Brief:
Maverick AGM-65A-X White Version True 33% Scale Length: 32" Diameter: 4" Fin Span: 14" Fin Height: 3" Est Weight: 5-6 lbs Dry Motors: "I-J" class For t' longest time, ya bilge rat, I have always had a passion for Military Missiles; t' power, me hearties, me hearties, their ability t' maneuver and target and the unique looks o' these warbirds defendin' our skies have left me in awe, watchin' as they perform their duty defendin' our country. Begad! Though they may be an icon o' freedom, shiver me timbers, missiles are a bit more difficult t' duplicate in our hobby, due their inherent but required instability. Avast! This be t' challenge that has driven me t' build rockets such as the AMRAAM, Harpoon and now, t' TV Guided AGM-65A Maverick. T' construction throughout this article may seem a bit long, ya bilge rat, but t' model is very easy t' build and looks great on or off t' rail.

Construction:
Before I began, shiver me timbers, I knew this would be a heavy rocket as that is what is usually required t' make a true scale missile stable…a lot o' nose weight. Blimey! In fact, shiver me timbers, for as short as it is, matey, it wound up bein' t' heaviest one in t' group when considerin' length t' weight, me bucko, so great care be taken t' make sure it would be stable on t' pad. Ya scallywag! I had planned on customizin' me own nosecone, includin' t' lens section, so after takin' many pictures from WPAFB U. Aye aye! Arrr! S. Aye aye! Arrr! Air Force Museum, ya bilge rat, t' decal documentation was completed. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! They had two o' these missiles on site, me hearties, one in white and one in olive drab, arrr, so I decided t' build the white TV guided version for now, but will eventually have both as I took pics of both. Aye aye! Also, me bucko, these pics are available t' anyone wantin' t' build this model; just send me an email and I will send you t' pics.

I began construction with t' body tube; the tube is PML Quantum and it uses a piston ejection system, as I have found them very reliable when "tuned in" properly. Ya scallywag! Begad! It's designed as a basic single deploy model and uses a dual parachute system. Main fins are TTW, arrr, while the center fins have t' lower 6" extendin' through t' wall into t' body tube for mounting; t' remainin' forward part o' t' upper fin resides in a "dato" slot. Arrr! Arrr! T' Body tube was pre-slotted from PML t' my specifications, but I had t' cut out t' lower 6" for t' upper fins all the way through for t' TTW mount as PML only dato slotted them. Aye aye! After this was done, I spent some time drawin' t' fin patterns out on t' .062" G10 fiberglass sheets I had purchased. Ahoy!

I worked on t' Maverick fins next; all the fins were rough cut with a Dremel and asbestos cuttin' wheel, ya bilge rat, then I stacked the lower fin set and used a table sander t' "fine" shape them. Next, I worked on t' upper fin set. Aye aye! Arrr! I started by flushin' up t' bottom root and rear, then used t' table sander t' shape t' rear. Avast! Once this was done, I stacked them and drilled two 1/4" holes through t' bottom root o' t' fin that resides inside t' body tube. Aye aye! T' fins were bolted together, arrr, then final sanded on t' table sander. Begad! All fins were ready t' go and I just need t' round some edges. Well, blow me down!

After I rounded t' edges o' t' fins, I cut a small corner in t' long fins tip t' simulate t' real ones. T' motor mount was next; it was sanded and ready t' go. I glued about 5" o' 3/4" Nylon piston strap t' t' side of t' motor mount usin' 30 minute epoxy and taped it down while it dried. Ya scallywag! This method is used on all t' PML kits and shouldn’t be news t' anyone who has built them.

I glued on t' upper centerin' rin' for t' lower fins and t' lower centerin' rin' for t' upper fins. Ahoy! This way I had access t' both fin areas for mounting. Begad! T' CR's were epoxied t' t' motor mount after carefully measurin' their position. Arrr! Ahoy! Next, me hearties, I mixed up some West Systems epoxy and installed t' motor mount. While I was at it, I took t' top centerin' rin' and added a slot for t' 3/4" Nylon piston strap. Aye aye! Arrr! Next, I glazed it with t' remainin' epoxy so t' top CR would be waterproof and make for easy cleanup. Avast!

T' lower fins were aligned and glued through t' wall o' t' body tube on t' t' motor mount. I fiberglassed the inside joint on each fin side usin' 6 oz cloth followin' me normal routine, then used some 1/4" Balsa planks t' sandwich t' fins betwixt t' inside body tube wall and motor mount. Begad! Avast! Blimey! T' planks were cut t' t' length o' each fin, then rolled in epoxy and installed while dripping, me hearties, so they hardened like concrete but weigh a lot less that hardwood. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! It's a new technique I am trying for inside fillet replacement. Ya scallywag! I installed a centerin' rin' over t' bottom of the motor mount and pushed it up against t' bottom o' t' lower fins and planks. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! This fin area be now capped at both ends usin' CR's. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' bottom centerin' rin' was marked usin' a PMR retainer as a template. Next, matey, ya bilge rat, I installed three 8-32 blind nuts for t' retainer and epoxied them into place. T' very bottom G-10 centerin' rin' was placed in a short piece o' body tubin' and t' CR with t' blind nuts be laid over top o' it; this 1" deep piece o' BT be me alignment jig. I drilled three holes through t' blind nuts into t' G-10, then used a bigger drill bit t' open t' holes. Begad! t' G-10 CR was placed over t' ply rin' and it was a perfect fit as t' blind nuts stuck out o' t' ply about 1/32" and fell right into t' G10 holes. Arrr! Begad! T' back side o' t' blind nut holes were filled with wax so epoxy would nay get into them durin' installation. I roughed up t' inside face o' t' G-10 ring, matey, arrr, then mixed up some 5 minute epoxy and laminated t' two pieces together and clamped them until they dried. Arrr!

Next, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I mixed up some West Systems epoxy and applied it around t' inside of t' body tube and motor mount at t' end. I also applied some t' t' inside and outside edges o' t' laminated CR, shiver me timbers, then poured t' rest inside t' bottom well o' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' laminated CR was inserted into t' BT, matey, me hearties, then t' Bt was placed upright on a table and pushed t' bottom CR assembly flush into place. Avast! I cleaned up any excess epoxy, matey, which wasn't much, with denatured alcohol, shiver me timbers, then rolled t' body tube t' make sure all t' glue inside would produce some good fillets. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

My plan be t' mold me own glass window out o' epoxy. Aye aye! First off, I want to say t' you all, NEVER use acetone t' thin out epoxy! My experimentation brought forth results that can only be described in a photo. I tried it with some 5 minute epoxy, matey, shiver me timbers, matey, and when it kicked...it KICKED! It started bubblin' and rising like a cake...I LMAO. Arrr! Begad! T' result was a bubbly substance that actually represents expandin' foam, shiver me timbers, which rose t' 1" thick; looks like I found a new use for epoxy as a foam filler!

Well, I switched t' West Systems 105 Resin with 206 Hardener, which is 30 minute. T' 206 is less yellow than t' 15 minute or 1 hour, ya bilge rat, me bucko, so it be me first choice. I cleaned out me mold (bowl) from t' previous attempt, then mixed up a batch and poured it in. Arrr! As careful as I was with mixing, it be loaded with bubbles, so I took some denatured alcohol and poured a little into t' mold, then started mixing. Blimey! It got swirly at first, arrr, but then cleared up and the bubbles were dissapearin' left and right. Once it be clear, matey, t' top still was not smooth, me hearties, so I lightly blew on it and actually watched t' alcohol evaporate to leave a glass finish. T' mold was left t' set overnite. Well, blow me down! Once set up, shiver me timbers, I "popped" t' glass out o' t' mold and it came out really well. Blimey! The Diameter o' t' lense be just under 3".

I laid t' glass piece over top t' nosecone,. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! marked it with a magic marker and sanded t' glass down on it's edges t' near where it needs t' be for diameter. Ya scallywag! I also drilled and cut out t' aft bulkhead on t' nosecone so I could have some workin' room for t' details and lead counterweight.

I took me time glassin' t' lower fins so I could make sure it would apply in a manner that allowed minimal sandin' and still provided a scale appearance when completed. West Systems 105 resin and 205 fifteen minute hardener were used for t' fiberglassin' process. Blimey! Blimey! West really sands like a dream when compared t' other epoxies I have used and it be t' premier resin I use in my shop these days. Ahoy! I overlapped t' forward area about 1/2" beyond t' fin root and let t' excess glass cloth overhang t' aft o' t' body tube during the glassin' process and this excess be removed. Ahoy! Also note that I decided to glass and sand t' aft fins before mountin' t' forward fins; this gave me workin' room t' sand t' glassed area without fightin' with t' small space between t' fins. Avast! Avast! Fine sandin' was completed and t' lower fins were ready for primer.

Installin' t' center fins on t' Maverick was next on t' agenda. Aye aye! I used 5 minute epoxy t' tack them in, shiver me timbers, then finished the center fin fillets. In summary, me hearties, I tape one end, shiver me timbers, me hearties, then ran tape across the fin and BT parallel t' and about 3/8” from t' joint. Blimey! I poured t' epoxy, then used a piece o' PVC tubin' t' make t' fillets and wiped off t' excess from t' PVC end as I went. Aye aye! Once done, a ridge o' extra epoxy had formed from excess epoxy spillin' out t' sides o' t' PVC tube while squegeein' and it resided on t' tape. Aye aye! Arrr! I pull t' tape off and fillets were done, with no excess to shipshape up on t' BT or fins. Begad!

Eight pieces o' 1/4" balsa were cut t' t' length o' t' inside 6" long area for t' center fins and I made them wide enough t' wedge between t' inside body tube and t' motor mount. Ahoy! Blimey! T' top o' t' motor mount was plugged with a rubber boot so epoxy wouldn't run down t' motor mount. Begad! The planks were saturated with West Systems epoxy and pushed into place, then I installed t' very top centerin' ring. Ya scallywag! I poured some more epoxy on t' top of the centerin' rin' and rolled it around t' create fillets, arrr, me hearties, then cleaned up any spilled epoxy. Blimey! Next, me bucko, me bucko, I glued t' Nylon strap t' t' Piston face plate, then glued this face plate into t' Piston tube. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Once it set, shiver me timbers, I glazed t' inside and outside faces o' t' piston with epoxy t' waterproof t' wood and make for easy cleanup with soap and water after a launch. Aye aye!

I completely sanded t' rocket, ya bilge rat, matey, then did an initial fill on t' body tube and nosecone. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! More sandin' (yuk!), me bucko, a tac rag and it was finally ready for primer. Begad! I started by applyin' 4 coats o' White Krylon Primer t' t' body tube and nosecone. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! It dried overnite, then I wetsanded with 150-220 grit sandpaper. Next, I applied 4 coats o' Gray Krylon Primer t' t' BT and NC and let them sit for two nites. Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I filled any pinholes, me hearties, then "dry" sanded t' filler with 220 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Blimey! A couple o' spots were touched up, me hearties, then I wetsanded both pieces with 220 grit sandpaper. Avast! Blimey! Some more light filling, arrr, matey, then four more coats o' White Krylon Primer were applied t' both t' nosecone and bodytube and left once more t' dry overnight for two nites. Aye aye! Blimey!

I wetsanded once again under the sink with 400 grit and moved t' 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper. T' nosecone was dried, ya bilge rat, then I used a tac rag t' remove any dust. Finally, ya bilge rat, 4 coats o' Krylon White Glossy Paint were applied t' t' nosecone and it came out pretty nice. Next, arrr, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' surface o' t' BT was tac ragged, then I applied 4 coats o' White Glossy Krylon Paint. T' coupler holder was removed from t' front o' t' BT, along with t' paper I had taped up inside t' motor mount. Begad! Note that I now use glossy paint for all me rockets, ya bilge rat, with t' exception o' a few nosecones. Well, blow me down! This allows for a much smoother surface when applyin' decals, me hearties, t' paint is much thicker than flat paint, which lets it fill nicer and I wind up flat coatin' it afterwards anyway for that military look. Blimey!

Workin' from all t' photos and measurements I took while at t' WPAFB Museum, arrr, I spent t' next day finishin' t' scale decals and have them available via a link. Begad! I was able t' fit 2 complete sets on one sheet o' decal paper...good for redundancy. Begad! Arrr! One other thin' I did follow be t' colorin' of the decals...I used me photos t' "sample" t' color o' t' real missile, me hearties, so yes, even t' color is exact. Begad! Aye aye!

It was time t' do rivets…I grabbed me syringe, me bucko, some R/C canopy glue, a roll o' low tack maskin' tape and a marker. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' maskin' tape be applied parallel t' where t' rivets would reside and I measured and marked off the location o' each one on t' maskin' tape. Avast! Well, blow me down! Next, me hearties, t' syringe was filled with the glue; canopy glue resembles Elmers White Glue, matey, except when it dries, ya bilge rat, it can be easily painted since it is water and oil-proof. Doin' one side at a time and workin' from me photos and markers, matey, me bucko, I completed all t' rivets on t' model. Begad! If I made a mistake, arrr, t' old rivot be simply "wiped" away and a new one was done. Avast! Well, blow me down! It took a few hours but, as sick as this sounds, me hearties, was very enjoyable. T' rivets dry in about an hour, shiver me timbers, so in no time I be sprayin' t' final coat of Krylon White Glossy Paint over them. Avast!

After t' paint dried, I masked off t' bottom o' t' rocket and painted the brown stripe usin' Krylon Brown Glossy Paint. Avast! Blimey! T' maskin' be removed, matey, then the edges were pressed down and t' model was set aside.

Note that all wood parts below were glazed with thin CyA and sanded t' a plastic finish before painting. Blimey! Now came for t' very fun and exciting part...the nosecone! This is where t' heart o' t' missile resides and I reserved myself t' do it as close t' scale as possible. I started by makin' two Phenolic rings, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, one 1.5" and one 2" in diameter. Begad! Next, a large base plate was made that would cap t' inside bottom o' t' assembly. Begad! Two other plates were made from 1/4" ply, one 1.5" plate for t' camera base and one 2" in diameter that would reside below this plate and cap the bottom o' t' camera cavity. Avast!

T' phenolic rings were filled, then primed and painted. Blimey! T' two smaller plates were primed, me bucko, then t' smaller one be painted with Testors Gold Paint and t' bottom plate was painted black. Blimey! I began workin' on detailin' t' gold camera baseplate. I made a support bracket from some .010 mil plastic sheet, then primed and painted it black. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Three pins were cut t' 1/4" in length and used t' mount t' bracket. Blimey! A template was made and 4 holes were marked and drilled in t' gold plate. No. Avast! 1 screws were mounted in t' holes for realistic support o' t' lens assembly.

Next, I cut out a front faceplate, angled at t' edges and marked groove marks on it in 10 degree increments. Well, blow me down! I used a Dremel with a cuttin' wheel and and cut grooves in t' front faceplate, matey, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, then cut out t' unused center section and epoxied it in t' front o' t' nosecone. It be primed, arrr, then painted by hand usin' Testors Silver Paint. Begad!

Now it was time t' turn me attention t' t' camera. Avast! I used a 1/2" piece o' wooden dowel, matey, put it inside me drill press and used a combination of files t' cur grooves in it t' make t' camera shaft. Arrr! Notches were added t' the sides for realism, then it be primed and hand painted in silver. Begad! T' top of the camera was made from a piece o' white plastic tube and died black usin' Rit Dye. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I pressed it on t' silver camera shaft, then filled it with 5 minute epoxy, shiver me timbers, creatin' a lens with t' epoxy. A hole be drilled thorugh t' two plates and t' camera shaft and I used a 4-40 screw and epoxy t' assemble the three pieces, along with t' Phenolic sleeves. A CR was made for t' 2" sleeve and glued t' t' sleeve, arrr, then t' entire assembly be glued t' t' front plate inside t' nosecone.

I spent t' next few days detailin' t' Maverick; all t' decals were cut out for t' body tube, arrr, then applied usin' Microscale Decal Set. Ya scallywag! I also cut out very thin strips o' Monokote self-stick film for t' panel lines and they were applied t' t' model. Well, blow me down! T' decals came out really nice, so I turned me attention to t' nosecone. Well, blow me down! It was masked off, then t' red stripe was painted using Krylon Bright Red Glossy Paint. Blimey! Avast! T' maskin' was removed and t' edges were pushed down, leavin' it nearly seamless. Begad! Finally, I applied t' decals t' the nosecone, which be a bit o' a feat. Avast! Each red letter had t' be individually applied t' follow t' curve o' t' nosecone, even though they were printed out as a label. Begad! Once again, me bucko, me bucko, Microscale Decal Set be used and t' nosecone decals were completed. Arrr!

Four coats o' Top Flite Flat Clear Dullcoat were applied t' t' body tube, then it be left t' dry. Blimey! T' nosecone be next...I masked off t' upper face where t' lens would attach and shot four coats o' clear on it, me hearties, shiver me timbers, after cleaning it first with a tac rag. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Both t' nosecone and body tube coated well.

Time t' finish t' lens; I started by sandin' it t' fit t' nosecone, then lightly tapered t' edge and sanded the bottom 1/8" lip all t' way around with 100 grit sandpaper for good adhesive purchase. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' top 3/16" lip was also sanded with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper t' prepare it for painting. Begad! Blimey! Maskin' t' outer 3/16" was a challenge; I wanted it t' be a perfect circle, me hearties, but without templates, you have to "eyeball" it when masking. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I wound up usin' some 1/16" R/C Trim Tape for t' "master" edge, then worked me way inward t' the peak o' t' Lens with 1/8", 1/4" and finally 3/4" maskin' tape. Additionally, t' bottom o' t' Lens was also masked usin' strips o' 2" blue low-tac maskin' tape. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!

Once t' Lens be masked off, ya bilge rat, I hit t' lip that was showin' again with 600 grit sandpaper, ya bilge rat, cleaned it and went t' paint. Blimey! Two coats o' Krylon Semi-Flat Black Paint were used t' paint t' Lens. Ahoy! I knew that I only had one chance to get it right, especially with maskin' it and sanding, so extreme care was taken not t' overdue it. Ya scallywag! I let t' paint dry for about a half hour, then removed the bottom masking. It looked good so far , so T' rest o' t' tape be removed and it worked! I had a nice 3/16" lip all t' way around t' Lens. Begad! I pressed the inner paint lip down and blended t' ridge t' t' lens, which is easy t' do since t' paint is still soft and it be ready t' mount. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag!

Next, me hearties, me hearties, I worked on t' nosecone bulkheads and balancing. Blimey! I used the remainin' BB's I had that Ken Parker gave me ( I am out Ken, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, please send more ). Avast! Some West Systems Epoxy was mixed, shiver me timbers, then poured into t' inside front o' the nosecone, me bucko, around t' edges. I laid t' nosecone on a flat surface and poured the BB's on t' aft 2" inside plate, which be t' bottom plate o' the camera assembly. Begad! Arrr! They bounced everywhere and evenly distributed themselves around t' front o' t' nosecone and sank into t' epoxy. Ya scallywag! I set t' nosecone aside t' let t' added lead weight set and began work on t' bulkheads. Blimey!

Three plates were made for t' bulkhead assembly. Arrr! Arrr! Blimey! T' inside plate was hollowed out for access t' t' nose in case more weight needed t' be added. Begad! Begad! Blimey! I drilled holes through all three plates, me hearties, arrr, then took the inside plate and installed two 1/4" blind nuts (T-nuts for you rocket guys.) Next, ya bilge rat, I installed two bolts through t' T-nuts so they would extend out the back o' this plate. Avast, me proud beauty! It be epoxied into t' inside o' t' nosecone and I used t' other two plates t' assist with alignment. Well, blow me down! T' outside plates were removed, and West epoxy was poured on t' inside o' t' bulkhead plate t' add a good inside fillet. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

T' two outside plates were laminated together with West Systems Epoxy and a 850lb rated solid 1/4" "Eye" bolt was installed t' hold the two bulkheads together while t' epoxy set. I ran some epoxy around t' edge of this assembly t' strengthen it and prevent chipping, arrr, then let it dry. Blimey! T' plate was installed over t' bulkhead t' check t' fit and it worked out well. Ya scallywag! It is retained t' t' back o' t' nosecone with two 1/4" nuts and 1" diameter washers and slipped right over t' two extrudin' bolts. Blimey!

Now it was time t' check balance. I loaded up a 3 Grain Pro38 I205 and installed it in t' aft o' t' model. Avast! Blimey! A 15' piece o' shock cord was cut from the spool o' 9/16" Tubular Nylon I purchased from t' ROL Auction some time ago and placed inside t' body tube. I cut another 10' section, me bucko, matey, which will be used for t' nosecone, ya bilge rat, and also placed it inside t' tube. T' model will use dual parachutes, one for t' nosecone and one for t' body tube; this setup has worked well for t' Harpoon and helps prevent zippers, so I decided t' use it for t' Maverick. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Quick links were added and t' nosecone was installed, then t' model was checked for balance. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

With motor installed, arrr, CG came out t' 2 1/2" in front o' CP. Ya scallywag! Well, matey, blow me down! FYI, Center o' Pressure is located 12" from t' aft o' t' model. Well, blow me down! Begad! I decided to add a bit more nose weight, so I purchased some 1/4" x 1 1/2" fender washers and stacked them on t' shaft o' t' "Eye" bolt. Avast! T' plate was bolted t' t' bottom o' t' nosecone and checked once again for CG. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! This time it was 4 1/2" in front o' CP...I was finished with t' balancing. Finally, arrr, arrr, shock cords were tied and taped; they are connected t' t' Piston and three quick-links.

T' lens was mounted usin' a 1/8" wide thin film o' Silicon Sealer around t' mouth o' t' nosecone. Well, blow me down! I made sure t' inside camera bay was free of dust, then cleaned t' inside o' t' lens before mounting. Avast! I placed t' lens on, ya bilge rat, twisted it a bit for a good seal and wiped up t' excess. Ya scallywag! It appeared t' be stuck on pretty darn good, so sandin' both edges paid off. Avast!

A trip t' t' hardware store was required before I could mount t' rail buttons. Avast, me proud beauty! I picked up some Stainless #8 screws 1" long and some 8/32 bolts 1" long, arrr, me hearties, along with some lockin' nuts. Avast, me proud beauty! T' hole for t' lower screw was drilled and t' button was installed. Begad! Ahoy! T' upper button be installed witha bolt and I hand curved a 3/4" fender washer for t' inside o' t' BT. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' bolt was retained with a #8 self lockin' nut. Avast! I checked t' lens and it too was ready, so I am polished up t' Lens and got ready t' take some final pics. Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight:
All I can say about launch day is, well, shiver me timbers, it was hot! Fortunately, we had humidity in t' low 40% range and t' breeze o' 4-6mph made it tolerable. Avast, me proud beauty! It was time t' launch t' Maverick AGM-65! I assembled t' Pro38 3 grain I205, then installed it in t' motor mount and used a PML retainer t' keep it in place. Blimey! Ahoy! A dual parachute design was used; t' body tube comes down under one chute, me bucko, while t' nosecone comes down under it’s own parachute. Blimey! Avast! I started usin' this setup with me scratch Harpoon AGM-84, arrr, which also can be found in a review here at EMRR. Avast! This deployment technique gets t' heavy nosecone away from t' body tube, shiver me timbers, helpin' prevent zippers. Ya scallywag!

CG was checked, which be one BT in front o' t' CP located 12” from the rear. Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Then I realized that I forgot t' put a pressure relief hole in the forward BT, matey, so I broke out t' Dremel and did a field drill with a 1/8" bit and located t' hole 5” behind t' end o' t' BT. Well, blow me down! Arrr! My flight card was filled out and I headed t' t' rail. Begad! Begad! T' card be turned in and I weighed the model. T' nosecone came in at 1.5 lbs and t' Body tube I found out later came in at 3.51 lbs without motor or chute. Well, matey, blow me down! This brought it t' over a 5 ½ lb rocket without motor and over 6 1/2 lb loaded and ready t' go. Begad! T' rocket was placed on t' rail, shiver me timbers, t' ignitor was installed and it was time for a launch.

When t' button be pushed, arrr, it took t' t' skies, shiver me timbers, arrr, me hearties, did a swirl about 200' up and continued. Avast, me proud beauty! T' flight was way cool...the swirl, then up at about a 70 degree pitch...I would have sworn a F-14 was targetin' it! T' delay be set to 9 seconds, ya bilge rat, since Rocksim said 10 was too much and 8 was a bit short. Begad! Ya scallywag! Well, the delay needed t' be ALOT shorter, a 8 or 6 seconds would have worked. Well, arrr, blow me down! It did eject nose-down, but didn't zipper and both t' nose cone and BT came in under their own chutes. I heard t' nosecone land, which wasn't usually a good sign. Walkin' over, matey, I found t' body tube in t' high grass and in pristine condition, but t' nosecone wasn't quite as lucky. Blimey! It landed in a gravel parkin' area just off t' access road, but luckily, it didn't hit t' road. The gravel chipped some o' t' paint on it's side, so a touch up will be needed, but t' lens only received a minor scratch, since it obviously landed sideways. I was very pleased with t' rocket’s flight, me bucko, but I feel it needs a bit more nose weight and a bigger motor like a 4 grain PRo38 I240 or a AT I211W. Nosecone weight will be brought up another 8 oz and t' paint will be fixed but, for as much fin as be on this bird and t' unknown conditions o' building a exact scale replica, I was VERY happy with t' flight!!!

Summary:
In summary, ya bilge rat, t' Maverick was a blast t' build and fly! Old school strengthening methods and basic construction o' a single deploy airframe shouldn’t be news t' any HPR flier and makes this rocket very easy t' build. Avast, me proud beauty! In order to really make it stand out though, take t' time and detail t' model as this will give it features that are both unique and a real head turner. Blimey! Flight characteristics make it look just plain good in t' air and t' details make it stand out on t' ground. Blimey! Arrr! I do have a ½ scale 6” diameter version on the boards now which will be done in t' 65D Infrared Olive drab version, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but that will be another story. Ahoy! Much time be spent detailin' a scale nosecone, which be t' heart o' this bird and t' results made it more than worth the effort. Avast! Scale Mavericks are hard t' find in kit form, arrr, arrr, and impossible for HPR, but with this solid design, me bucko, arrr, decals now available and t' long but necessary construction details posted in this report, anyone can easily build this AGM-65A TV Guided Maverick!!!