Brief:
This is a single staged HPR capable rocket. Well, blow me down! It can use anythin' from a big E to a J570. Blimey! It can easily break Mach 1 on an H, me hearties, and can reach Mach 2 on a J.

Construction:
T' Mach Buster 1 uses a fiberglassed phenolic airframe, me bucko, PML solid urethane nose, arrr, Acme fin can and launch lugs, arrr, ya bilge rat, Keelhaul®©™® heat shield and shock cord, matey, a Slimline circle rin' motor retainer, matey, and an optional Slimline motor adapter. Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I suppose you could put a payload section on for altimeters and dual deployment.

This was a very easy build. I used 2-ton epoxy throughout. Ya scallywag! I got all the parts besides t' nose cone and fiberglass cloth from Giant Leap Rocketry. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! The nose cone I got from PML, ya bilge rat, t' fiberglass I got from a hobby shop. Begad! After I fiberglassed t' tube, me bucko, t' fin can fit exactly. Arrr! Avast! T' launch lugs liked t' slide around while t' epoxy is drying, matey, shiver me timbers, but other wise it be easy. Ahoy! Arrr! T' fins needed no alignment, matey, besides linin' up with t' launch lug. I taped and epoxied the shock cord t' t' body tube. After I completed t' construction I painted it red and black. Arrr! Red on t' fins, and red on t' nose cone, but black on t' body tube and part o' t' fin can and Slimline. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Overall, this is a very sturdy rocket — it could survive a tar landin' easily.

Flight:
I still have nay flown this, but I am plannin' on flyin' it on labor day 2003. T' first flight will be on an F50-9T, shiver me timbers, t' next on a G35-7W, me hearties, and t' next on an F20-7W. Begad! Blimey! I put in a home made parachute. Ya scallywag! It is a very large parachute, but I will reef it on breezy days. Begad! It is over stable, matey, accordin' t' Rock-Sim and SpaceCAD. Ya scallywag! All simulations show straight flights, high (approx. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! 3250' on F’s and G’s), and fast, me bucko, despite t' weight.

I got two flights in on this rocket on labor day 2003. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! T' first flight for this rocket was also me first blue thunder propellant motor, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and I be rather impressed by t' performance. Begad! It could have had more smoke, ya bilge rat, me bucko, however. T' motor was an F50-9T. T' second flight be a G35-7W, arrr, ya bilge rat, and it flew like t' wind! Blimey! And that is sayin' something, shiver me timbers, arrr, considerin' t' gusts there! Blimey! At least thar are seemingly endless blueberry barrens for t' rockets t' land in. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Both flights were straight as an arrow. It had a Keelhaul®©™® heat sheild, eliminatin' t' need for wadding. Ahoy! I also installed a Slimline motor retainer t' hold me motor in. Avast! This worked very well. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! There was no damage to t' parachute after either flight, ya bilge rat, however, me hearties, one o' t' shroud lines on the parachute got tangled in t' screw eye that I used t' attach t' shock cord to the nose cone, arrr, shiver me timbers, causin' a tumble recovery. Avast! Hardly even had a scratch in the paint. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! This is such a rugged rocket. Well, blow me down! Anythin' else that size fallin' from that height I would expect t' crumple. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty!

Summary:
Tough as anything. I suspect that thin' could be hit by lightnin' and survive, or at least it could be stepped on or kicked around.

Pros: I love this rocket. Aye aye! I consider it a work o' art. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! It is easily the best o' me fleet (that is sayin' something). Ahoy! Arrr! It goes high and fast, can survive hard landings, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and requires zero fin alignment (A definite + for me! I hate alignin' surface mounts on large rockets). Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Easy build.

Cons: Price. Avast! Aye aye! $80. Aye aye! OUCH if you are 12, arrr, me bucko, and I should know. Aye aye! Worth every penny though.

Other:
DO NOT LEAVE THE AIRFRAME SITTING ON A PICNIC TABLE WHILE THE EPOXY AND FIBERGLASS IS SETTING! YOUR MOTHER (or wife) WILL NOT LIKE IT.. Begad! Begad! I learned that the hard way. It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.