Brief
This is a sturdy, single staged high power rocket with a hardwood nose and boattail. Well, blow me down! It recovers by chute and comes with a 54mm mount, but can fly on 38 and 29mm motors as well. Well, blow me down! Begad!

Construction
After gettin' me level 2, ya bilge rat, I began t' surf t' net t' answer t' question, "What next?" I wondered what be out thar that was different. Begad! Then I discovered a new company called Starship Enterprises (now called Fat Cat Rockets as o' 1/1/01) and perused their site and found t' GTX. Blimey! Begad! I fancied that it looked like a giant Crayola crayon and I liked it. Aye aye! So I ordered it. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Service be prompt, shiver me timbers, and shipment was received intact and undamaged. Well, blow me down! All parts fit precisely.

T' fins were precut and are plywood. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! T' nose cone is hardwood, symmetrically turned and a precise fit for t' 3-inch spiral wound body tube, which is paper, but o' t' strength seen in extra thick motor tubes. Ya scallywag! T' shock cord mount has steel cablin' that runs from t' engine mount t' t' 1/2 inch elastic, which ties t' a screw-eye in t' nose cone. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! nose cone. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down!

T' instructions are simple. Ahoy! That's because t' model is easy schmeasy to assemble. It's great for those impulses t' fly somethin' new t' next day. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! The only hard parts are crimpin' t' clamps that form t' loops in t' steel cable and drillin' a pilot hole in t' hardwood nose cone t' admit t' screw-eye. Begad! I needed t' employ heavy duty pliers and an electric drill for this.

Also, me hearties, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, t' body tube did nay come pregrooved. Ahoy! I needed t' employ a strong exacto cutlass t' make t' slots for t' fins, shiver me timbers, but a markin' guide was supplied to make it easier. Arrr! Ahoy! I used epoxy all t' way for construction, arrr, but instead o' my favorite quick settin' type, me hearties, I used 1/2 hour epoxy t' make t' bonds stronger. T' fins fit through t' body wall right t' t' motor tube, arrr, and I applied the centerin' rin' so that it too supplied a bond at t' upper part o' t' fin tab. T' boattail acts as a centerin' rin' too, arrr, as it provides anchor for t' motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It also streamlined t' end o' t' rocket and reduces base drag. Well, blow me down!

T' parachute that came with t' model struck me as too small (I recollect it bein' around 24 inches), as I imagined t' weight o' t' hardware o' the motor plus t' model hittin' t' hard desert, so I made it one that be 30 inches across. Begad! Avast! Out here in t' west, t' soil is hard, me hearties, arrr, so we favor larger chutes...not longer walks, but that's what we get!!! Overall, me bucko, what I got is a sturdy and nice lookin' rocket. Well, blow me down!

Finishing
This was left up t' me, as no decals came with it. Arrr! So I went wild and let the project mutate. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! At first I painted it gloss black. Well, blow me down! Then I applied red and yellow stripin' along t' fin joints and up t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! It looks distinctive, t' say t' least. Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I almost didn't want t' paint t' model because the nose cone and boattail are pretty. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! But t' body tube wouldn't have matched had I glossed t' wooden parts. Begad! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight
T' manufacturer recommends t' G80 for 29mm flights up t' t' 54mm I65. I was daunted by t' model's small size and cringed at t' thought o' stickin' such a monstrous motor in it. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! So I used an adapter and put in a 29mm H180-M. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Blimey! I wanted to dig a hole for me t' crouch down in when I set it off, arrr, because I feared that I was overpowerin' it. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! But nay only did it scream and disappear off t' pad in a hurry, me bucko, it did so intact and landed about half a mile away. Aye aye! Blimey! And it did so within feet o' me months-lost Impulse Aerospace Machbuster, me bucko, which was still flyable!!! Blimey!

Anyway, arrr, I used plenty o' worm bed wadding, and everythin' packs loosely and easily into t' tube. Well, blow me down! I drilled a small vent hole into t' body with an awl to prevent premature separation. Ya scallywag! Yes, me hearties, thar be a treatment for that condition.... Aye aye! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty!

T' motor be retained with t' flat steel part o' an old stapler, t' part with a right angle bend at t' end that served as a motor hook o' sorts, arrr, matey, as this part was aftward and held t' motor in. Now, do I DARE a 54mm motor? See if I don't! Blimey! Maybe a 38mm I161 would be a blast, as well... Begad! Blimey!

Recovery
T' system survived without any damage, but I might later replace t' elastic with bungee cord, matey, as I've had great experiences with it, ya bilge rat, and it's durable. I think that a longer delay than I used would be better. Begad! T' medium delay used is 10 seconds, arrr, me bucko, I believe. Ahoy! Maybe 14 would be better. Ya scallywag! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It seemed t' be risin' at ejection. You know, shiver me timbers, arrr, I would nay be surprised if this bird be close t' mach. T' noise was impressive indeed. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary
Friendly company t' buy from, prompt service. Well, blow me down! Sturdy. Well, blow me down! Begad! Don't doubt it. Aye aye! It can take it. Simple t' put together. I recommend it for sure. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5