Weighin' in at 7.5 ounces with a reach o' 23 1/8" and sportin' a 2.6" thick body with punchin' power from a 24mm motor, shiver me timbers, t' Meanie is a contender! Nordic Rocketry packages this "stout, tough and extremely cool" rocket with t' tauntin' message nay t' take their word for it but t' get one and "warn your friends t' keep their wimpy rockets at a safe distance, me bucko, ‘cause this one’s mean."

That’s exactly what I did. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I got one and put it t' t' test against two other "fat" kits, t' Estes’ Fat Boy and Vaughn Brother’s Blobbo. Bein' taller and usin' a larger motor set this kit apart from t' other two from t' get-go, however, consider all three reviews before you purchase your next 2.6" Sport kit. See me 2.6" Stubby Rocket Comparison Page

T' kit comes with a 12" long, arrr, thicker (1/16") single body tube and 9" long balsa nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! It’s 24mm motor mount comes with laser-cut plywood centerin' rings and a motor retention clip. Begad! It’s most unique feature are t' three laser-cut 1/16" plywood fins which are shaped so as t' set this kit apart from any other. Well, me bucko, blow me down! It comes with a 19" rip-stop nylon parachute, matey, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and eye-screws for attachin' t' ¼" elastic shock cord. Well, blow me down! It also includes two brass launch lugs and a rub-on Meanie™ decal. Ya scallywag!

CONSTRUCTION:

There are six pages o' construction instructions and a single page o' operatin' instructions. Well, blow me down! There are plenty o' clear, instrumental illustrations for ensurin' accurate alignment and build. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' instructions are in logical order and if followed can ensure a successful build. Aye aye! T' kit is rated skill level 3, however, matey, ya bilge rat, I think it falls betwixt 2 and 3. Avast! T' introduction does indicate that Nordic Rocketry kits are designed "for those with some experience building" model rockets.

Another feature o' t' instructions, that I liked, was t' banter contained throughout. Avast, me proud beauty! For example, comments like, shiver me timbers, "when you have epoxy settin' up is nay t' time t' discover mistakes" after t' suggestion o' readin' all instructions before you begin. Also after a warnin' t' ensure straight fin alignment t' banter reinforces this by reading, arrr, "A misaligned part in this step could make your Meanie a little meaner than planned!"

Assembly o' t' Meanie™ was fun and employed a couple o' new techniques t' me. All o' t' parts fit, with minor sandin' as noted below, me hearties, and allowed for quick assembly. Arrr!

T' motor mount assembly requires notchin' o' t' lower centerin' rin' t' allow clearance for t' motor hook and also an eye-screw is attached t' t' upper centerin' rin' as t' anchor for t' shock cord. Ya scallywag! Aye aye!

When installin' t' motor mount, t' instructions suggest checkin' for fit and nay t' force t' mount into t' body tube. Avast! I found that t' fit seemed very tight, me hearties, arrr, however two things remedied this. Begad! First, although discovered second for me, ya bilge rat, was that thar be a small ridge around t' end o' t' body tube. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Sand this off first, then check for fit. Ya scallywag! Arrr! If still tight then a light sandin' o' t' centerin' rings will resolve it. Well, blow me down! I sanded t' centerin' rings first, me hearties, which probably wasn’t necessary. Avast, me proud beauty!

One suggestion that is nay made in t' instructions, matey, is t' tuck t' shock cord back through t' motor tube t' avoid gettin' glue on it when installin' t' motor mount into t' body tube. Arrr!

T' fin’s unique shape merited a picture showin' which edges t' taper and round. Begad! There are actually four edges on each fin that need sanding. Blimey! I used me Dremel t' get started and then sand paper t' do t' finishing. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty!

One o' t' new techniques used in t' construction o' this kit, was t' use a T-pin t' poke holes along both sides o' t' centerline where t' fins attach. This is done t' allow t' glue t' seep into these holes makin' t' attachment o' t' fins t' t' body tube stronger. Avast! Avast! They act like little rivets!

Another new technique was t' attachment o' t' eye-screw t' t' nose cone. Blimey! This is screwed, glued and bridged. Arrr! T' bridgin' was a new idea t' me. Begad! This is where t' glue is "bridged" through t' eye-screw t' increase its hold t' t' nose cone. Begad! Begad!

To start t' finishin' process I used sandin' sealer on t' large balsa nose cone. Begad! Ya scallywag! Then, as always, I began preppin' for paintin' with Plasti-Kote primer. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' nose cone really needed a lot o' work. Avast, me proud beauty! T' nose cone really needed a lot o' work. This could have been reduced if I followed t' finishin' instructions. Blimey! They suggest usin' wood putty and sandin' sealer t' fill t' spiral seam in t' body tubin' and nose cone. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I simply used multiple coats o' primer, me hearties, sandin' back t' a smooth surface each time. Aye aye!

Next, while walkin' through t' Walmart, me hearties, I discovered their brand o' paint for $0. Arrr! 98/can. Arrr! I couldn't resist. I got a can o' yellow, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me bucko, clear and primer. Begad! T' made me final coat o' primer with t' Walmart brand. Arrr! Then 2 coats o' bright yellow. T' recommendations on t' Walmart can is t' do additional coats within 4 hours or after 1 week. Begad! Small price t' pay for t' paint costin' so little. Ya scallywag! (additional comments about Walmart paint)

A week later, I painted t' one fin with a blue t' match t' decal. Well, blow me down! I also applied t' single decal which is a self-adhesive vinyl decal spellin' out Meanie™. Begad! Followin' t' instructions carefully and only applyin' pressure on t' letters, shiver me timbers, I was able t' successfully apply t' decal. Begad! Once complete, I hit t' entire rocket with two light coats o' Walmart Clear paint. Arrr! Done!

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 1/2 points. Blimey! Other than t' single instruction suggestion and t' extra work o' havin' t' deal with a balsa nose cone, it was excellent!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY: 

While gettin' ready for flight, two passer-bys stopped and introduced themselves. Both o' them commented on t' Meanie™ askin' who manufactured it. One person picked it up and commented on how durable it felt and admired t' fins. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Now, arrr, we know it looks good but that this contender fly?

Usin' an Aerotech 24mm RMS casin' loaded with a D15-4, me bucko, matey, t' Meanie™ was ready for it's premiere. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! It be placed into t' rin' (launch order) on rod number 9 (3/16 launch rod) durin' t' NOVAAR Vacuum-22 event. T' t' referee (launch controller) announced t' fight (I mean flight) and began t' count down for t' main event. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! 5, matey, 4, ya bilge rat, matey, 3, me hearties, 2, arrr, 1 . Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! . Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! . Begad! Blimey! ding, matey, ding! Blimey! Meanie™ was out o' it's corner quickly, ya bilge rat, delivered an explosive punch that left t' launch rod vibratin' and jerkin' t' heads o' all observers upward. After a line o' smoke, ya bilge rat, and at what seemed t' be Meanie's™ slowest point, matey, pow, t' last punch! It was all down(hill) from here as it floated safely back t' t' ground. Arrr! Thus concluded t' matter. Aye aye! Ya scallywag!

Upon inspection, shiver me timbers, t' piece o' Rogue Aerospace's Perma-Wadding™ had a hole punched through it. Avast! Blimey! However, matey, it did it's job and protected t' 18" rip-stop nylon parachute. Ya scallywag! T' recovery system did it's job. A light blackenin' o' t' shock cord near t' motor mount be noticed. Ahoy! Blimey! I'm concerned about how durable this system will be in t' long run. Ahoy! Only time and flights will tell. Ya scallywag!

T' second challenger that Meanie™ had t' face was an Aerotech E28-7. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I removed half o' t' ejection charge before attachin' it t' t' RMS casing. Avast! Blimey! T' flight was straight but I could nay see ejection. Well, blow me down! Assisted by a good wind, ya bilge rat, me bucko, shiver me timbers, t' rocket was carried and good distance. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I landed in someone's driveway just outside o' t' flyin' field, arrr, matey, chippin' two o' t' fin bottoms and a small spot on t' top t' body tube.

Still showin' t' bruises from it's second challenger, t' Meanie™ faced it's third "seasoned" challenger, Estes D12-3. Avast, me proud beauty! This old timer delivered a devastatin' blow that CATO'd t' rocket t' t' ground with a hole clean through t' chute and multiple points o' damage on t' nose cone. Begad! Begad! T' D12-3 displayed it's pleasure by throw a fire ball into t' air.

After t' three flights (if you count t' last event), matey, t' shock cord is showin' some crackin' on t' edges but it still solid and intact. Avast! Begad! I still think a Keelhaul®©™® leader or a protective sheath would help this kit out. Begad!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 4 1/2 points. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye!

Overall, for t' combination o' toughness and uniqueness and ease o' build, this kit should be a qualified contender for anyone's next 2.6", short, sport flyer. Begad! Nordic Rocketry's catalog only contains 5 kits, but after buildin' this one, I'm lookin' forward t' future releases! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 1/2 points. Arrr!

Update 9/23/08: After over 10 years o' flying, this rocket has now reached it's 60th flight (captured below).

What's interestin' about t' Meanie is that it is nay some super-duper high strength rocket that is built t' be indestructible. Blimey! Rather, shiver me timbers, quite t' opposite. Avast! Ya scallywag! T' body tube is paper (1/16" thick cardboard), arrr, arrr, its fins and centerin' rings are 1/16" laser-cut plywood, shiver me timbers, and its nose cone is balsa. T' fins are surface mounted t' t' body tube.

There were two techniques used durin' t' build that improved t' strength. Aye aye! Blimey!

One was t' use a T-pin t' poke holes along both sides o' t' centerline where t' fins attach. Arrr! This is done t' allow t' glue t' seep into these holes makin' t' attachment o' t' fins t' t' body tube stronger. Well, blow me down! They act like little rivets!

T' other technique be t' attachment o' t' eye-screw t' t' nose cone. This is screwed, me hearties, shiver me timbers, glued and bridged. Bridgin' where t' glue is "bridged" through t' eye-screw t' increase its hold t' t' nose cone.

So, ya bilge rat, despite a CATO o' an Estes D12 on t' 3rd launch (which required t' nose cone t' be filled and re-painted), several other parachute deployment issues, me hearties, and one descent that took nearly 8 minutes… this rocket has been a Meanie toward t' skys. It has flown on 28 D's (D9, D10, me bucko, D12, shiver me timbers, D15 and D21), 14 E's (E9, matey, ya bilge rat, E11, E18, matey, arrr, and E28), and 19 F's (F12, F24, and F39). Arrr!