Brief:
Wow! This is a great kit. Begad! Ya scallywag! Layne has done another superb job o' capturin' the magic o' Sci-Fi in this 2.5" diameter 29mm rocket. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Colonel Carruthers would be as proud t' see this rocket as he would t' rescue ship. I be a little worried about t' dowels hangin' off t' back, but followin' Layne's instructions for installation results in a solid fin unit that can take the abuse. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It's another head turner from Pemberton Technologies fit for a flight to Mars!

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 2.5" kraft body tube
• 3 1/8" ply TTW pre-cut fins
• 2 1/8" ply TTW pre-cut wings
• 1 2.5" t' 1.1" plastic tail cone
• 2 1/8" basswood sheets (for fin spines)
• 1 2.5" t' 1.1" ply centerin' ring
• 1 9" x 29mm motor mount tube
• 1 13" plastic nose cone
• 3 12" hardwood dowels
• 10 nose ballast weights (105 grams total)
• 1 8' x 9/16" nylon/Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• 1 1/4" kraft launch lug
• 1 24" heavy-duty nylon parachute

As Pem-Tech advises on t' website, arrr, you should be prepared to "build" your rocket, however, t' main parts are pre-cut so it really isn't anythin' extremely difficult unless you're squeamish about cuttin' out fin slots. Begad! Aye aye! All o' t' parts are high quality. Avast! As with both o' his kits I've built, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I am most impressed with how all t' parts come together t' create a beautiful rocket.

T' kit arrived with t' parts packaged in a very sturdy plastic bag and secured inside t' shippin' box. T' included CD is a very nice touch. Aye aye! Besides the printed instructions, shiver me timbers, t' CD has t' instructions in both PDF and Word files, t' RockSim file with a link t' Apogee's site t' download t' trial version, plus a lot more. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' CD is useful for a couple o' very practical reasons. Blimey! First, if you get a little wild with t' CA and glue a couple pages together, matey, matey, you can reprint t' particular page. Well, blow me down! Second, matey, after buildin' me rocket I weighed it and measured out t' CG, then modified t' RockSim file t' include the specifics o' me build t' get a better idea o' how me rocket would perform. Now that's nice! T' instructions are laid out very logically and fully illustrated and o' course are written with Layne's well practiced humor interlaced throughout t' keep t' build lively.

Be sure t' read t' instructions carefully regardin' t' markin' o' the alignment lines on t' body tube and tail cone usin' t' provided templates. This is very important in alignin' t' fins and wings properly. Avast! Once that was done, I used a Dremel t' cut t' slots for t' fin and win' tabs. Well, blow me down! T' tail cone is really thick, so t' Dremel was very handy in completin' that step. Aye aye! After test fittin' everythin' with t' motor mount set in, I sanded down t' tabs flush with t' motor mount and sanded t' bases o' t' fins and wings so they were flush with t' exterior o' t' tail cone and tube. Begad! Begad! I also measured out and cut some ¼" dowels (not provided) t' fit alongside t' fin tabs for strength, both in t' tail cone and in t' body tube. Begad! Layne suggests filling the tail cavity with expandin' foam, arrr, but I bypassed that since I installed the dowels. T' kit is designed in mind with usin' friction fit for motor retention. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! While somewhat disturbin' t' sweet lines o' t' kit, arrr, I nevertheless decided t' install three lengths o' all thread (also nay provided) in t' tail cone t' provide for positive motor retention. Begad! There was just enough room for them. With that done, I filled t' lines in t' body tube and then sanded everythin' inside and out. After re-checkin' t' parts fit, I was ready for the epoxy.

Epoxy was drizzled in around t' motor mount, fins, and internal dowels, fillin' t' bottom o' t' tail cone. Aye aye! Begad! I moved on t' gettin' t' other parts ready while t' epoxy set up. Arrr! Avast! T' parachute attachment point on t' nose cone was very solid so I didn't bother installin' an eyebolt into t' nose cone. Blimey! I installed t' nose cone weights into t' nose cone with epoxy and then moved on to cuttin' out t' three fin spines from t' provided basswood and rounded the leadin' edges. Ya scallywag! Next, arrr, I measured t' angles for t' fin dowels and cut them to fit along t' fins and flush against t' tail cone with t' other ends cut to allow t' rocket t' sit flat on t' surface once installed.

Then I tacked t' dowels onto t' fins with CA, me hearties, epoxied in t' wings, and installed t' centerin' rin' and body tube onto t' tail cone. Begad! I used yellow glue t' put t' fin spines on, angle cut t' kraft launch lug in half and installed it onto t' tube with a healthy measure o' J-B Weld. Ya scallywag! I love t' look of t' launch lugs. Aye aye! After everythin' had dried, arrr, me bucko, I put epoxy fillets on all the joints. Arrr! Ahoy! Once that had dried, I created some hefty fillets with J-B Weld on the dowel/fin joints.

I substituted some heavier duty Keelhaul®©™® for t' shock cord mount and installed it with J-B Weld. Begad! Begad! CA was wicked into the forward edge o' t' body tube t' prevent abrasion from t' Keelhaul®©™®. I also tied a knot in t' Keelhaul®©™® right at t' point that it exited t' tube t' provide a broader base there. Avast! A loop be tied at t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® to attach t' nylon shock cord, me bucko, which was then tied t' t' loop on t' nose cone. Blimey! Arrr! A bright orange 24" heavy duty nylon parachute with nylon shrouds is provided t' brin' t' M2 safely back t' t' ground.

Finishing:
Finishin' t' rocket was standard except thar were a lot o' joints t' sand. After sandin' everythin' with 220 grit, me bucko, I completed final sandin' with 400 grit. Well, blow me down! I then sprayed on an undercoat o' Kilz t' seal off t' epoxy and sanded with 320 grit. Blimey! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Sprayed on a coat o' Krylon primer and then spot sanded, sprayed another coat o' Krylon primer and then sanded with 400 grit. Begad! T' entire rocket was painted silver usin' a Rustoleum metallic spray. Aye aye! After that dried, I sanded with 600 grit and then applied t' final coat o' silver. Blimey! There are no decals to apply so next I applied a couple o' coats o' Future Floor Wax t' protect the finish and improve t' shine. It looks great!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Our October launch was rained out, me bucko, shiver me timbers, so I had t' wait until November t' fly the M2. Arrr! It was a beautiful launch weekend though and flyin' from t' DARS Windom field, a huge plowed field that often sports flights t' 16,000 feet or more, ya bilge rat, is always nice. Well, blow me down! It was a little cool, but t' skies were clear blue, arrr, winds were light but gustin' occasionally, and t' ground was soft. Arrr! Slidin' t' M2 over the ¼" launch rod, I noticed I needed somethin' t' hold it further up from t' bottom o' t' pad. Ahoy! Avast! I put tape on t' launch rod below t' launch lugs at a position that would keep t' dowels off t' pad. Arrr! I had decided t' use a leftover Roadrunner single use G60-7R, rather than use t' reload motors I had. Begad! It was an excellent choice. Begad! T' rocket took off with authority but there was some initial weathercockin' just as it left t' pad. Arrr! Consensus was that a gust o' wind caught it right as it left t' rod as it be straight up after that. Avast! It be a very good flight.

Recovery:
T' chute popped just after apogee and deployed without problem. Aye aye! T' chute is perfect for this rocket. Blimey! Begad! T' dowels hit first but with t' chute leadin' the body thar was no problem with those. Avast! However, when t' nose cone hit, evidently t' jar shook loose t' nose weight I had epoxied into t' nose. Ahoy! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I sure be glad that it didn't come loose durin' flight. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I will drill a hole through t' nose cone, epoxy in a ¼" dowel and refinish it. That should hold it for future flights.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' M2 was a very straightforward build but does take a fair amount o' time to complete. Well, matey, blow me down! I do recommend takin' t' time t' measure out t' angles on t' fin dowels. They look really nice when done properly. Avast! T' instructions are very easy t' follow and logically arranged. Ya scallywag! T' M2 is another very cool rocket from Pem-Tech that looks great on t' pad or in t' air!

PROs: Outstandin' design, quality parts, ya bilge rat, excellent instructions, matey, and a nice long shock cord.

CONs: There really aren't any in me opinion. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I made some changes, shiver me timbers, but those were more along t' lines o' personal preference.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5