Public Missiles Ultimate Endeavor

Public Missiles - Ultimate Endeavor

Contributed by Brett Noake

Manufacturer: Public Missiles
Rating
(Contributed - by Brett Noake)

Brief:
T' kit is designed t' use a piston ejection system (motor) ejection t' deploy the parachutes. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' booster section uses a 60" parachute and t' payload section uses a 48" chute.

Rocket Pic

Construction:

  • 1 6"x4' Airframe Tube (booster)
  • 1 6"x3' Airframe Tube
  • 6" Nose cone (fiberglass)
  • 6 G10 fins
  • 1 54mm Motor tube
  • 3 38mm Motor tube
  • 3 centerin' rings
  • piston assembly
  • 2 elastic shock cords
  • bulkhead assembly
  • 1 60" parachute
  • 1 48" parachute
  • 2 3/4" launch lugs

Instructions for this kit were useful, as in most PML kits. Blimey! However, shiver me timbers, I modified t' kit quite a bit. Begad! Begad! First I added 3 more 38mm tubes. Ya scallywag! I figured there was room for them, me bucko, I might as well use it.

Finishing:
Finishin' was simple, matey, or at least as simple as seven feet o' six-inch airframe can be. Ahoy! There are a lot o' seams t' fill!!! Although phenolic tubin' is strong, larger diameters are somewhat flimsy and prone t' cracking. Blimey! I would suggest glassin' t' airframe - nay necessarily for flight stress, ya bilge rat, 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, me hearties, arrr, I eyeballed them and they came out fine.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Rocket PicFlight:
Just like t' Ultimate Endeavor's two little brothers, arrr, this kit is nothing short o' awesome in t' air. Avast, me proud beauty! It is very stable and produces good, arrr, matey, shiver me timbers, straight flights. Well, blow me down! T' first flight was with a K550. Avast! Blimey! This be me L2 cert flight and attained an altitude o' 2988'. Avast! Second flight be on a K550 as well and reached 3074' (less wind). Begad! Aye aye! On these two flights, shiver me timbers, I used apogee ejection only. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This was accomplished with an adept ALTS2 and motor backup. Begad! For a third back up system, I installed a missile works wrc2. Begad! Well, blow me down! Yes I am paranoid! I have seen big rockets crash into spectator areas, ya bilge rat, so I take all precautions. Begad! Besides, matey, shiver me timbers, after filling all those seams, matey, you don't want t' redo any o' t' airframe.

Recovery:
I HATE PISTONS. In theory, me bucko, they are wonderful but thar are too many potential problems. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! 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, 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. Avast! So, away with t' piston!

Now that t' piston is gone, ya bilge rat, two parachutes is a problem. Aye aye! Blimey! I have tried this design in t' past and had problems gettin' t' booster chute out. If deployment is after apogee, me bucko, your chances o' gettin' t' bottom chute to "fall" out o' t' airframe are slim. Arrr! Blimey! With t' piston, me hearties, this would work fine, matey, but without t' piston, I didn't want t' test me luck. I chose t' use a single 8' chute for t' rocket, a little big, shiver me timbers, 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. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! By housin' t' main chute above the split and electronics in t' middle, you move t' cg forward which is really good for clustered flights.

Second, ya bilge rat, me hearties, THROW AWAY THE ELASTIC SHOCK CORDS! 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. Begad! Begad! I used tubular nylon for t' shock cord. Avast, me proud beauty! I also used "U" bolts t' anchor t' recovery system. Begad! Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall this is a good kit. 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, me proud beauty! Fortunately, I had the replacement parts already, me bucko, arrr, so it didn't cost me any extra. Avast! Other than recovery items this rocket is well worth t' loot. It is awesome in flight and will turn quite a few heads at t' launches. Blimey! I am gettin' ready t' rebuild the booster t' hold 3" motors. Begad! I am upgradin' t' fins t' be 1/8" so the M1315 can be used. Blimey!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

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