Brief:
Based on t' George Gassaway/Tom Beach drawings originally published in Sport Rocketry, arrr, this highly detailed scaled kit is a great project for the craftsman. It's also a versatile flyer, matey, me hearties, handlin' from 1 t' 7 motors. Aye aye! This review is a combination o' construction notes plus some notes from my experience flyin' this as me giant sport scale entry for NARAM47.

Since Roachwerks typically only makes kits in limited runs and this one has been sold out for more than a year, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, you'll just have t' drool over t' review or try t' find one up for auction sometime. Aye aye! In fact, most kits are sold out prior t' release based solely on Gordon Agnello's (aka Sandman) reputation on T' Rocketry Forum.

Construction:
My kit arrived in a rugged cardboard box complete with a picture o' t' kit on the outside. This was a nice feature considerin' I typically allow me more ambitious projects t' "age" for a few months in me build queue, ya bilge rat, and the label makes it easy t' pick out o' t' pile when t' inspiration hits. Begad! Well, blow me down! In this case, t' deadline pressure for NARAM provided t' motivation about a year after me purchase. I would like t' note that despite t' fact I'd waited a year and that t' kit was completely sold out, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, Gordon was outstandin' in replyin' to numerous emails along t' way, even sendin' out replacement parts, and offering terrific support. I think Gordon be almost as anxious about seein' his kit goin' t' NARAM as I was in buildin' and flyin' it.

Highlights o' t' extensive parts list include:

• BT-101 body tube
• balsa fins (rough cut, me bucko, must be hand trimmed)
• resin cast actuators and fin fairings
• balsa nose cone
• basswood escape motor flare
• basswood tower base/capsule tip
• pine capsule base
• 24mm E-size motor mount with clip and block
• 6 18mm motor mounts with blocks but no clips
• corrugated wraps
• pre-printed wraps for t' upper body, transition/capsule shroud, and tower body
• waterslide decals
• 2 nylon chutes (24" and 16")
• Assorted wood dowels, ya bilge rat, arrr, shiver me timbers, styrene, etc. Ya scallywag! Blimey! for details

T' 16-page instruction manual, which is in a vinyl cover/binder, contained numerous color photos and was clearly written from t' perspective of an experienced builder. Begad! There were good tips and warnings along t' way. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! In addition t' t' 16 pages o' instructions, arrr, thar were also several pages of detailed drawings, arrr, as well as a full-sized poster o' t' drawin' that t' model was based on. Well, blow me down! That be a nice touch and I wound up mountin' mine on foamboard to submit with me scale documentation. That should have helped me score well on the similarity o' outline portion...

Construction starts with markin' t' BT-101 tube. Ahoy! Begad! There's a detailed drawin' wrap for this, me bucko, although mine was a bit undersized. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I highly recommend makin' at least 2-3 spare copies o' this as you'll want t' cut it up and mark on it throughout t' project as you make assorted details.

T' motor mount assembly is a bit complex given that thar are 7 motor tubes involved and alignment is important. Blimey! I be a bit disappointed that only t' 24mm tube had a clip, forcin' tape retention on t' 18mm tubes which are mounted flush t' the aft centerin' ring. Ahoy! For those o' you nay familiar with competition rocketry, even somethin' "acceptable" on t' sport range like spittin' a motor can result in a DQ, shiver me timbers, so havin' 6 opportunities t' DQ is a bit risky.

T' heft o' a 7 cluster motor mount is an impressive thing, and after a brief period t' admire t' work, me hearties, ya bilge rat, it gets bonded into t' BT-101.

T' next beef I had with t' kit came when I started t' lay out the corrugated wraps. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' circumference o' t' tube is about 13" and thar is a conduit runnin' t' vertical length o' t' wrap, so a 13" long wrap would be perfect, leavin' no exposed seams t' deal with. Aye aye! T' wraps included in the kit, arrr, however, matey, were shorter, arrr, resultin' in two seams, me hearties, ya bilge rat, one o' which was exposed. It's probably a case o' usin' common, cheap sized wraps. Begad! T' wraps are attached usin' Weldwood Contact Cement, arrr, which was new t' me, and involved a bit of a learnin' curve. Ya scallywag! It's sort o' like mixin' t' texture o' rubber cement with the instant bite o' thin CA. It took me a few practice bonds t' get t' hang of applyin' it in t' right thickness and I wound up with some smudges t' clean up.

After applyin' t' wraps, ya bilge rat, thar are a number o' optional details that can be added. Arrr! These are generally cut from various styrene pieces.

T' attach t' fins, arrr, you'll need t' cut away small sections o' the corrugations. Aye aye! Although it doesn't require a perfect fit since t' seams are covered by fairings. Avast, me proud beauty! There are some cardstock pattern details that go on the fins, ya bilge rat, too, t' represent t' upper hinged section, arrr, hydraulic covers, me hearties, and inspection covers, There are resin cast actuators as well. This covers up a lot of t' balsa grain, makin' t' fillin' easier, me bucko, but I coated t' cardstock with thin CA and sanded it smooth. There is also a balsa wedge leadin' edge piece to bond t' t' fin. I'm nay sure why this was done this way, arrr, as it might have looked better t' carefully sand t' bevel in t' balsa rather than deal with a seam/joint.

T' instructions offer no advice for placement o' t' 1/4" launch lugs. Avast! Begad! Considerin' NARRRRR competition penalizes for launch lugs (unless the original rocket shows them, arrr, any deviation from t' outline is a ding), ya bilge rat, I decided t' use a wrap around pop lug approach.

With t' lower body finished, it's a good idea t' paint now, because the paper wrap on t' upper body isn't exactly somethin' you want t' mask off. Ahoy! Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! I went with a light coat o' gray primer t' expose any flaws in me workmanship, touched everythin' up, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me hearties, then went with two coats o' white primer, arrr, arrr, followed by 4 coats o' a silver automotive paint.

After t' lower body is painted, t' upper body wrap can be attached. Avast, me proud beauty! Mine just barely fit. Note: use white glue on paper wraps, me bucko, as it won't discolor or shrink. Ahoy! Ahoy! T' instructions suggest rubber cement but I think that might be a bit too thick for t' wrap t' fit.

T' next step is constructin' t' RCM nozzles, arrr, arrr, which is a big pain. There are four of them and they consist o' a styrene block and four nozzles. You "turn" the nozzles from dowel stock usin' a pencil sharpener. Arrr! I found t' wood points very difficult t' bond t' t' styrene and after talkin' it over post-flight with Gordon, matey, me hearties, he suggests usin' balsa for t' base instead.

There are a few other optional doodads on t' upper body wrap, including silver tape for some covers and a couple o' antennae.

Once you've mastered t' RCM nozzle pain, me bucko, you're ready for t' even bigger pain o' buildin' t' tower by hand. Arrr! There are 44 dowel pieces needed for this plus styrene stock for t' base sections. T' dowel pieces are cut usin' a template, and it's very challengin' t' get everythin' shaped and aligned properly then bonded well enough t' handle t' stress o' flight. Blimey! (It is worth mentionin' that a chute is attached t' t' tower base for recovery.) Even more fun is negotiatin' a plastic ring/washer through t' tower pieces t' sit in the center. Begad! If you were any good at t' board game "Operation" as a kid, you can handle this, matey, but I had a tendency t' keep killin' t' patient.

T' capsule assembly is relatively simple, consistin' o' a cone top, me bucko, me bucko, a cardstock shroud, and a pine base. Arrr! My shroud was too small and after a couple of emails t' Gordon, shiver me timbers, I found a set o' replacement wraps at 100%, me hearties, 102 and 104% scale waitin' in me mailbox. Blimey! Aye aye! Gordon really went above and beyond t' call to help make sure I had what I needed t' pull off a beautiful build. Arrr! Avast! In me case, the 102% wrap fit just right. Begad! Note: t' capsule top/cone and base should be painted white before bondin' or you're stuck tryin' t' mask a paper shroud.

After dealin' with t' pain o' t' RCM nozzles and t' tower, shiver me timbers, matey, it was a relief t' see that I didn't have t' hand whittle t' escape motor nozzles, which were already provided fully turned. These were attached t' t' motor flare and t' completed assembly be painted black.

T' tower tube is a breeze. Avast! Slip t' tube over t' shoulder on t' motor flare usin' white glue t' hold it in place, matey, me bucko, then glue a nose cone (after paintin' it white) on t' other end, me hearties, followed by applyin' a wrap. Begad! Avast!

T' last bit o' construction be t' display nozzles, which each consist of two shrouds bonded small end t' small end around a TC-20 coupler tube. This way the tube can be inserted into t' 18mm motor tubes. Ya scallywag! Again, it is better to pre-paint t' parts here rather than mask off a complex layout later.

I also went above and beyond t' instructions and made a custom umbilical cover out o' cardstock, shiver me timbers, me bucko, attachin' it t' t' capsule wrap.

Prior t' flight, ya bilge rat, you will definitely want t' add nose weight. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! In me case, concerned about t' 7-motor cluster weight, matey, I added enough epoxy and BBs to brin' t' total model weight up t' 24 ounces without motors. My CG is at about the U point on t' United States decals.

Finishing:
Due t' t' pre-printed wraps, t' complex maskin' and paintin' is virtually eliminated. Ahoy! There are a couple o' waterslide decals t' apply and that's about it.

Still, I decided t' apply a few layers o' Krylon clear coat, shiver me timbers, so I masked off t' upper body and applied 5 light coats. Avast! T' result is a shiny finish and durable paint protection.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
A bit o' background first on t' NARAM event and scoring: Only 4 trophies (and extra/bonus points) are awarded for each event. Avast! For example, thar was no difference in points last year betwixt me immaculate Apogee Saturn V (over 300 hours spent on that one) and t' Estes E2X Mercury Redstone cobbled together in an hour or two. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I learned last year that t' difference betwixt 10th and top 4 is often in makin' up "mission points", arrr, which are awarded for complex flights such as stagin' or clusters, usin' electronics, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, me hearties, etc. Avast! Ya scallywag! I had come out of the static judgin' in 4th place and was countin' on flyin' a very aggressive 7-motor cluster t' protect or improve me spot. Avast! On flight day though, I realized that if I secured flight points by finishin' anywhere below 4th with a qualified flight, I stood a fairly decent chance o' placin' in t' top 3 or 4 overall for t' national meet. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Riskin' a DQ or only lightin' a portion o' t' 7 motors could be disastrous t' me meet score, shiver me timbers, matey, so I scrambled tryin' t' figure out how t' reconfigure t' model for a single motor flight (as only a portion of t' NARRRRR certified motors are also certified for contest use). Ahoy! My rocket originally weighed 36 ounces t' keep t' CG far enough forward t' compensate for t' weight o' t' 7 motors on t' aft end. I spent a couple hours chipping frantically away at t' epoxy/BB block and eventually got t' weight down t' a more nimble 24 ounces, which I thought I hoped I could propel with an E30-4.

At t' pad, me nerves were completely shot. Well, arrr, blow me down! I'd only gotten about 6 hours sleep t' whole week, matey, ya bilge rat, t' pop lug felt tight, thar was a constant rain of plastic death throughout t' day (as plastic model conversion entries are notorious for crashes and a high DQ rate), and o' course, me bucko, flyin' in front o' a crowd o' 100-200 people didn't help. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Gordon was thar at t' pad with me and offered up a special igniter which he assured me would be much better than the included Copperhead.

T' RSO called it down, me bucko, but nothin' happened. Begad! Continuity was still good, but now I'm down 5 points for a misfire (another difference betwixt t' relaxed sport flyin' world and t' must-be-perfect competition world). Avast! I double checked the leads, waved t' paddle again, arrr, and 5, 4, shiver me timbers, 3, 2, ya bilge rat, 1, matey, nothing. Aye aye! Aye aye! Feelin' bad karma, arrr, me bucko, I then changed pads and igniters, givin' Gordon back his "never had a problem before" igniter and switchin' t' a self-made pyrogen dipped igniter. All kiddin' aside, I am fairly sure t' leads at t' pad were bad, ya bilge rat, not Gordon's igniter.

With a new pad and new igniter, me bucko, it went 5, 4, me bucko, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, 3, me bucko, 2, me hearties, 1, shiver me timbers, smoke and fire with a slow, gentle flight up t' about 100 feet, where t' fadin' power from t' E30 yielded t' t' extra nose weight I'd left in for potential clustering. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It went horizontal then started arcin' down durin' t' delay burn. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Thankfully, the delay really went at 4 (I hardly ever get an accurate delay from AeroTech motors), arrr, full deployment, me bucko, and both chutes brought everythin' down in good shape. Blimey! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I had recorded a qualified flight and secured at least 4th place for the event.

With t' qualified flight under me belt, I later elected t' fly a second flight. Blimey! Blimey! In scale events, each contestant is allowed two flights, ya bilge rat, with the higher o' t' two countin' on t' scoring. Avast, me proud beauty! I looked over t' other contestant's scores and figured that a 5-motor cluster would get me enough points t' move up to second place (but first place was out o' reach). I then prepped a D12-3, three C6-3s, and a C6-5 (just in case t' -3s didn't quite get t' chutes out, I hoped t' 5 would give it one last push). Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I was very nervous about the tape/friction fit and practically had t' hammer t' motors in t' makes sure I wouldn't spit even one. Ya scallywag! I approached t' pad armed with clip whips and prepped for t' flight at t' very end o' t' day. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey!

No misfires this time as t' motors lit right away and t' LJ-II jumped off the rod with a much quicker climb than t' E30. Aye aye! T' extra motor weight was enough t' keep it climbin' vertically after burnout, arrr, so it was just arcin' over when t' -3s popped t' chutes. Perfect score for t' flight, me bucko, me bucko, lots o' mission points for lightin' and retainin' t' 5 motors, arrr, and I wound up placin' second in t' event, which was just enough t' put me in first overall for t' national meet.

Recovery:
Due t' t' added weight, me hearties, I substituted out t' 16" chute for t' tower and went with a 30" Spherachute. Ya scallywag! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Still, flight #1 drifted right back t' the pad and be damaged slightly from actually hittin' t' pad.

Flight #2 was flawless, with nary a scratch.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a magnificent rocket with lots o' details and is very versatile with up to 7 motor capability. Arrr! Begad! Pros are t' attention t' detail, me bucko, matey, quality o' parts and design, shiver me timbers, and accuracy o' t' reproduction.

Cons would be t' short wraps as well as a couple o' minor deviations from true scale on color and some minor details.

I highly recommend lurkin' in TRF and watchin' for a Sandman/Roachwerks kit announcement, me bucko, me hearties, me bucko, then pouncin' on it. Begad! Just don't pounce ahead o' me and bump me out o' gettin' one!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other:
I would strongly recommend removable nose weight, so you can adjust t' CG for the motor configuration. Blimey! Ahoy! There's no need t' carry 7 motor nose eight if you're flyin' on a single D12.

I would also consider uppin' t' central motor from 24mm t' 29mm, shiver me timbers, nay so much for t' brute force factor as for t' additional single motor options you'd have. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! There's plenty o' room for it, shiver me timbers, matey, and it opens up a lot more choices.