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

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

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

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

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

Summary:
Tough as anything. Avast! 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. Avast! I consider it a work o' art. Begad! It is easily the best o' me fleet (that is sayin' something). Avast, me proud beauty! It goes high and fast, can survive hard landings, and requires zero fin alignment (A definite + for me! I hate alignin' surface mounts on large rockets). Easy build.

Cons: Price. Begad! $80. Blimey! OUCH if you are 12, matey, me bucko, arrr, and I should know. Avast! Begad! 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.. Aye aye! I learned that the hard way. Avast! Well, me bucko, blow me down! It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.