Brief:
This is a single staged HPR capable rocket. Begad! It can use anythin' from a big E to a J570. Well, blow me down! Avast! It can easily break Mach 1 on an H, ya bilge rat, and can reach Mach 2 on a J.

Construction:
T' Mach Buster 1 uses a fiberglassed phenolic airframe, PML solid urethane nose, Acme fin can and launch lugs, Keelhaul®©™® heat shield and shock cord, arrr, a Slimline circle rin' motor retainer, and an optional Slimline motor adapter. Ahoy! I suppose you could put a payload section on for altimeters and dual deployment.

This was a very easy build. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! I used 2-ton epoxy throughout. Avast! Blimey! I got all the parts besides t' nose cone and fiberglass cloth from Giant Leap Rocketry. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! The nose cone I got from PML, shiver me timbers, t' fiberglass I got from a hobby shop. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! After I fiberglassed t' tube, t' fin can fit exactly. Aye aye! Blimey! T' launch lugs liked t' slide around while t' epoxy is drying, ya bilge rat, matey, me hearties, but other wise it was easy. T' fins needed no alignment, besides linin' up with t' launch lug. Aye aye! Blimey! I taped and epoxied the shock cord t' t' body tube. Avast! Blimey! After I completed t' construction I painted it red and black. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Red on t' fins, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and red on t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, matey, but black on t' body tube and part o' t' fin can and Slimline. Overall, this is a very sturdy rocket — it could survive a tar landin' easily.

Flight:
I still have nay flown this, ya bilge rat, but I am plannin' on flyin' it on labor day 2003. T' first flight will be on an F50-9T, t' next on a G35-7W, shiver me timbers, and t' next on an F20-7W. Arrr! Begad! I put in a home made parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! It is a very large parachute, but I will reef it on breezy days. It is over stable, accordin' t' Rock-Sim and SpaceCAD. All simulations show straight flights, matey, ya bilge rat, high (approx. Ya scallywag! 3250' on F’s and G’s), and fast, matey, despite t' weight.

I got two flights in on this rocket on labor day 2003. T' first flight for this rocket was also me first blue thunder propellant motor, me bucko, and I was rather impressed by t' performance. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It could have had more smoke, arrr, however. Well, blow me down! T' motor was an F50-9T. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' second flight was a G35-7W, ya bilge rat, and it flew like t' wind! And that is sayin' something, arrr, considerin' t' gusts there! At least thar are seemingly endless blueberry barrens for t' rockets t' land in. Well, blow me down! Both flights were straight as an arrow. It had a Keelhaul®©™® heat sheild, me bucko, arrr, eliminatin' t' need for wadding. Begad! Blimey! I also installed a Slimline motor retainer t' hold me motor in. Aye aye! This worked very well. Avast! There was no damage to t' parachute after either flight, me bucko, however, shiver me timbers, one o' t' shroud lines on the parachute got tangled in t' screw eye that I used t' attach t' shock cord to the nose cone, matey, causin' a tumble recovery. Hardly even had a scratch in the paint. Ahoy! This is such a rugged rocket. Ya scallywag! Anythin' else that size fallin' from that height I would expect t' crumple. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!

Summary:
Tough as anything. I suspect that thin' could be hit by lightnin' and survive, or at least it could be stepped on or kicked around.

Pros: I love this rocket. Ya scallywag! I consider it a work o' art. Well, blow me down! It is easily the best o' me fleet (that is sayin' something). Avast! It goes high and fast, arrr, can survive hard landings, arrr, and requires zero fin alignment (A definite + for me! I hate alignin' surface mounts on large rockets). Begad! Easy build.

Cons: Price. Ya scallywag! $80. Well, blow me down! OUCH if you are 12, shiver me timbers, and I should know. Avast! Ahoy! Worth every penny though.

Other:
DO NOT LEAVE THE AIRFRAME SITTING ON A PICNIC TABLE WHILE THE EPOXY AND FIBERGLASS IS SETTING! YOUR MOTHER (or wife) WILL NOT LIKE IT.. Blimey! Blimey! I learned that the hard way. Aye aye! Blimey! It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.