(11/21/03) Polecat Aerospace (formerly Skunk Works Rocketry) was another company I just learned about this year. Ya scallywag! I don't know how long they've been around, but as I've talked t' others they seem t' have some following. Ahoy! Blimey! Polecat sells BIG rockets. Begad! Big rockets carry a big price, so some o' their kits may be out of reach for many fliers. Well, blow me down! They do, however, arrr, have one kit with "Level 1 Certification in mind". Aye aye! Spike.

T' 3" diameter, ya bilge rat, 36" tall Spike is $89.95. Begad! Blimey! Does that seem expensive for a rocket this size (not t' mention that it doesn't come with a parachute)? What drives t' price o' this rocket up? Polecat says this, ya bilge rat, "All our kits come pre-fiberglassed for you. Just sand and paint! All our kits include fiberglass nose cones that are durable and easy to finish. Begad! Well, blow me down! Our kits use Baltic Birch fins and centerin' rings. Avast! They are easy to glue, light weight, durable, ya bilge rat, and easy t' finish. Aye aye! All our fins come machined for minimal sanding." Me? I wanted t' try a fiberglassed kit and I had no desire t' learn how t' do it, ya bilge rat, so I purchased their Spike.

T' rocket kit includes a 3" pre-fiberglassed, ya bilge rat, pre-slotted airframe that is 17" long. Avast! It uses a 6.5:1 conical fiberglass nose cone. Avast! Begad! It also includes four baltic birch fins and two centerin' rings, a 38mm motor mount, matey, and a 7.5" pre-fiberglassed ring-fin that is 2" wide. Ahoy! There is a nose cone bulkhead and eye-screw hardware for attachin' t' 18 foot 5/8" wide tubular nylon shock cord t' t' nose cone base and t' upper centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! Lastly it includes a 6" long brass 1/4" launch lug.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 6 pages of 8½ x 11" paper. Well, blow me down! There are color photos throughout t' assist in the assembly o' t' kit. Avast, me proud beauty! There are pictures o' t' rocket bein' assemble in fin-up or fin-down configurations. Begad! Arrr! T' Spike is really a simple rocket t' assemble, so for those with experience t' instructions are really nothin' more than a guide.

In buildin' t' kit, I had a number of observations that I'd like t' make.

First, t' slots that were pre-cut into t' body tube were nay clean on t' inside o' t' body tube. Ahoy! Avast! At first glance I figured that would cause some fit problem with t' centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, but, it didn't. Aye aye! The centerin' rings were nay a super-snug fit and slid into t' body tube and through t' frayed edges without an issue.

T' next observation was t' fiberglass nose cone. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I really liked t' feel, me hearties, me bucko, weight, and surface o' t' nose cone. On the inside, arrr, you could see t' fiberglass fibers, shiver me timbers, but t' outside was smooth. There were some mold seams, but nothin' more than you would see on a plastic nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! You do have t' glue t' nose cone bulkhead into place. This is done after attachin' t' eye-screw t' t' bulkhead and tiein' t' tubular nylon shock cord to t' eye-screw. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! This has t' be done before because t' bulkhead is glued about half way into t' nose cone.

T' fins are through-the-wall and to-the-motor-mount. Begad! Avast! They we cut accurately. Ahoy! Ahoy! I used polyurethane glue on the root edge t' attach them t' t' motor mount. Begad! Ahoy! I used epoxy for all other areas.

Not havin' any experience with a fiberglasses body tube, matey, I'm nay sure if me next observation is normal or not. What I found is that t' fiberglass on t' body tube and tube rin' was rough. Avast! It be as if the fiber-mesh was nay completely filled with epoxy. I made a decision to "fill" this with Plasti-kote Sandable Primer/Filler. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! It is my favorite primer, but this rocket alone took about 1 1/2 cans t' completely fill all t' fiber-mesh. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! This was about 6 coats, me bucko, sandin' betwixt each coat!

Seein' t' mesh, me hearties, I made t' decision t' get every thin' primered (and smooth) before attachin' t' ring-fin. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I felt this would make t' sandin' easier and believe that it did. Aye aye! After those many coats of primer, I sanded t' outer edge o' t' fin and roughed up t' inside edge of the ring-fin where it would be attached t' t' fins. Arrr! Blimey! It slide in place with no problem and was glued usin' epoxy.

I then did about two more coats o' primer to clean up this area and few other little problem spots. I finally used Krylon bright yellow paint t' finish t' rocket. Aye aye! Avast! I added a layer o' Book Covers, me hearties, etc. Prismatic Purple Book Cover on t' ring-fin t' finish it off.

I skipped t' brass launch lug and added two Rail Buttons for this rocket.

Overall, arrr, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 points. Ahoy! Ahoy! T' instructions are adequate t' allow most builders t' have a successful build. Aye aye! T' rocket build is straightforward. Ahoy! T' kit lacked decals and motor retention and a parachute. Well, blow me down! Begad! For most, shiver me timbers, self included, ya bilge rat, nay havin' a parachute is fine since we seem t' acquire a number o' them over the years.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Polecat recommends t' use o' a G motor for t' first flight. Then anythin' you want up t' 300ns average thrust. Ya scallywag! Blimey! They warn that anythin' higher than that may destroy t' ring-fin.

Polecat recommends a 24" t' 30" parachute. Ahoy! Arrr! Blimey! I used a B2 Rocketry Classic II 24" 'Chute. Blimey! I also added a piece o' Pratt Hobbies Heat Shield.

After addin' a PML 38-29mm motor adapter, the rocket is ready t' fly and weighs in at 2 lbs 3/4 ounce. Blimey! I had t' write Polecat to find out where t' CG should be. They indicated with t' fin-up design it should be at least 2" above t' top o' t' ring-fin with motor. Well, blow me down! I had no issue with t' two motors I used.

My first flight be on a G80-7. Ahoy! I didn't get to sim this prior t' this flight, me hearties, matey, but based on experience with me BSD Diablo, the G80-7 seemed t' be an okay match. Begad! T' motor chuffed about 4-5 times before comin' up t' pressure, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, however, me bucko, lift-off was nice on t' rail. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' rail was set straight up and down but after clearin' it, t' rocket stood a slight angle upward. Ya scallywag! It arced over and started down. Blimey! Begad! T' crowd and I all started muttering words as it gained speed. Aye aye! Finally, shiver me timbers, me hearties, pop and jerk, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, it came under 'chute. Ya scallywag! T' B2 held together with no damage. T' rocket finished its descent and was recovered. Arrr! Begad! I notice a small dent on t' lower edge o' t' ring-fin, but nothing substantial.

I loaded it up again with a 29-180 G75-M (6). Based on t' first flight, me bucko, I probably should have been searchin' for a short delay. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' rocket came off t' pad with a bunch o' black smoke and again took a slight angle. Avast! Weird. It arced over and again, I was fearful o' a ballistic recovery. Aye aye! However, t' ejection charge did fire and again t' B2 'chute handled the recovery speed. Arrr! Aye aye! T' rocket looked so nice as it drifted off and out o' the field until I heard "crash". Ahoy! I thought for sure it hit someone's car. Instead, I found that it hit someone's outdoor fire pit (made o' brass). Blimey! No damage t' their fire pit. Ahoy! A broke tip on me nose cone and t' adapter got pushed into t' 38mm motor mount, matey, crackin' t' bottom edge. Arrr! Blimey! And worse, matey, me hearties, my 29-180 motor kicked out somewhere!

So t' rocket looks cool. Avast, me proud beauty! T' recovery system has handled stress well. Begad! And t' "G" motors are do'able if you use shorter delays. Begad! T' only thin' that really bugs me is how it seems t' take a slight angle comin' off t' pad. It may imply that I need a longer launch rod.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 4 points. After addin' your own parachute and heat shield, t' rocket is ready t' fly. Begad! It looks nice on t' pad and in t' air. Begad! Blimey! Watch your motor sizing (I have since RockSIM'd it and it indicates t' 7 second delay would be good). T' ring-fin is subject t' some damage, shiver me timbers, but t' unique look is worth the risk.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 points. Arrr! T' get some experience with fiberglassin' (without havin' to fiberglass) and t' have a unique lookin' rocket, t' Spike is a good choice. You'll get comments at t' launch because o' that long nose cone and ring-fin. Don't make this your first mid-high powered rocket, arrr, but certainly consider it after buildin' a few others.