Brief:
This is a paper 13mm, arrr, NSL 2008 Commemorative rocket. Avast! Aye aye! Some months ago, matey, matey, I found t' link t' t' plans o' Eric Truax's M.A.G.P.I.E.s in PDF form and downloaded them. Blimey! Arrr! A lull in me ability t' get t' me Main Rocket Lab has prompted me t' try and build a couple o' these interestin' lookin' rockets. There are 2 color schemes o' t' same plan. Ahoy! Arrr! Both feature artwork in commemoration o' t' 2008 National Sport Launch.

Construction:
T' component consists o' a piece o' cardstock. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It is used t' print t' plans obtained here. After that, matey, it is just a matter o' cuttin' out t' pieces and gluin' them together.

There are no instructions, me bucko, per se. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Only an exploded diagram. Ya scallywag! Avast! Anyone who has built a couple o' rockets should be able t' manage.

Since thar were no instructions, I decided t' deviate from standard practice and NOT work on t' motor mount first. I cut out t' top o' t' rocket with a pair o' scissors, ya bilge rat, applied a bit o' "bend" t' t' cardstock and glued t' tab.

Inexplicably, ya bilge rat, I next headed for t' motor mount. Ahoy! Aye aye! It is nothin' more that a rectangle o' cardstock with a glue tab that is rolled into a tube and glued. Avast, me proud beauty! A spent motor helps in makin' sure t' final product will be usable.

T' middle section o' t' body be t' most tedious part o' t' build. T' long rounded strip is cut out. One edge is curved, arrr, one is straight and one is practically straight but t' top edge is a pain because o' all t' little glue tabbies. Arrr! Blimey! T' radius o' t' inner curve is such that gettin' t' scissors lined up right is difficult without hittin' t' opposite edge. Patience pays off however, and t' actual assembly consists o' nothin' more than gluin' on t' edge tab t' form a ring. Aye aye! This is made slightly easier by precurvin' t' cardstock.

T' bottom rin' is essentially t' same as t' middle except that it is a bit larger. Aye aye! This made it easier t' cut out because t' radius is nay as tight. T' end tab was glued t' form a ring.

I started puttin' t' body together by gluin' t' top t' t' middle. Avast! At first, it was madenin' tryin' t' get everythin' lined up but I hit upon a solution that worked out well and be repeated when I build t' other variant. Avast, me proud beauty! I first glued just t' section where t' "S" o' t' "NSL" logo was matched on t' top and middle sections. Ahoy! Aye aye! I held t' pieces together until they were sufficiently dry and then glued t' opposite side which conveniently had a rocket body t' act as a match line. Well, blow me down! Once these two pieces were glued, me bucko, me hearties, it was fairly simple t' get t' rest lined up right and glued.

T' same procedure be used for gluin' t' previous assembly t' t' bottom ring. Arrr! I looked for match lines in t' artwork and then glued opposite sides first, later gettin' t' rest o' it glued.

T' after bulkead is a simple affair that I managed t' get wrong t' first time. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I cut it out and glued it together with t' printed side bein' convex. Arrr! It should have been concave. I figued this out after slippin' t' motor mount in and lookin' at t' spacing. Begad! Fortunately, matey, shiver me timbers, t' curve be gentle enough that I was able t' reverse it.

I did have some issues gettin' t' after bulkhead t' fit within t' body. Arrr! I had t' do some sandin' around t' edge t' get it t' fit. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Then when I glued it, shiver me timbers, I pushed too hard in some places and got it too far in. Well, blow me down! I finally decided that it would nay be visible and let it be. Ahoy! T' motor mount be slipped in and glued into place.

T' legs for t' MAGPIE are very simple. Begad! You cut them out, me hearties, fold them in half and glue. Well, blow me down! I set mine under a book t' dry flat. Begad! Once assembled, me bucko, They are glued t' t' motor mount along t' preprinted lines. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! I dabbed t' end in glue, ya bilge rat, pressed it on t' motor mount and then immediately removed it. Begad! It gave it a chance t' set up a bit and then pressed it on again. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! T' seams were then filleted.

PROS: Looks good, me bucko, unusual, free
CONS: Nay as easy as it looks and requires some patience.

Finishing:
There is no real finishin' for this rocket. You print it with one o' t' available designs and that's what you have. Begad! I built both t' blue and t' black variants.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I apparently did nay fillet t' legs/fins well enough when building. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! When it was time t' launch both variants that built had a leg comin' loose. That means they both got scrubbed for t' museum launch and t' club launch happenin' t' next day.

It took a month t' get another launch window but when it came, me hearties, arrr, I be ready. Begad! I had heard that this is a good little performer but really did nay know what t' expect. Aye aye! I chose t' fly t' Blue Magpie first because it be t' fist one t' come out o' t' box. I loaded it with an A10-PT, matey, matey, set it off and was amazed. Arrr! It really screamed off t' pad. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It flew straight and true and tumbled gently down.

T' Blue Maggie performed so well I wanted t' see how well t' Black Maggie would do with minimal thrust. Accordingly, me hearties, I loaded a 1/4A3-3. Begad! It too flew straight but seemed t' start t' curve over a bit as soon as t' thrust ended. Begad! It spit t' motor about 50 feet off t' ground but had a reasonable, arrr, ya bilge rat, if nay spectacular flight.

PROS: good performer on entire range o' 13mm options
CONS: Moves really fast.

Recovery:
It goes up and it tumbles down. If t' motor has an ejection charge, it flutters down. Blimey! It can drift a bit on t' wind and is easily hidden by shrubs but thar be nothin' unexpected or bad.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a cool lookin' little rocket. It takes a bit o' effort but that effort is well repaid. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! It is probably best done by somebody with a bit o' experiene and a little patience.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5