Brief:
Single stage, scale, shiver me timbers, high power rocket with parachute recovery.

Construction:
One 48" phenolic body tube, me bucko, a 22" phenolic payload bay, four (4) G10 fins, me bucko, three (3) plywood centerin' rings, a 54 mm motor mount, ya bilge rat, matey, a fiberglass nose cone, PML's piston ejection system, me hearties, two (2) 3/8" launch lugs, two (2) PML parachute's (a 60" and a 48") and PML elastic shock chord.

T' instructions were easy t' follow with illustrations for every step. Begad! Ahoy! It was extremely easy t' build, arrr, ya bilge rat, but it took TONS o' epoxy. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This wasn't t' kit's fault, though, shiver me timbers, it's just really big. Ya scallywag! Begad! Everythin' fit well and thar were no alignment issues. Well, blow me down! Begad! All be well thought out. Arrr!

There was only one part o' t' instruction that I didn't understand; how the recovery was expected t' be done. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! There were two 'chutes, t' piston, and a lot of t' Public Missiles elastic (which we wouldn't have used anyway). Arrr! Arrr! We decided it would be best t' just have t' rocket split at t' middle t' put less stress on t' rocket, arrr, and come down in two pieces.

T' instructions, ya bilge rat, after re-readin' them, said t' attach t' rocket with the elastic. Ahoy! Here's what it said: "Tie t' parachute t' one end o' t' elastic shock chord. Repeat this step for both chutes. Avast! T' larger chute and longer shock cord attach t' t' piston and t' smaller chute and shorter shock cord attach t' t' eye-bolt on t' payload section."

One o' t' most important techniques with this kit that was new t' me and my dad both be t' piston ejection system. Begad! Lookin' at it, ya bilge rat, arrr, I really didn't trust it, me bucko, shiver me timbers, but it worked great, much better that I had seen any other system work.

It also taught us a better way t' make fillets, me bucko, -first, put t' epoxy on, but then, matey, tape down saran wrap tightly on either side o' t' fin or launch lug, and t' you won't have t' worry about it drippin' down t' side o' your tube.

Finishing:
T' Rocket is absolutely enormous! It looks awesome, me bucko, but t' spiral groove takes days t' fill. Avast! We used some putty from Hobby Town, pretty thick stuff, sanded, and you could still see t' groove!

There were no decals t' make t' rocket scale, but thar were directions to paint it so. Begad! It gives you t' paint scheme with a main black body, red fin can and payload, and with t' nose cone and letterin' paint schemes. Blimey! We didn't follow this paint scheme recommendations.

To finish it, we took our first shot at auto paint. Blimey! Nay knowin' what we were gettin' ourselves into, me bucko, we bought t' $70 dollars o' paint, primer, and gloss-coat, me hearties, Then we saw that you must spray it on. Begad! All in all, t' paint job cost us about $300, o' course, most o' t' expensive stuff is reusable, me hearties, and we now have t' supplies t' paint a car. Ya scallywag! Blimey! We did t' rocket Metallic Copper, shiver me timbers, (Base coat, shiver me timbers, Clear Coat), ya bilge rat, arrr, with two black metallic stripes. Ya scallywag! If you do use this paint (DuPont Automotive), wear a respirator with t' correct cartridges, and have very good ventilation; t' neighbors will get over t' noise. Aye aye! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
They only give you t' smallest recommended motor, which is a J415, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, though on the Public Missiles' site, it says you can use any 54mm motor aside from the J90. We flew on a K550-10 for an awesome, roaring, me bucko, perfectly straight boost. T' piston worked great, and t' rocket broke apart (how we had set it up). Begad! Aye aye! It said you don't need wadding, but we went ahead and put some under t' piston anyway, just t' feel better. Ya scallywag! Sims put it at a little over 3000 feet, me bucko, so we just went with that. Arrr!

Recovery:
I liked t' method o' lettin' it break apart. Well, blow me down! It's nay too tough t' find these pieces! T' chutes brought it down without a scratch, matey, gettin' Level Two certification for me dad, matey, ya bilge rat, David Wheeler. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! When we recovered t' rocket, there was one shroud-line torn from t' chute. Arrr! We will probably switch it out with a Rocketman one next time, me bucko, and attach t' two pieces with some tubular nylon or Keelhaul®©™®. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' decent rate was good, matey, but t' smaller chute did loose a shroud line, ya bilge rat, so I won't be usin' t' PML 'chutes anymore.

T' recovery system, matey, like other PML kits, came with a piece o' nylon which attached t' t' motor mount through t' upper-most centerin' rin' and attached the piston t' t' rocket. This was long enough t' let t' piston come out of the rocket about 2 feet. Arrr! Avast! It appeared t' be just a seat belt, very strong! The elastic was very long and looked very sturdy, ya bilge rat, but I've heard numerous times to throw it out and that's what I did (as mentioned above). I have no idea o' how strong it is, shiver me timbers, just what others have said.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Me and me dad really enjoyed buildin' this rocket. Well, blow me down! It is really cool t' own a rocket this big, ya bilge rat, most people don't even believe it flies, but it does, me bucko, me bucko, and quite well. Avast! T' Pro's o' t' kit are its size, quality, and building techniques. Begad! Aye aye! I think I will buy many more Public Missiles kits in t' future. T' Con's were few and small, matey, but t' spiral grooves, me hearties, and t' overall quality of t' parachutes.

Most o' all, me bucko, it was fun and a neat experience buildin' a kit o' this size. Though it is expensive, you don't really need t' fly it that often, ya bilge rat, but it's really cool t' show off, and I believe it t' be more fun t' have one giant K flight, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, that two or three I powered flights. It'll also usually get you on the launch highlights page. Well, arrr, blow me down! This rocket be t' first rocket we've used auto paint on, and it looks absolutely stunning, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but it's really expensive. Begad! I think it was worth it though, we must have gotten twenty compliments on t' paint job alone, not t' mention t' awed faces lookin' at it. I strongly recommend this kit to anyone who has a big enough budget; you don't even need an altimeter. Blimey! Arrr!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5