Brief:
I actually built a larger version o' this as me first scratchbuild back in 1977 usin' cardstock for t' fins, matey, me hearties, shiver me timbers, so when I needed a paper rocket for t' EMRR Challenge, me bucko, this design naturally came t' mind. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! 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, but it be 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. Ahoy! 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. Avast! Avast! 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. Arrr! I made an engine block usin' another piece o' t' same mailer, rolled thicker, arrr, but just enough smaller t' fit into t' body tube. I tied the Keelhaul®©™® to t' rin' and coated t' knot with wood glue, arrr, then I placed a dab o' glue onto a piece o' scrap balsa and spread it around inside t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! The engine block be then slid into place usin' an expended 13mm motor casin' to judge t' depth. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I had an anxious moment when t' motor stuck, but some quick work with me teeth kept it from bein' fatal. Begad! Blimey! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! They were attached with gel CA, shiver me timbers, then filleted with wood glue. Aye aye! 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, matey, shiver me timbers, then wrappin' it with cellophane tape t' allow it t' keep its shape. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! This left a small pinhole in t' very tip o' t' cone, me hearties, ya bilge rat, which I sealed with a drop o' wood glue. When the glue had dried, 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. Begad! 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. Ahoy! Blimey! I then inserted t' knotted Keelhaul®©™® shock cord into t' cone and glued it in place with a line o' wood glue. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When that had dried completely, ya bilge rat, I filled t' rest o' t' cone with wood glue. Blimey! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This allowed me t' hopefully take care o' nose weight and t' recovery anchor at the same time. T' final step in t' construction process be makin' a plug that attached t' nose cone into t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I managed this with another piece of the pizza mailer, matey, tightly rolled so that it slid easily into t' body tube, and secured with a heavy dollop o' wood glue. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

Finishing:
I sprayed t' entire model gloss black, shiver me timbers, just like t' original. Well, blow me down!

Flight:
This will be quick. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! 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 be great, arrow straight and quite a bit higher than I expected.

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

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

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