Well, blow me down! I thought t' myself, "Here we go again...walkin' corn rows." I smartly got up on t' roof of me van and then grabbed a set o' binoculars t' get a good line o' sight. After an hour and 20 minutes I be able t' locate t' Galaxy near t' adjacent farm house.

Other than a little dirt and mud, me hearties, t' rocket was in perfect condition. Returnin' t' t' launch area, people were surprised that I was able t' find it & equally amazed that t' rocket went as high as it did while landing without a scratch. Ahoy! Ahoy! It was one o' t' more memorable flights o' t' day and I was certified Level 2.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Binder Design Galaxy is a rocket that you will nay only have fun building, but enjoy it more watchin' it scream off o' t' launch pad. Blimey! Blimey! I can't wait t' see what Mike comes up with next in his "Fisher Premium" series o' kits.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5