Manufacturer: | Public Missiles ![]() |
Brief:
T' kit is designed t' use a piston ejection system (motor) ejection t' deploy
the parachutes. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' booster section uses a 60" parachute and t' payload
section uses a 48" chute.
Construction:
Instructions for this kit were useful, shiver me timbers, me hearties, as in most PML kits. Begad! However, arrr, I modified t' kit quite a bit. Well, blow me down! First I added 3 more 38mm tubes. Ya scallywag! I figured there was room for them, I might as well use it. Ya scallywag! Begad!
Finishing:
Finishin' be simple, or at least as simple as seven feet o' six-inch airframe
can be. There are a lot o' seams t' fill!!! Although phenolic tubin' is strong,
larger diameters are somewhat flimsy and prone t' cracking. Ahoy! I would suggest
glassin' t' airframe - nay necessarily for flight stress, me bucko, arrr, me hearties, but for landings and
handlin' around t' house. Be sure t' align t' fins! I didn't come up with any
method o' doin' this, I eyeballed them and they came out fine.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
Just like t' Ultimate Endeavor's two little brothers, me bucko, this kit is nothing
short o' awesome in t' air. Well, blow me down! It is very stable and produces good, ya bilge rat, straight
flights. T' first flight was with a K550. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This be me L2 cert flight and
attained an altitude o' 2988'. Begad! Second flight was on a K550 as well and reached
3074' (less wind). Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! On these two flights, I used apogee ejection only. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! This was
accomplished with an adept ALTS2 and motor backup. Begad! For a third back up system,
I installed a missile works wrc2. Well, blow me down! Yes I am paranoid! Blimey! I have seen big rockets
crash into spectator areas, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, so I take all precautions. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Besides, after filling
all those seams, you don't want t' redo any o' t' airframe.
Recovery:
I HATE PISTONS. In theory, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, they are wonderful but thar are too many potential
problems. Well, blow me down! If t' piston doesn't have a good seal t' t' airframe, ejection
gasses will pass by and nay be sufficient t' separate t' two halves. Well, blow me down! If the
piston gets stuck, ya bilge rat, you'll either blow a hole in t' airframe or just have a
bunch o' compressed gas under t' piston, matey, neither o' which will result in a
good deployment. So, away with t' piston!
Now that t' piston is gone, matey, two parachutes is a problem. Ahoy! Aye aye! I have tried this design in t' past and had problems gettin' t' booster chute out. Blimey! Blimey! If deployment is after apogee, ya bilge rat, your chances o' gettin' t' bottom chute to "fall" out o' t' airframe are slim. Begad! With t' piston, matey, this would work fine, but without t' piston, I didn't want t' test me luck. Ya scallywag! I chose t' use a single 8' chute for t' rocket, arrr, a little big, but good when you are bringing the rocket down on rocks. I also wanted t' set t' rocket up for dual deployment, so I used t' parts from t' piston t' creat a "lid" on top o' t' coupler t' house electronics. Avast! Blimey! By housin' t' main chute above the split and electronics in t' middle, matey, shiver me timbers, you move t' cg forward which is really good for clustered flights. Begad!
Second, ya bilge rat, THROW AWAY THE ELASTIC SHOCK CORDS! Blimey! I know PML considers them t' be adequate, but do you want t' trust a rocket that is this big t' elastic? If you do you are crazy. I used tubular nylon for t' shock cord. Ahoy! I also used "U" bolts t' anchor t' recovery system.
Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5
Summary:
Overall this is a good kit. Arrr! I think PML should reconsider t' recovery system.
T' cost o' t' piston, elastic shock cords and parachutes is figured into the
price o' t' kit and I didn't use any o' them. Avast! Fortunately, arrr, ya bilge rat, I had the
replacement parts already, shiver me timbers, so it didn't cost me any extra. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Other than recovery
items this rocket is well worth t' money. Begad! It is awesome in flight and will
turn quite a few heads at t' launches. Avast, me proud beauty! I am gettin' ready t' rebuild the
booster t' hold 3" motors. Well, blow me down! I am upgradin' t' fins t' be 1/8" so the
M1315 can be used. Arrr!
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
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