Brief:
T' U.S. Avast! Rockets (USR) Sonic 3100 is a lightweight, super high performance high power rocket that can fly on most 29mm and 38mm motors. Aye aye! T' builder must supply their own parachute for recovery. Blimey! While built predominantly stock, arrr, I also added a few extra parts so that I can optionally recover usin' dual deployment techniques. Arrr! There is a 54mm MMT version o' t' Sonic 3100 available as well.

Construction:
T' kit has t' followin' parts:

• 2 BT-30-24 body tubes
• 1 TC-30-6 tube coupler
• 2 CR-30-16 centerin' rings
• 1 PP-30 coupler plate
• 1 BT-16-9 motor tube
• 38-29mm motor adapter, consistin' of:

• 1 TC-16-2 interchange tube
• 2 CR-16-11-1/2 centerin' rings
• 1 BT-11-4 motor tube

• 4 match sanded 3/16" birch plywood fins
• 1 NC-30 plastic nose cone
• 2 LL-1/2-2 launch lugs (1/2" diameter)
• 1 SC-9 elastic shock cord (9' x 1/2")
• 1 SCM-2 paper shock cord mount
• 1 SE-1 screw eye
• 1 SA-1 screw eye anchor plate
• Peel 'n' stick decal sheet
• Instruction manual
• Advanced Information Report (AIR) #1 -- Motor Installation

When I opened t' box, I was amazed by t' tubes. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! They are incredibly thick! So much so that t' nose cone shoulder is quite a bit smaller than t' OD o' the tubes. Ahoy! Also, arrr, unlike any o' t' previous USR kits (and as o' this writing, shiver me timbers, I've built nearly 10 USR kits) t' tubes have huge spirals that will need t' be filled as well. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Glassin' these tubes would be all but pointless aside from addin' unnecessary weight t' t' rocket.

T' instructions are brief but acceptable for walkin' t' advanced builder easily through t' assembly. Aliphatic resin (yellow wood glue) was used for construction except where noted. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! All body tubes were sanded with 220 grit sandpaper where glue be applied as well. I did build t' kit fairly stock, however, me hearties, modifications were made so that I could use an altimeter for dual deployment. Arrr! Ahoy! I ordered some extra parts from USR at t' time I placed me order for t' Sonic 3100 as well as some hardware that I bought from me local home improvement store.

T' plywood fins are exactly t' same shape as USR's Stiletto and Warp kits except t' Sonic 3100's fins are 3/16" birch plywood instead o' 1/8" thick ply. Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! With t' greater thickness o' wood, shiver me timbers, I chose t' put a nice bevel the fins instead o' just (takin' t' lazy way out) roundin' t' edges. Ahoy! I used a Dremel t' rough in t' angles and then used an orbital sander t' smooth them out t' t' desired shape. Ya scallywag! Small bits also need t' be trimmed off t' root edge of t' fins so that you do nay need t' cut a larger than necessary slot into the body tube t' mount t' fins through t' wall.

My favorite step in any mid or high power build is slottin' t' tube for the fins. Begad! Ahoy! T' instructions have a fin markin' guide where you stand the airframe up on t' paper t' mark t' tube for t' fin slots. T' make it easier to cut t' fin slots, arrr, me hearties, me bucko, I put t' tube on t' sheet, me bucko, made t' 4 marks for the fins, then rotated t' tube 3/16" and made 4 more marks. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! This gives me the lines I need t' cut along for t' outer edges o' t' fins. Ahoy! Ahoy! A ninth line was marked but it was centered right betwixt 2 fins for installin' rail buttons. Avast! I used a piece o' aluminum angle t' draw t' lines up along t' tube. Begad! Ya scallywag! With a razor utility knife, I made 5 or 6 passes t' cut through t' tube.

Next be t' motor mount. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I scuffed t' glassine coated tube with 150 grit sandpaper before gluin' t' centerin' rings onto t' 38mm tube 3/4" from each end. Begad! Ahoy! I skipped over t' step t' build t' 29mm motor adapter. Blimey! Avast! (Besides, I already had one from me USR Sentra SRB 2.7 kit.) I jumped right into gluin' the motor mount into place. Begad! I did leave 1/4" o' t' motor mount tube extending beyond t' aft end o' t' airframe t' make it easier t' remove t' motor post-flight. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! (For those who prefer t' use mechanical motor retention, thar is enough space in t' aft CR for T-nuts.)

T' fins were first glued on with t' "double glue" method one at a time followed by several thin layers o' yellow wood glue fillets.

At this point, t' instructions have you glue t' bulkhead onto the coupler, attach t' screw eye, and glue t' coupler into t' payload tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I, however, arrr, wanted t' make this rocket dual deploy capable so I ordered some extra parts from USR as well as paid me local home improvement store a visit t' turn the coupler into an altimeter bay.

In goin' with a dual deployment configuration, I felt it better t' go with a more robust shock cord than heavy elastic. Tubular nylon be t' easy choice. I was already well past t' point o' puttin' an eyebolt into t' forward centerin' ring, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but I don't think I would have gone that route anyway because the tube is too small t' stick me arm into thar if I ever needed to change/replace/remove t' shock cord anyway. After contemplatin' a few different solutions on me own, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I inquired with Jerry at USR about how he would suggest t' attach t' booster t' t' shock cord. Jerry gave me an answer so easy, me hearties, I almost felt embarrassed by its simplicity: epoxy t' shock cord directly t' t' tube. Aye aye! A couple strips o' maskin' tape were used t' hold t' TN in place, me bucko, some wax paper lined t' inside o' t' top few inches o' t' tube (so that any misplaced epoxy wouldn't present any issues with inserting/removing the coupler), and 15-minute epoxy was smeared on and around t' shock cord and body tube. Ahoy! Begad! This was done for both tubes. Quick links were tied onto t' free ends o' both 15 foot long pieces o' TN for attachin' t' booster t' t' payload and t' payload t' t' nose cone.

I didn't bother usin' t' 1/2" launch lugs that came with t' kit, preferrin' t' drill and screw in a pair o' rail buttons instead. Avast! T' aft button was put into t' aft centerin' rin' and then t' forward button be put in about 10 inches forward o' t' aft button.

Finishing:
With t' large spirals in t' tube, I needed t' fill them in. Avast! Blimey! T' easiest way I knew be t' use diluted Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish like how I fill in wood grain on fins. Blimey! Blimey! I smeared F'n'F on t' spirals with a popsicle stick then smoothed them out with a squeegee normally used for epoxyin' fiberglass with, set everythin' aside t' dry, matey, me hearties, and sanded t' tubes with 320 grit sandpaper. Blimey! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! Next came a couple coats o' Krylon gray primer and sandin' after each coat with an increasingly finer grit sandpaper. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' paper tubes raised up pretty badly on the first coat but it easily sanded t' a smooth surface. Later coats maintained an impressively smooth finish.

After primin' and sanding, matey, it was time t' lay down t' finishin' glossy coats. Well, blow me down! I went with a simple and military-like black, silver, shiver me timbers, and white scheme because I didn't have any rockets in me fleet that were only those colors as well as those bein' some o' t' only colors I had on hand at t' time. Begad! With such a simple scheme it took little effort t' lay down one coat o' glossy paint and then wet sand it smooth before applyin' one last coat o' paint t' the entire rocket. Ya scallywag! T' buff out any blemishes, me bucko, I used a couple old T-shirts along with a bottle o' 3M Rubbin' Compound. This gave t' rocket a glossy, even shine from tip t' tail.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
My club, matey, Spaceport Rocketry Association, shiver me timbers, started trackin' altitudes for friendly competition, so I was anxious t' fly t' Sonic 3100 with an altimeter. In an effort t' keep weight and complexity down for a first flight, shiver me timbers, arrr, I relied solely on motor ejection for recovery. Ahoy! My Cannonball Works RRC2 was loaded up into the coupler t' only gather and report back peak altitude.

A Loki Research I405 with t' delay shortened t' 13 seconds was used for the first flight (it was also me first time usin' a Loki Research motor). Ignition be no problem thanks t' a Quickburst Slim Gem igniter. Aye aye! Without hesitation, t' Sonic 3100 was rapidly hurtled skyward and looked awesome under thrust

Recovery:
USR leaves t' choice o' parachute up t' t' builder and does nay include one with t' kit. Begad! Blimey! That's OK with me because I have acquired a reasonable selection of parachutes from kits I have built. Blimey! Well, blow me down! I chose a PML 30" nylon chute which would brin' t' Sonic 3100 down a little on t' quick side but still quite safely. Ya scallywag! Recycled cellulose waddin' was used t' protect t' chute and shock cord.

With it bein' t' first time usin' a Loki Research motor, ya bilge rat, arrr, I should nay have used all o' t' included BP for t' ejection charge (as a generous amount is included with t' reload). Arrr! It proved t' be too much oomph in too small a space...the screw eye was ripped out o' t' bulkhead and t' shock cord sheared from inside t' airframe. Ahoy! I managed t' recover everythin' except t' chute and shock cord. Avast, me proud beauty! (I also discovered in me haste t' launch it that I forgot t' arm the altimeter, me hearties, so I don't even know what t' peak altitude o' t' flight!) One fin was broken from impact. Ya scallywag! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! All damage is directly related t' user error, me bucko, me bucko, but at least all o' these items are repairable. Aye aye! I cannot give t' rocket a poor flight ratin' since t' poor recovery was due t' me own fault.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Hands down t' greatest feature o' t' Sonic 3100 is its heavy duty design. Aye aye! (In fact, ya bilge rat, I'm almost kickin' myself for nay gettin' t' 54mm MMT version because of this!) It can fly on anythin' from most 29mm G motors t' handlin' t' largest 38mm motors you can buy. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! For advanced builders, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' coupler can be converted to act as an altimeter bay. Typical o' USR kits though, shiver me timbers, t' Sonic 3100 is still light for its size--right around 2 pounds without motor. Aye aye! Avast! This would be a great choice for a Level 1 or 2 certification rocket too.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5