Brief description:
Single staged, me bucko, 29mm motor rocket in all wood construction and retro lookin' design, ya bilge rat, much like t' stout sci fi rocketships with huge swept back fins, seen in old movies.

Construction and finishing:
All t' parts arrived securely wrapped in liberal amounts o' bubble wrap. Begad! Nothin' be broken or missing. Aye aye! T' actual number o' parts was few, as t' rocket is very simple t' make. Blimey! T' instructions were simple and clear, shiver me timbers, with few drawings, but none were really needed.

T' nose cone was smooth, ya bilge rat, and was made o' alternatin' insets o' cherry and maple hardwoods. it is precisely turned and symmetrical, and t' grain o' t' wood is beautiful. Begad! It has a shoulder o' a couple inches in length, shiver me timbers, allowin' a close and secure fit in t' body tube. Avast! Ahoy! No sandin' be needed. Ya scallywag! Blimey! There is a metal screw eye already in place in t' nose cone for t' parachute and shock cord attachment.

T' parachute is rip stop nylon, 24 inches in diameter, and bright orange. T' shroud lines are a strong braided nylon. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' shock cord is 1/4 inch thick Keelhaul®©™® type cordin' that attaches t' a screw eye in t' forward centerin' rin' on t' engine mount.

T' body tube appears t' be mahogany and is sanded smooth with t' grain very evident and pretty.

T' 4 fins appear t' be basswood, me bucko, me hearties, with swirly grain patterns. Begad! All t' fins were precut, as were t' centerin' rings, engine tube, and body tube, me hearties, and t' body tube was also preslotted for t' 4 fins. Ya scallywag! T' fins are designed with tabs that meet with t' motor tube for strong construction. Ya scallywag! They were all cut alike, 3/8 inch thick, me bucko, very precise, shiver me timbers, and also very smooth on t' edges. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! They are rounded on t' continuous leadin' and trailin' edge. T' edges show that t' inner ply is dark, mahogany-like. Begad! This stripin' o' color provides a nice accent. T' fins are also accented with a half-moon shape o' iron-on veneer that has a mahogany-like color.

I used epoxy, as recommended, ya bilge rat, t' attach them through t' body tube and t' t' motor tube, shiver me timbers, me bucko, ya bilge rat, which also is a pretty mahogany. T' two centerin' rings are plywood. Avast, me proud beauty! T' 2 launch lugs are brass, beveled t' reduce drag, and accept 1/4 inch rods.

T' model came out very sturdy and strong. Aye aye! But I just couldn't brin' myself t' paint it or decal it. Avast! T' wood is just too pretty. Aye aye! So I finished it with three coats o' polyurethane clear furniture varnish.

Ratin' for construction and finishing: 5 out o' 5, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but some might say 4 1/2 because o' t' need for t' vent hole. Aye aye! But this is somethin' we should do in high power anyway.

Flight and recovery:
T' Aerotech H180-M be used, matey, and it's one o' t' engines t' manufacturer recommends. They also say that t' G64-4, G80-7, H128-M, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and H220-M are good too.

T' rocket roared off t' pad straight and high. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! When t' chute ejected at apogee, matey, it appeared t' be a tiny speck. Begad! Begad! Blimey! I got t' rocket back about a half mile downrange because it caught a thermal and lingered high. Ahoy! Blimey! This be particularly an anxious moment, because this was a Tripoli level 1 certification attempt. Avast, me proud beauty! I hadn't intended t' certify with this rocket, me hearties, but everyone who saw it oohed and ahhed over it. Arrr! People kept pressin' me t' launch this beauty. Nobody had ever seen a wooden rocket. Aye aye! Blimey! Some even asked if it was real. That is, is it a display or does it fly. It amazed them when I popped off t' nose cone t' reveal a legitimate construction for flight. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Then some were sad that I'd actually fly it, fearin' damage t' its looks. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Even t' RSO worried about damage and destruction o' t' beauty, as he announced that everyone should look now while they still could. Several people took photos o' it. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' way I saw it, arrr, metaphorically, why breed a champion racehorse t' perfection and then nay let him run? Besides, half o' t' club be fixed on me and t' rocket, darin' me t' be bold and do it.

Everyone cheered when t' flight occurred. Nothin' was burnt or damaged, and t' engine stayed in, shiver me timbers, held with duct tape. Aye aye! Fellow club members teased me about t' tight loops o' duct tape, sayin' that I wanted t' hold t' engine hostage. Avast! I'd seen too many other people lose motors t' ejections and was paranoid about mine.

T' rocket was prepped with one Nomexsquare and worm bed wadding. Avast! Begad! I first thought that t' waddin' was overkill, ya bilge rat, but cert flights must be perfect. Begad! Well, arrr, I was glad I did this, because t' Nomexsquare was burnt in half!

A small vent hole was drilled in t' body, matey, near t' middle, on t' side opposite t' launch lugs t' relieve differences in air pressure and prevent ejection o' t' motor or premature separation o' t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! Due t' t' precise fit o' t' parts, me hearties, air pressure be evident on t' ground when t' motor resisted bein' placed all t' way in until t' hole was drilled.

If thar was anythin' nay good about t' flight, me hearties, me bucko, it was that I had one hand on t' launcher and t' other on t' camera, arrr, matey, and consequently, I didn't capture t' great moment o' takeoff on film.

Ratin' for flight and recovery: 5 out o' 5

Summary and tips:
Simple t' build, me bucko, performs well. Arrr! Ahoy! A crowd pleaser. Begad! Blimey! A bit expensive at $125, but worth it since I certified in style. Ya scallywag! And its manufacturer made all t' parts t' precision.

Don't paint it. Ahoy! Every club has a woodworker who would execute someone who'd mar such art as this. Ya scallywag! Begad! I recommend this beauty t' anyone who wants t' show off with class. Begad! In fact, I think that me level 2 project might be a scratch-build usin' t' parts that Retro Rocket Works makes. Begad! I'm pricin' preslotted 4 inch mahogany tubes now. Aye aye! Begad! And they make lovely 4 inch nose cones. Ahoy! And 38mm motor tubes!!! I'm hooked.

Any tips I learned? T' vent hole in t' body tube be very important in preventin' premature separation o' t' nose cone. I don't remember seein' any mention o' such in t' instructions.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5