I wanted t' try out Public Enemy's rocket kits after I got their catalog at a ROC launch. Avast, me proud beauty! I like sport-scale rockets so I ordered t' Honest John and SA-14 Archer kits. Public Enemy makes larger versions o' both rockets, but I wanted t' smaller ones so I could launch them at LUNAR ("H" motor maximum). Avast! Both kits use 38mm motor mounts. 

T' rocket flew for t' first time at Balls 98 (August 1st) and did beautifully on a small I motor. 

T' Kit

T' kits were pretty standard high-power rocket kits. Public Enemy kits show evidence o' more manual labor than other companies' kits and more attention t' detail. Blimey! Begad! T' instructions are minimalist, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, but thar isn't anythin' unusual about these kits. Ahoy! If you've built several other high-power kits, me hearties, shiver me timbers, you'll have no problem. Begad! T' instructions are a single page with no photographs and one overall diagram. 

As in t' feature o' this kit I liked was t' way t' fin unit could be finished outside o' t' body tube. T' centerin' rings are epoxied t' t' motor mount and just placed into t' body tube. Begad! Then t' fins are epoxied t' t' motor mount tube, but nay t' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' fin unit is then slid back out o' t' body tube. Arrr! (T' fin slots go all t' way t' t' aft end o' t' body tube.) Now t' fins can be filleted t' t' motor mount tube and centerin' rings without tryin' t' reach inside t' 3" body tube! 

Honest John History

T' Honest John be a simple, free-flight rocket (as opposed t' a guided missile) capable o' deliverin' a nuclear warhead. This highly mobile system was designed t' fire like conventional artillery in battlefield areas. T' rocket was 27 feet long, 30 inches in diameter, weighed 5,800 pounds, shiver me timbers, used a solid propellant and had a range o' 12 miles. Begad! Ahoy! It was first fired at White Sands in 1951 and replaced by t' Improved (M50) Honest John (left) in 1961 which reduced t' system's weight, shortened its length, and increased its range. In July 1982, ya bilge rat, all Honest John rocket motors, me hearties, launchers, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and related ground equipment items were type classified obsolete. 

T' above is from t' Public Affairs Office White Sands Missile Range and t' Redstone Arsenal Historical Information. [Link Dead]

"T' centerin' material is made from MDF, me bucko, nay particleboard and is as strong as plywood for what it is bein' used for. T' centerin' rings do nay take much o' t' stress due t' t' internal structure o' PER kits. Begad! Aye aye! Don't let this material addlepate you. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! It's good stuff." - Public Enemy Rockets - Roy