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

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

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

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

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

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

Cons: Price. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! $80. Aye aye! Aye aye! OUCH if you are 12, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me hearties, 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.. I learned that the hard way. Aye aye! It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.