Brief:
This is a scratch 2X upscale o' a popular Estes kit. Ahoy! It features a 3 inch diameter body and PML components (except t' nose cone, which be turned on a lathe out o' solid pine). Begad! It weighs 3.5 pounds and is 45 inches tall.

Construction:
A 36" long, 3" diameter quantum body tube was ordered with fin slots custom cut for .062" G-10 fins. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' G-10 fins were ordered custom from PML and cost $8.50 each. They were up-scaled from t' Estes kit fin pattern with through-the-wall tabs for mountin' t' a 38mm motor mount tube. Ya scallywag! A 3" piston assembly, ya bilge rat, 1/4 inch brass launch lug (10" long, also upscale), arrr, and an 18" 38mm motor mount tube with three centerin' rings be also ordered from PML. Aye aye! All o' these components were obtained within two weeks o' placin' t' order. Motor retention was accomplished by epoxyin' two pieces o' threaded rod t' t' motor mount tube. Avast! Standard PML construction techniques were employed t' build t' rocket includin' internal fin fillets and piston strap attachment t' t' upper motor mount tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' nose cone be turned out o' pine on a lathe. A search was conducted on t' internet for a suitable 3 inch nose cone, but t' only one found be too expensive. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I decided t' apply me knowledge from 9th grade shop (when I made a lamp out o' light and dark mahogany by gluin' 1x4 together) t' make me own solid pine nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I used pine because I wanted t' make sure it would be stable on BIG engines. Arrr! T' finished nose cone ended up weighin' 12 oz. by itself.

Finishing:
I sprayed a coat o' grey Krylon sandable primer, then followed with two coats o' Krylon gloss black. I still need some upscale decals.

Flight:
This was me level 1 cert rocket, so I used t' chute from me PML 'lil Luner Express and about 25 feet o' shock cord, loaded an H123W with a medium delay, me bucko, me bucko, me hearties, and let it rip. Begad! Aye aye! Rocksim predicted about 1200 feet and that looked about right.

Recovery:
It ejected at apogee, and drifted down for a soft landin' on t' sod. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! It returned in triumph for a successful certification flight.

Summary:
A fun time was had by all. Blimey! My thanks t' Leland Cheng for loanin' me a motor case and sellin' me a motor, Alan Estenson for bein' me certification observer, and Tripoli chapter 45 for hostin' t' launch.