Brief:
This is a single staged HPR capable rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! It can use anythin' from a big E to a J570. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! 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, shiver me timbers, PML solid urethane nose, Acme fin can and launch lugs, Keelhaul®©™® heat shield and shock cord, a Slimline circle rin' motor retainer, me bucko, and an optional Slimline motor adapter. Well, blow me down! Avast! I suppose you could put a payload section on for altimeters and dual deployment.

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

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

I got two flights in on this rocket on labor day 2003. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! T' first flight for this rocket was also me first blue thunder propellant motor, shiver me timbers, and I be rather impressed by t' performance. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It could have had more smoke, me bucko, me bucko, however. T' motor was an F50-9T. Well, blow me down! T' second flight was a G35-7W, 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. Both flights were straight as an arrow. It had a Keelhaul®©™® heat sheild, eliminatin' t' need for wadding. Avast! Ya scallywag! I also installed a Slimline motor retainer t' hold me motor in. Begad! This worked very well. Arrr! Ahoy! There was 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. Begad! Hardly even had a scratch in the paint. This is such a rugged rocket. Blimey! Anythin' else that size fallin' from that height I would expect t' crumple.

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

Cons: Price. $80. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! OUCH if you are 12, matey, and I should know. 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.. Avast! Ahoy! I learned that the hard way. It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.