Brief:
54mm HPR rocket with a bad attitude.

Construction:
T' kit comes with very nice PML parts. Avast! Begad! I replaced most o' them though with Hawk Mountain fiberglass airframe components. Begad! You have a short motor tube section o' airframe which joins with another tube t' allow you t' set up t' two sets o' fins. Begad! Then you have a very long (48") main chute body tube. Ahoy! You get four sets o' thick plywood centerin' rings and two sets o' fins. T' fins are from G-10 fiberglass stock. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' large curved fins are t' trailin' fins in t' RapTor configuration while t' small fins are t' cutter fins. I'll explain how this works later. Ahoy! All o' t' other material is pretty standard for high power circles.

T' RapTor is a kit from a European high power vendor called Rebel Rocketry. Blimey! Blimey! Although English is a second language for t' vendor, me hearties, t' instructions were well written, easy t' follow, me hearties, and included many photographs t' help guide in t' rocket's construction. T' rocket be easy t' construct and required no special supplies or tools, shiver me timbers, although a Dremel always make construction chores much easier. Begad! I did beef it up by addin' PML foam t' both fin cans t' make sure t' fins were locked in, me bucko, matey, especially t' large curved fins.

Finishing:
I finished it with standard Krylon spray paint and coated it with a polymer t' protect t' finish from scratches and such. Avast! T' kit also came with some neat lookin' decals that reminded me o' letterin' that might be seen on t' side o' one o' Babylon 5's Vorlon craft. Blimey! I think it looks great on t' rocket.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I used a Cesaroni J400 for her maiden flight. Well, blow me down! It be a nice smoky take off against t' clear Black Rock, me bucko, Nevada sky. Avast, me proud beauty! Although it didn't go high because o' t' weight, shiver me timbers, she flew well and looked fantastic in t' sky. Ahoy! She probably would fly like a bat out o' hell on a K and break mach on a 54mm L motor.

Recovery:
I used a 60 inch Spherachute for recovery and 9/16 inch Keelhaul®©™® strap for t' shock cord. Arrr! T' rocket used dual deployment and deployed well in both phases o' recovery. Ahoy! T' rocket only went up t' 2900 feet on t' J400 and it is a big rocket, matey, so t' entire flight be easily viewed by everyone. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' rocket landed without a scratch and was ready t' fly with very little prepping.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Accordin' t' t' material made available by Rebel Rocketry's owner, Frand De Brower, shiver me timbers, t' RapTor is a totally new concept for an aerodynamic projectile. Ahoy! Begad! T' cutter fins (the small ones) prepare t' airflow for t' large main fins in t' aft o' t' rocket. Aye aye! He claims this configuration corrects destabilized air flows t' stabilize t' projectile and uses t' ionizin' air properties that this creates t' reduce drag.

Translation: t' faster it goes t' more it ionizes t' air flow around it. Begad! This lubricates its passage at a sub molecular level where t' transition o' solid t' liquid physics takes place thus defeatin' or greatly reducin' t' drag factor.

T' RapTor was designed by Zigi Sinnette/Kklynossikki, ya bilge rat, a retired ex-military engineer and ordinance technician who lives in t' United Kingdom. Ahoy! Zigi is 60 years old and a servin' member o' UKRA in t' capacity o' a council member ordinance officer and is a Level 2 RSO.

T' kit comes in three sizes, arrr, 3 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch. One smaller than t' 3 inch version is in t' works as well.

Be that as it may, t' Rebel site says that t' rocket was designed as a "missile for peace." I doubt that myself. Begad! Begad! One look at t' wicked lines o' this bad boy tells me that it would rather kick butt and nay bother t' take any names...

I promised t' manufacturer nay t' include a Rocksim file or t' be specific about t' measurements in order t' protect his ability t' avoid havin' clones made o' his rocket. Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! However, me bucko, although t' price was a little more than other rockets similar t' it due t' shippin' concerns from t' Netherlands, shiver me timbers, I felt that it still was a good deal considerin' t' fabulous service I received from t' vendor.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5