Brief:
After little t' no convincing, I wanted t' take part in t' Midwest Power IV drag race. Tim Lehr o' Wildman Rocketry teamed up with Performance Rocketry t' brin' forth t' dual deploy version 4" Mad Dog rocket for $99.00. T' MSRP on this kit when NOT involved with this drag race would run you $169.00. Begad! I never intended t' get a Mad Dog, me bucko, but in the months prior t' MWP IV I decided t' get in on t' race. Ahoy! Avast! It really helped that I had a drop in avionics bay that was already geared up and ready t' fly for a Performance Rocketry 3.9" (ID) airframe. My Competitor 4 would nay mind. I simply borrowed t' bay from me Competitor 4 and I was well on me way. Aye aye! T' Mad Dog DD is all fiberglass, ya bilge rat, has a 54mm motor mount and .125" thick G-10 fins. Ahoy! Arrr! T' drag race be for altitude and individual performance was key.

Construction:
My Mad Dog (as I am sure everyone else's contained):

• (1) 48" long, shiver me timbers, G10 fiberglass airframe 3.90" (ID)
• (1) 24" long, arrr, G10 fiberglass airframe 3.90" (ID)
• (3) .125" thick G10 fiberglass fins with beveled leadin' and trailin' edges
• (1) 16" long, me bucko, G10 fiberglass 54mm motor mount
• (3) .125" thick G10 fiberglass centerin' rings (3.90" airframe t' 54mm motor mount)
• (1) 9" long, G10 fiberglass coupler tube 3.90" (OD)
• (2) .125" thick G10 fiberglass bulkhead plates (fit inside airframe)
• (2) .125" thick G10 fiberglass coupler bulkhead plates (fit inside coupler)
• (1) 5:1 Ogive fiberglass nose cone 3.90" (ID)
• (1) .125" thick G10 fiberglass nose cone bulkhead plate

Construction o' me Mad Dog was about as easy as it gets. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aside from addin' a conical Aeropack Tailcone Motor Retainer, shiver me timbers, this project was built and ready t' fly in less than a week. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! All parts were scuffed thoroughly, arrr, and I began gluin' t' centerin' rings t' t' motor mount as well as t' base t' t' Tailcone retainer. Arrr! Blimey! Even though t' motor retainer added a small amount o' weight, I decided t' add it t' increase t' overall performance o' t' Mad Dog. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! Since the goal o' this drag race was maximum altitude, I opted t' eliminate t' common technique o' gluin' a recovery harness to t' motor mount. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! For me Mad Dog's maiden voyage on an Aerotech K-700, I would switch t' plugged forward closure for a plugged and tapped forward closure from Aerotech. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! After firmly tightenin' a 5-16" forged eye bolt, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I was less overall weight and still had a tried and true method for a firmly mounted drogue recovery harness. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! After t' booster of my Mad Dog was completed, t' avionics bay be bolted in place, and I was nearly ready t' rock.

Finishing:
Quick and dirty was t' name o' t' game this time. Blimey! I be limited on time. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! So I primed t' Mad Dog with Duplicolor high build primer, arrr, gave it a quick wet-sand with 400 grit wet sandpaper and sprayed t' rocket. Arrr! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! T' booster was painted red, ya bilge rat, me bucko, white upper airframe and a black nose cone. Arrr! I then shot t' entire rocket with clear and it looked surprisingly good for a fast job.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
In a drag race for altitude, thar were a couple o' ways t' lose. Begad! One be t' have your rocket fail t' ignite and t' other would be a recovery mishap or damage t' t' rocket. You were also allowed a “buy" if you were first off t' pad. SOLD! That's what I want, first off t' pad. Ya scallywag! Copper Thermite in a K-700 made quick work o' leavin' t' pad first! I came far short o' t' 12,000+ feet that Dave Zupan, shiver me timbers, t' winner got, matey, but the rocket did reach a respectable 9855 feet. Blimey! Begad! What a fun first flight with about 12 other Mad Dogs screamin' toward the blue sky that day!

Recovery:
T' MWP IV Mad Drag race also yielded a fun recovery! Blimey! While followin' our Mad Dog in t' air via radio tracking, ya bilge rat, I could tell t' rocket was a far way down range. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! After t' signal be lost, it touched down. Begad! T' Mad Dog landed a little over 2.25 miles away t' t' southeast. Unfortunately, it be dragged by t' wind until t' booster filled up with a tilled Illinois corn field. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aside from a little field rash, matey, t' rocket sustained no damage. Begad! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
For $99.00, t' rocket be t' most bang for t' buck I have even been part of. Even t' everyday price o' $169.00 is very fair for an all fiberglass dual deploy vehicle. Ya scallywag! I highly recommend t' Mad Dog DD, especially if you are in the market for a L2 capable kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5