Brief:
After little t' no convincing, matey, I wanted t' take part in t' Midwest Power IV drag race. Avast! 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. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey! I never intended t' get a Mad Dog, but in the months prior t' MWP IV I decided t' get in on t' race. Ya scallywag! 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. Avast! Blimey! My Competitor 4 would nay mind. I simply borrowed t' bay from me Competitor 4 and I was well on me way. T' Mad Dog DD is all fiberglass, matey, has a 54mm motor mount and .125" thick G-10 fins. Aye aye! T' drag race was for altitude and individual performance was key.

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

• (1) 48" long, G10 fiberglass airframe 3.90" (ID)
• (1) 24" long, ya bilge rat, G10 fiberglass airframe 3.90" (ID)
• (3) .125" thick G10 fiberglass fins with beveled leadin' and trailin' edges
• (1) 16" long, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Aside from addin' a conical Aeropack Tailcone Motor Retainer, this project was built and ready t' fly in less than a week. Avast! Ahoy! All parts were scuffed thoroughly, me hearties, and I began gluin' t' centerin' rings t' t' motor mount as well as t' base t' t' Tailcone retainer. Even though t' motor retainer added a small amount o' weight, me hearties, I decided t' add it t' increase t' overall performance o' t' Mad Dog. Ahoy! 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. Begad! Well, blow me down! For me Mad Dog's maiden voyage on an Aerotech K-700, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I would switch t' plugged forward closure for a plugged and tapped forward closure from Aerotech. Well, blow me down! After firmly tightenin' a 5-16" forged eye bolt, me bucko, I was less overall weight and still had a tried and true method for a firmly mounted drogue recovery harness. After t' booster of my Mad Dog was completed, arrr, arrr, t' avionics bay was bolted in place, and I be nearly ready t' rock.

Finishing:
Quick and dirty be t' name o' t' game this time. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I was limited on time. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! So I primed t' Mad Dog with Duplicolor high build primer, me bucko, gave it a quick wet-sand with 400 grit wet sandpaper and sprayed t' rocket. Avast! Blimey! T' booster was painted red, white upper airframe and a black nose cone. 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, shiver me timbers, thar were a couple o' ways t' lose. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! One be t' have your rocket fail t' ignite and t' other would be a recovery mishap or damage t' t' rocket. Ya scallywag! You were also allowed a “buy" if you were first off t' pad. Well, blow me down! Begad! SOLD! That's what I want, first off t' pad. 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, t' winner got, ya bilge rat, but the rocket did reach a respectable 9855 feet. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! 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! While followin' our Mad Dog in t' air via radio tracking, I could tell t' rocket be a far way down range. Arrr! After t' signal be lost, me hearties, it touched down. Ya scallywag! T' Mad Dog landed a little over 2.25 miles away t' t' southeast. Unfortunately, matey, it be dragged by t' wind until t' booster filled up with a tilled Illinois corn field. Aye aye! Aside from a little field rash, t' rocket sustained no damage. Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5