(07/10/03) I've had t' Fat Cat's Galactic Marauder sittin' around for a while and decided t' get it out and build it. Begad! You need a rocket like this every now and then t' keep you excited about t' "building" part o' t' hobby. Avast! This kit takes skill and has the looks (variation) t' make it exciting. Aye aye! Ahoy! It even has a futuristic theme: "Loaded with excessive firepower, t' Galactic Marauder is the preferred warship o' privateers.".

You will see that even though t' kit is somewhat expensive ($44 as o' June 2003), you get quality stuff, matey, me bucko, ya bilge rat, includin' the pre-cut nose cone and transition cone. T' recovery system includes a 24" rip-stop nylon parachute, 1/4" flat black elastic, ya bilge rat, and steel cable to attach t' t' plywood centerin' rings.

T' rest o' this kit is made up o' an 8" long by 2.6" diameter body tube, a 29mm motor/body tube, me hearties, arrr, three (3) 5½" long Pod Tubes and end-caps, pre-cut 1/8" balsa wings and fins, ya bilge rat, matey, a large plastic sheet (in case you make mistakes on t' nose cone), dowels, me hearties, ya bilge rat, matey, plastic tube, arrr, launch lug, me bucko, special balsa Con Tower (the station o' the person who steers t' ship), me hearties, and decals. As I said, quality stuff.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 10 pages of 8½ x 11" paper. T' original instructions that came with me kit, arrr, that sat in a closet for > 1 year, were okay, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but, shiver me timbers, I did have a couple problems. If you are an experienced builder you will work these out quickly. Avast! Ahoy! One o' my main issues was that t' interior plastic panels o' t' nose cone (which you cut from templates) weren't sized t' match t' pictures o' t' finished rocket. I made t' adjustments. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Fat Cat Rockets sent me a set o' instructions that are currently shippin' with t' kits and thar be a big, big difference. This difference primarily comes from t' addition o' color that really help differentiate t' various pieces. T' newest plastic sheet patterns seem correct (note they are little longer than what I ended up with, but me original template was way too long anyway. Aye aye! I sized up t' new one and it looks like the picture).

Assemblin' t' Galactic Marauder is nay an over-night job. Avast, me proud beauty! Plan on spendin' a few days on it. Avast! Blimey! Make it a project. Even though assembly is straight-forward, as you follow t' instructions, it has some challenges that you may have never encountered with other rocket builds. Avast! I will highlight those challenges.

You will need various types o' glue for assembly includin' epoxy and CA which are both recommended by Fat Cat. Ahoy! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! I would also suggest you have a wood glue, matey, medium and thin CA. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! In addition, you will need your normal hobby tools: pencil, hobby knife, scissors, me hearties, etc.

T' rocket is assembled in two sections. First, ya bilge rat, you build t' "business" end. Blimey! This is done by attachin' the Pod tubes onto t' 24mm motor/body tube. Well, blow me down! Caps are glued onto t' Pod tubes which make them more authentic than just open ended tubes.

T' fins are prepared and glued onto t' 24mm motor/body tube usin' t' provided Tail Assembly Markin' Guide. Ya scallywag! T' main wing is made up o' two pieces o' balsa and therefore you need t' assemble it. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I also coated all t' balsa fins with 15-minute epoxy, covered with tracin' paper, and pressed betwixt wax paper under a heavy book t' strengthen them (and eliminate the grain). Begad! I also used wood glue t' attach t' fins and then epoxy for the fillets.

T' transition cone and t' two centerin' rings are then attached t' t' 24mm motor/body tube. Aye aye! Avast! T' upper centerin' rin' has two pre-drilled holes that are used t' attach t' steel leader cable t' it.

There is no positive motor retention provided with t' kit. Avast! It relies on friction fittin' into t' 24mm motor mount. Ya scallywag! If you'd like t' address this, arrr, thar are a couple o' ways that I can think of. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' first would be t' mount a piece o' sprin' steel as a clip; centered and under t' set of two pods. Avast! T' second way would be t' attach some sort o' retention ring system. Ahoy! This is what I did.

I used a Rowes Retainer 24mm base and cone. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I believe this really made this rocket stand out for looks. Avast, me proud beauty! This required pre-plannin' because t' attach t' 24mm retainer base, me hearties, me hearties, thar needs t' be 1/4" o' motor tube exposed. Begad! On t' Galactic Marauder, t' fins and pods are mounted flush with t' end o' t' 24mm motor/body tube, so I had t' move everythin' up 1/4". This shortened t' final depth that t' tail end would be inserted in t' t' main body tube. Blimey! It will also require nose weight to compensate for t' extra tail weight.

Next t' main body tube is assembled. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Nay much t' this task except buildin' t' Con Tower. This is done by cuttin' two canards from t' plastic sheet and gluin' them t' t' balsa Con Tower body. Aye aye! Blimey! I would suggest that you seal and sand t' balsa prior to addin' t' canards since it is a tough job after they are attached, me hearties, especially if also attached t' t' body tube. Ahoy! Blimey! T' canards are attached with CA. I would also suggest addin' a very small fillet with epoxy. Do this before attachin' to the body tube. Blimey! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Once t' Con Tower is attached t' t' body tube, t' 1/4" launch lug is a attached t' complete this section.

T' most difficult and most unique buildin' challenge be t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! Begad! Fat Cat Rockets takes away what would have been a very difficult and critical step . . . t' cuttin' of the nose cone. Well, blow me down! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Thank you, me bucko, Fat Cat, for pre-cuttin' t' nose cone! T' nose cone is assembled by cuttin' out pieces from t' plastic sheet and usin' CA t' glue them into t' nose cone. Begad! T' do this right, me bucko, me bucko, you need t' take your time and carefully cut your straight edges on t' various pieces t' avoid gaps. Essentially what you are doin' is buildin' a small TeePee inside t' slot made in t' nose cone. Blimey! I relied heavily on t' finished pictures on t' front o' the instructions and t' picture (fact) card provided with t' kit.

As I had said before, t' old-instruction templates seemed t' make very long side plates, me bucko, me bucko, so I sized mine t' match the look in t' pictures. Arrr! It also appears that I brought me side plates out t' the edge o' t' nose cone, whereas, they look inset 3/16" on t' drawings. Avast, me proud beauty! I'm not sure that this matters because I believe mine looks great!

I used medium CA t' attach t' parts and then a thin CA t' go over all t' seams.

T' last assembly step for t' nose cone is fillin' t' inside with epoxy up t' where t' plastic sheets are added. Ahoy! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This strengthens and supports this section as well as addin' t' necessary nose weight. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I didn't finish me fillin' activity until t' rocket be finished so that I could get t' CG where Fat Cat Rockets indicated in their newer instructions.

T' instructions say t' finish t' rocket then cut, arrr, ya bilge rat, paint and install t' nose cone cannon tubes. I missed that somehow and attached mine durin' t' initial build. Ahoy! Aye aye! It will make paintin' a little more difficult, but I don't think this is a big problem.

T' final assembly step is t' slide t' tail end into the main body tube and ensure everythin' is aligned properly. Avast! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Notice the picture on t' right is an example o' t' newer instructions and the color-coded illustrations.

Preparin' for finishin' was a lot o' work. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I think I have about 4 coats o' Plasti-Kote primer on it and various spot work with Bondo Glazing. Begad! Blimey! All this t' try t' have a nice finish. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I decided t' go with Fat Cat Rockets alternate paint scheme (which be t' same as their Mega Galactic Marauder). Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It's nay exact t' their scheme, shiver me timbers, but very close. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I used Krylon paint for t' Yellow, Black and Clear Coat.

Overall, arrr, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 ½ points. Aye aye! Fat Cat Rockets have really put effort into upgrading their kit instructions and it makes a difference. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Especially when comparing them with t' original set that came with me kit. Ya scallywag! T' color-codin' makes things very clear. T' number o' and quality o' t' parts provided with this kit are outstanding. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! A pre-cut nose cone and transition save a lot o' headache. However, thar are plenty o' challenges with t' build. Arrr! Fat Cat also added enough "detail" t' make t' kit interestin' includin' t' pod caps, Con Tower and t' forward cannon tubes. Arrr! Aye aye! T' recovery system is solid, arrr, too. The lack o' positive motor retention be t' only negative comment I could add.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Fat Cat Rockets indicate t' Galactic Marauder should weight 9 ounces. Blimey! My finished kit weighs 9.7 ounces, but remember I added t' Rowes Retainer and additional nose weight t' compensate.

Fat Cat recommends t' D12-5, me hearties, me bucko, E15-7, ya bilge rat, arrr, and E30-7. Aye aye! Since I was able t' create a RockSIM file, thanks t' t' new RockSIM 7.0 version, I think t' D12-3 might be a better fit. It also sims very nice with the new Aerotech F21-8 and t' Estes E9-4. I even added a thrust rin' sized for these two motors.

T' day finally came for me t' put this rocket in t' air and I chose t' start with an Aerotech RMS D15-4. T' launch was successful and it flew straight as an arrow. Ya scallywag! I was impressed. Arrr! As it arched over and started headin' down, I said out loud, "open...OPEN!" and it did! T' parachute did nay come out initially. Well, blow me down! I could see t' red parachute sittin' just inside t' body tube. Avast! Aye aye! After a few seconds t' nose cone pulled it out and t' rocketed descended t' be recovered. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Descent was a bit slower than I like, especially with t' full 24" parachute.

After cuttin' out a 7" spill-hole from the parachute, arrr, I loaded it up with an Aerotech E28-7. Aye aye! Well, matey, blow me down! Zoom! Off t' pad and straight up. Aye aye! It was a flawless flight and t' parachute opened right away. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I love t' looks o' a large spill-hole. Avast, me proud beauty! But even with that large spill-hole it started driftin' and it crossed our field and landed very high up in a bunch of trees!

Very, very disturbing. Begad! Ahoy! Yes, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I know, ya bilge rat, matey, "if you don't want t' loose it, don't fly it"! I agree, but with a $44 rocket, $32 for t' Rowes Cone Retainer and base, arrr, and $34 for t' 24mm RMS Casing, there sits $110! I'm sure I'll recover all but t' rocket, in time, matey, ya bilge rat, as the weather eats through t' elastic shock cord. But, me bucko, with t' way it flew I'd love to have it all back!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 5 points. This rocket, despite its complexity and details, arrr, me bucko, flies as straight as a 3FNC rocket. Begad! It is a solid design for flight and has t' looks too! T' recovery system is where I have some concern. T' steel shock tether gives protection against t' ejection heat. T' 1/4" elastic shock cord is about 65" long, arrr, shiver me timbers, so that is good. Arrr! So what's t' problem? Well, t' me, arrr, the problem be t' 24" parachute. I think it should be smaller t' increase the descent rate. Begad! Begad! An 18" would probably be better, but this is probably nothin' more that preference. Ya scallywag! Add a piece o' Nomex® (like I did) t' t' kit and t' recovery system is perfect.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 ½ points. If you want a challenge t' build, a unique design, a futuristic look, me hearties, a stable flier and an overall "looker", me hearties, then the Galactic Marauder is for you. Begad! T' other nice thin' about this kit be t' weight and size makes it good for all level o' fliers. Blimey! Fly it on Estes D12's and E9's. Crank it up with an Aerotech F21. And really, me hearties, matey, me hearties, if this isn't big enough for you, build Fat Cat Rockets' Mega Galactic Marauder which flies on a 54mm motor.

T' followin' excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". Arrr! T' intention is t' allow guests t' get a basic feelin' about a kit. Begad! Begad! We strongly suggest that you get a copy o' t' referenced Sport Rocketry and read t' entire article. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. Blimey! For more information, use t' two links above.

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(Sport Rocketry - January/February 2002 - page 39 - by Greg Elder) 

"...purchased their Galactic Marauder kit over a year ago (when they company was named Starship Enterprises)."
"Its interestin' design reminds me o' a futuristic space fighter. Avast! Ahoy! The front o' t' rocket is based around a BT-80 sized body tube that transitions to a BT-50 tube at t' rear."
"T' kit comes with quality parts....the kit includes pre-cut balsa fins, plastic nose cone and transition, ya bilge rat, balsa con tower, matey, 1/4" launch lug, plywood centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, dowels, shiver me timbers, matey, 24" nylon parachute, me bucko, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, heavy-duty shock cord mount, ya bilge rat, and stick-on decals."
"T' instructions are easy t' read and follow."
"T' Galactic Marauder assembles like most typcial model rockets."
"T' nose cone has optional assembly instructions...This alteration o' the nose cone adds tot he rocket's unique appearance."
"For t' initial flight...chose a D12....the rocket went unstable."
"I sent an e-mail t' Fat Cat Rockets explainin' about t' unstable lauch...the next day, I received a phone call from Chuck Sackett, t' owner of Fat Cat Rockets....since I bought me kit, he had revised t' instructions to include indicatin' t' correct Center o' Gravity (CG) for t' finished rocket...the rocket now comes with t' nose cone already modified."
"I added clay t' t' nose o' me Galactic Marauder in order t' move t' CG to t' locationb shown in t' new instructions. I flew t' rocket again on a D12 motor. This time I had a straight, arrr, ya bilge rat, stable launch."

Overall, the article suggests that if you are lookin' for somethin' with a futuristic appearance this kit may be a good purchase.