Brief:
I was provided with me Super Javelin for beta testing. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! This upscale is o' t' early Javelin model that came in an Estes combo kit and is designed for 24mm motors. Blimey! A spacer is included with t' motor mount kit t' allow t' use of either Estes D or E motors. Aye aye! T' rocket recovers on a very nice 24 inch rip-stop nylon parachute. T' rocket is over 3 feet tall and weighs only 7 ounces. Begad! T' highly aerodynamic design produces some outstandin' flights.

Construction:
T' main body tube is 1.59 inches in diameter. Blimey! Aye aye! T' three fins are laser cut basswood and surface mounted. Avast! Blimey! T' balsa nose cone is top quality and very smooth. A 5-inch long 24mm motor mount is installed with three light ply centering rings and includes a 3.75” engine hook for motor retention and a CR2050 kraft thrust ring. Aye aye! Begad! A Keelhaul®©™®/1/4” elastic shock cord combo is included along with two 3/16” launch lugs and a hefty eye screw. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! A two-color paint design and its name in a big black waterslide decal decorates t' rocket.

T' instructions are clear and include tons o' helpful illustrations. I modified t' construction o' t' motor mount t' allow installation o' t' engine hook usin' me standard method. Here’s the link on EMRR’s tip page for the general idea.

This method allows positive motor retention while nay havin' t' worry about t' hook gettin' in t' way o' the delay element when usin' t' AeroTech reload motors. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I didn't use one o' t' three centerin' rings and changed the position o' t' upper centerin' rin' t' accommodate t' necessary position o' t' motor hook usin' a Dremel t' trim the upper end o' t' motor hook t' be level with t' top edge o' t' centerin' ring. Blimey! Avast! T' instructions indicate t' attach the Keelhaul®©™® cord by wrappin' it around t' motor tube and insertin' t' end through a small hole in t' upper centerin' rin' then attachin' t' elastic cord t' a loop at t' end. Begad! However, ya bilge rat, I used me standard tri-fold shock cord attachment t' allow inspection o' t' shock cord. Blimey! Blimey! T' minimize abrasion from t' Keelhaul®©™® against t' body tube, shiver me timbers, I soaked in CA around t' top 1/2" o' t' body tube and tied a knot in t' Keelhaul®©™® to meet t' lip o' t' body tube.

I constructed t' entire rocket with yellow glue, usin' JB Weld for t' fin fillets. Avast, me proud beauty! A markin' guide is provided for alignment o' t' fins and launch lugs. Ya scallywag! Glue on t' launch lugs, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, install t' screw eye into t' nose cone (adding weight first t' compensate for t' largest motor you plan t' fly), and attach t' shock cord and you’re done as the parachute is already assembled. Arrr! Well, matey, blow me down! T' parachute is very nice with small grommets holdin' on t' shroud lines.

Finishing:
T' balsa nose cone required very little finishing. Arrr! With only a very light coat o' Elmer's Light Fill 'n' Finish, arrr, the nose cone be very smooth. Avast! Only a light coat o' filler be also needed on t' fins, arrr, as t' basswood was very smooth after sandin' with 400 grit sandpaper. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body tube was t' only thin' that required any significant effort-–darn spirals! After usin' Fill 'n' Finish t' fill those and much sanding, matey, I sprayed t' entire model with a light coat of Kilz t' seal off t' glue and provide a solid base coat. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Next, matey, I lightly sanded t' entire model with 240 grit sandpaper and then sprayed on a coat o' primer. Begad! Ya scallywag! Then, sand and primer and sand and primer again with 400 grit sandpaper. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' nose cone and upper end o' t' tube was painted black and t' remainder was painted with Valspar’s Restoration Series Allis-Chalmers orange. Blimey! Begad! T' decals are large but applied relatively easily. Blimey! Well, blow me down! I didn't try movin' them around though, arrr, slidin' them off just where I wanted them. Avast! I put a thick coat o' Future Floor Finish on t' protect everything.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
First flight was on an Estes E9-6 with t' wind speed steady at about 5-8 mph. Begad! T' flight be perfect with ejection right at t' top. T' next flight be on an Estes D12-5, me bucko, and again, me bucko, t' flight be perfect with ejection right at the top even though winds had increased t' 8-12 mph. Recovery both times was perfect on t' 24 inch chute. Ahoy! I flew it on both motors again t' next day with t' same results. Arrr! It was a beautiful day for flying, with winds rangin' from calm to 5 mph max.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Super Javelin is another fantastic rocket from Hawks Hobby. Blimey! Parts quality is superb, and you can easily build the rocket in a few hours. Begad! T' rocket really zooms so if you decide t' go with higher impulse motors, you'd better get ready for a long walk!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5