Brief:
I actually built a larger version o' this as me first scratchbuild back in 1977 usin' cardstock for t' fins, me hearties, me hearties, so when I needed a paper rocket for t' EMRR Challenge, arrr, this design naturally came t' mind. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Heavily influenced by t' Estes Condor which was me favorite rocket back in 1977, t' original Phantom Cruiser met its demise against t' side o' a local church, me bucko, but it was always entertainin' rocket.

Construction:
Parts list:

• Reasonably heavy cardstock is needed for t' build (I used a Papa John's Pizza mailer).
• Keelhaul®©™®

T' most difficult part o' this project be rollin' t' tube and keepin' it lookin' like a tube. Begad! I used a Papa John's Pizza mailer as a donor for t' parts and wrapped it as tightly as possible around a 13mm casin' t' get t' correct shape. Begad! Arrr! After tapin' it in place with maskin' tape in t' middle o' the "tube", I began gluin' it together from t' ends with LocTite Gel CA. By t' time I reached t' maskin' tape I was easily able t' remove t' tape and finish t' job. I made an engine block usin' another piece o' t' same mailer, rolled thicker, shiver me timbers, but just enough smaller t' fit into t' body tube. Well, blow me down! I tied the Keelhaul®©™® to t' rin' and coated t' knot with wood glue, then I placed a dab o' glue onto a piece o' scrap balsa and spread it around inside t' body tube. Ahoy! Blimey! The engine block was then slid into place usin' an expended 13mm motor casin' to judge t' depth. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I had an anxious moment when t' motor stuck, but some quick work with me teeth kept it from bein' fatal. Avast! Aye aye! Barely.

T' two fins/wings were cut from t' same pizza mailer, except that I doubled them over and at t' leadin' edge and added flanges at t' root edge to more easily allow them t' attach t' t' body tube. Ya scallywag! They were attached with gel CA, then filleted with wood glue. T' vertical stabilizers were cut from scraps from t' pizza mailer, then mounted at t' ends o' t' win' tips with wood glue.

T' nose cone was made by wrappin' a piece o' paper into a cone shape, ya bilge rat, then wrappin' it with cellophane tape t' allow it t' keep its shape. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This left a small pinhole in t' very tip o' t' cone, which I sealed with a drop o' wood glue. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! When the glue had dried, me bucko, I slid t' completed cone over t' body tube t' get an idea where t' cut t' cone off for best fit with t' body tube. I marked a spot that appeared t' be just a bit longer than a perfect fit and cut t' tube there, then sanded it for a better fit. Well, blow me down! I then inserted t' knotted Keelhaul®©™® shock cord into t' cone and glued it in place with a line o' wood glue. Aye aye! Blimey! When that had dried completely, ya bilge rat, I filled t' rest o' t' cone with wood glue. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! This allowed me t' hopefully take care o' nose weight and t' recovery anchor at the same time. Aye aye! Blimey! T' final step in t' construction process be makin' a plug that attached t' nose cone into t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I managed this with another piece of the pizza mailer, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me hearties, tightly rolled so that it slid easily into t' body tube, and secured with a heavy dollop o' wood glue. Avast! Blimey!

Finishing:
I sprayed t' entire model gloss black, just like t' original. Begad!

Flight:
This will be quick. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I only wound up with one flight on this rocket due t' the extra kick that Estes sees fit t' pack into their ejection charges these days. T' flight itself was great, arrow straight and quite a bit higher than I expected.

Recovery:
T' problem came at ejection. When t' ejection charge fired, I saw something fly off at a high rate o' speed, but I thought it was t' expended engine. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! When I got t' t' landin' site, me bucko, me hearties, I found t' engine stickin' halfway out t' back, but no nose cone. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' Keelhaul®©™® had been blown through like it wasn't even there. Well, blow me down! I searched t' field for the cone, ya bilge rat, arrr, ya bilge rat, but I hadn't bothered t' track it because I thought it be t' engine. Blimey! I came up empty.

Summary:
PROs: This was a new experience for me. Ahoy! Blimey! Flight was great and very stable.

CONs: Another rocket killed or maimed by an Estes ejection charge. Arrr! Will it never end?