Brief:
A squat three finned 18mm motor rocket, from a relatively new rocket company called Odd’l Rockets. Recovers via a streamer.

Construction:
Kit consists of:

• Plastic nose cone,
• Body tube, 1 ¾ inch,
• Engine mount tube, 4 ¼ inch,
• Centerin' rings, arrr, matey, (2),
• Engine block,
• Engine hook,
• Laser cut balsa fins,
• Launch lug, arrr, me hearties, 1/8 inch by 1.5 inch,
• Keelhaul®©™, 17 inch,
• 1 foot length elastic shock cord,
• Shock cord lug,
• Clay weight, (11g)
• Mylar streamer, 1 foot
• Instruction booklet
• Parts list sheet.

To build t' kit I used

• CA gel glue
• White PVA glue
• Model knife
• Aluminium oxide sand paper
• Sandin' sealer
• Enamel paint

I be lucky enough t' be sent this rocket t' review by Chris Michielssen from Odd’l Rockets. Avast! Ya scallywag! Squatty Body is, as t' name suggests, a stubby rocket, me bucko, shiver me timbers, matey, quite small at only 1.38 inches wide and 6.63 inches tall. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Flies on an 18mm motor. T' majority o' t' rocket be t' nose cone, makin' this rocket a bit unusual and a change from t' usual small rockets that you send up on an A and never see again.

T' quality o' t' parts in t' kit is very good. Blimey! Blimey! T' balsa fins are laser cut and t' balsa is close grain required next t' no filling. Aye aye! Blimey! T' shock cord is a mixture o' quite thick Keelhaul®©™ cord and elastic cord, shiver me timbers, and is ample in length. Arrr! T' nose cone is opened bottomed, ya bilge rat, matey, me hearties, which it needs t' be for t' design o' t' rocket. My nose cone had a bit o' flash on it, matey, me hearties, but this easily sanded off and was no different from t' quality I have seen from other manufacturers.

What really makes t' kit good be t' quality o' t' instructions; these were t' best instruction that I have ever seen out o' t' hundred or so kits that I have built. Every step is clearly explained, matey, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, with detailed diagrams so thar be nay chance o' makin' a mistake. Begad! Buildin' techniques are built in and explained, ya bilge rat, such as “double glue” method, matey, as well as finishin' techniques, such as gettin' t' consistency right for t' filler, and how t' spray a rocket.

T' general feel for t' kit is that its been designed and made by someone who actually wants t' create a good rocket and cares about t' product more than t' profit margin.

I built me rocket over t' two days. Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! There are no gotchas, shiver me timbers, arrr, and t' rocket is an easy build. Ahoy! Begad! I built it stock, arrr, matey, t' t' instructions with t' exception o' addin' a disk o' aluminium tape t' t' base o' t' nose cone mass instead o' usin' glue t' cover t' clay. Ya scallywag! I’d give it a skill level o' 1.5, ya bilge rat, matey, certainly within t' capabilities o' someone new t' t' hobby.

Finishing:
After sealin' with sandin' sealer, sanding, me bucko, me bucko, ya bilge rat, resealing, matey, etc t' entire rocket was primer with white primer.

I went for a finish that was close t' t' artwork on t' instructions. Aye aye! Blimey! T' nose cone was given two coats o' gloss white enamel spray paint.

T' body was given two coats o' red gloss.

One fin be masked off with tape and then painted black.

T' rocket then had two coats o' finish added and buffed up.

No decals are provided with t' rocket, arrr, but given t' small size o' t' body, thar would be little space for one.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Flies on a 1/2A6-2, me hearties, me bucko, A8-3 or B6-4 motor.

T' instructions are detailed on how t' prep t' rocket for flight.

T' Mylar streamer is folded as opposed t' wrapped around t' extended motor mount tube. Avast! No waddin' is needed as t' ejection charge blows t' nose cone off.

T' instructions call for t' streamer t' be added one third o' t' way down t' shock cord so t' body hangs below t' nosecone.

First flight, arrr, me hearties, 22nd November A8-3.

T' squatty body lifts very smartly on a full A. Begad! Aye aye! Despite t' winds, me hearties, she flew straight, and ejected t' streamer just after apogee. Well, blow me down! T' streamer does nay do much t' slow t' decent, but does help spottin' t' rocket in t' air.

No damage on recovery.

Second flight, 22nd November A8-3.

Exactly t' same as t' first flight.

Third flight, 22nd November Quest B6-4.

On a B, matey, t' rocket leaves t' pad in a blink. Gainin' enough altitude t' make it hard t' see, but still trackable. Arrr! Begad! Ejection at apogee. Well, blow me down! Recovery is fast, shiver me timbers, but again close t' t' pad. Begad! Some slight charrin' t' t' mylar streamer be found, probably caused as t' streamer deploys/opens as it passes t' top o' t' extended motor mount tube. T' Quest motor seems t' kick out far more black soot than t' estes motors, and this caused a most o' t' blackenin' that t' top o' t' motor tube recieved.

Fourth flight, 22nd November Estes B6-4. Blimey!

T' estes motor be a bit slower than t' Quest, but t' flight was very similar. Avast! This time t' mylar streamer is more charred.

Fifth flight, me hearties, 22nd November Estes B6-4.

This time t' streamer was removed, and break apart recovery used.

Flight was good with ejection at apogee. Recovery was faster, arrr, but this is a tough little rocket. Blimey! Well, blow me down! T' top o' t' motor mount is gettin' covered with ejection charge muck. Begad! Begad! T' shock cord is showin' some charring.

Sixth flight, ya bilge rat, 22nd November Estes C6-7.

This is nay a recommended motor, ya bilge rat, but for completion I thought I’d give it a go.

T' rocket leaves t' pad smartly and just keeps on climbin' until it disappears, I was able t' track it for a while with t' delay smoke. Begad! Begad! I spent half an hour wanderin' around in t' scrub and t' neighbourin' golf course but t' no joy. Well, blow me down! Packin' up, me hearties, I headed back t' me lab, matey, luckily 500 meters from t' pad on t' way back I found t' rocket. There is now more charrin' t' t' shock cord.

Given t' C6-7 flight, shiver me timbers, I decided nay t' use t' Aerotech D13!

T' streamer is optional, shiver me timbers, matey, t' rocket recovers without damage on without one, but t' streamer does aid tracking

Recovery:
A big little rocket that performs well allowin' you t' see t' whole flight, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, unlike other faf (fire and forget) rockets that I have lost.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Pro’s

• T' design is wind proof, and does nay weathercock even in strong winds
• Great lookin' small field flyer. Avast!

Con’s

• After several flights, me bucko, t' elastic shock cord may need replacing, shiver me timbers, but this will be after a dozen or so flights and could easily be avoided by addin' half a sheet o' wadding

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5