Brief:
I be provided with me Super Javelin for beta testing. Aye aye! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! This upscale is o' t' early Javelin model that came in an Estes combo kit and is designed for 24mm motors. Well, blow me down! Avast! 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. Arrr! Ahoy! T' rocket is over 3 feet tall and weighs only 7 ounces. Blimey! T' highly aerodynamic design produces some outstandin' flights.

Construction:
T' main body tube is 1.59 inches in diameter. T' three fins are laser cut basswood and surface mounted. Ya scallywag! T' balsa nose cone is top quality and very smooth. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! 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. Ya scallywag! A Keelhaul®©™®/1/4” elastic shock cord combo is included along with two 3/16” launch lugs and a hefty eye screw. 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. Blimey! Aye aye! I modified t' construction o' t' motor mount t' allow installation o' t' engine hook usin' me standard method. Begad! Blimey! 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. Begad! Avast! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! 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! Blimey! However, arrr, I used me standard tri-fold shock cord attachment t' allow inspection o' t' shock cord. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' minimize abrasion from t' Keelhaul®©™® against t' body tube, 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. Aye aye! A markin' guide is provided for alignment o' t' fins and launch lugs. Well, blow me down! Glue on t' launch lugs, me bucko, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! T' parachute is very nice with small grommets holdin' on t' shroud lines.

Finishing:
T' balsa nose cone required very little finishing. With only a very light coat o' Elmer's Light Fill 'n' Finish, the nose cone was very smooth. Arrr! Only a light coat o' filler be also needed on t' fins, as t' basswood was very smooth after sandin' with 400 grit sandpaper. 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, ya bilge rat, I sprayed t' entire model with a light coat of Kilz t' seal off t' glue and provide a solid base coat. Begad! Next, shiver me timbers, I lightly sanded t' entire model with 240 grit sandpaper and then sprayed on a coat o' primer. Avast! Then, me hearties, me bucko, sand and primer and sand and primer again with 400 grit sandpaper. Ya scallywag! T' nose cone and upper end o' t' tube be painted black and t' remainder was painted with Valspar’s Restoration Series Allis-Chalmers orange. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' decals are large but applied relatively easily. Arrr! I didn't try movin' them around though, shiver me timbers, slidin' them off just where I wanted them. Aye aye! I put a thick coat o' Future Floor Finish on t' protect everything.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
First flight be on an Estes E9-6 with t' wind speed steady at about 5-8 mph. Well, blow me down! T' flight was perfect with ejection right at t' top. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' next flight was on an Estes D12-5, and again, t' flight was perfect with ejection right at the top even though winds had increased t' 8-12 mph. Blimey! Begad! Recovery both times was perfect on t' 24 inch chute. I flew it on both motors again t' next day with t' same results. Avast! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! 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. Ahoy! Begad! Parts quality is superb, and you can easily build the rocket in a few hours. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! 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