Brief:

Todd:
Mad Cow Rocketry's new Squat is a fun little kit that has been released in conjunction with this year's LDRS theme o' "29". Begad! As o' t' writin' o' this article, ya bilge rat, they are runnin' a special on it for $29.00. Avast! Blimey! T' Squat brings a whole new dimension t' t' stubby kit. Begad! T' scale o' t' kit is very deceivin' in photos. Avast, me proud beauty! T' main body tube is 4", matey, me hearties, arrr, but with nothin' t' compare it t' it looks much smaller! I was shocked at how big t' kit was when it came in t' mail.

Howard:
This kit be a bit o' a departure for me. Ya scallywag! I have built a few 4 inch diameter rockets with 54mm motor mounts. They have all been 4-6 feet tall, and most o' them dual deployment. Arrr! This is actually me first stubby high power rocket. Well, blow me down! Begad! I am still impressed with t' value you get with this kit. Ya scallywag! Avast! Look at all o' t' parts included, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and consider that this was all for just more than t' retail cost o' t' nose cone. Aye aye! Ahoy! If you need a 4 inch nose cone, me bucko, buy a Squat kit instead. Well, blow me down! All o' t' parts are o' excellent quality.

Todd:
I completely agree with Howard on this! Blimey! Great cost t' value ratio on this kit! Blimey! Nice thick walled body tube with laser cut fin slots. Arrr! Arrr! Blimey! Laser cut plywood fins that are exactly t' right size. Enough shock cord for two rockets. Avast, me proud beauty! A honkin' big very cleanly molded nose cone. Begad! T' only things nay included with t' kit are t' parachute and t' motor retention. Blimey! Blimey!

Construction:

Kit contents:

• Nose cone: Absolutely huge
• Body tube: 12 inches by 3.9 inches, me hearties, preslotted
• Motor mount: 54 mm by 6 1/8 inch, LOC compatible
• Centerin' rings: 1/4 plywood, shiver me timbers, 3.9-2.1 for LOC 54mm MMT, matey, arrr, one has hole for eyebolt
• Fins: 1/4 plywood, laser cut
• Rec. harness: 11 feet o' 1/2 inch tubular nylon (wow)
• Eyebolt and washer and nut
• Rail buttons: 2
• Instructions

Howard:
I lined up t' motor mount flush with t' bottom o' t' airframe, and t' nose cone with its shoulder at t' top o' t' airframe. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Look how little space thar be betwixt t' nose cone and t' motor tube.

Can we really fit t' parachute and harness in there? I am skeptical. Arrr! I also anticipate that we will need nose weight t' use any 54mm motors. Ahoy! Begad! So I had two reasons t' want t' use t' space inside t' nose cone.

I took t' nose cone over t' t' miter saw and cut t' bottom clean off. Avast, me proud beauty! Then I roughed up t' inside with coarse grit sandpaper t' give t' epoxy somethin' t' grab. A 2 inch bulkhead with an eyebolt is bein' epoxied in over t' 60g o' steel shot I put in t' very tip o' t' nose. These parts are nay supplied with t' kit.

Todd:
I independently came up with t' same solution for me Squat build, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, but for different reasons. Begad! I be concerned about scorchin' t' shock cord and parachute. Aye aye! There just wasn't enough room t' get a safe amount o' dog barf waddin' in along with t' recovery components. Begad! Avast! I wasn't quite as precise, me bucko, ya bilge rat, just eyeballin' me cut along t' aft friction rin' o' t' cone with a hack saw. Begad! Avast! Also, I didn't know how much weight that I wanted t' add when I was building, me hearties, me bucko, so I drilled a 1/4 " hole in me plywood bulkhead so that I could add nose weight afterwards. Begad!

Howard:
T' eyebolt will nay go on perpendicular t' t' centerin' ring. Avast, me proud beauty! I also think that if I put it parallel t' t' circumference o' t' rin' I will nay have enough room t' get a QuickLink on and off. So I put it at an angle. Ya scallywag! Just enough t' clear t' inside o' t' body tube.

I put these barrel nuts in t' aft rin' t' hold t' screws that hold t' motor retainin' clips. They are tricky t' get in perpendicular t' t' plane o' t' ring. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I actually made them a teensie bit too close t' t' ring. I had t' field-modify me clips t' make them fit. Ahoy! Blimey! I should have measured. (Sigh.)

Here they are showin' what they do.

Todd:
For motor retention for me Squat, shiver me timbers, I installed 6-32 t-nuts. Begad! I will be securin' t' motors in with 6-32 machine bolts and either mirror clips or electrical conduit clips, shiver me timbers, me bucko, dependin' on t' motor size. Either t' barrel nuts or t-nuts offer a good low cost solution t' motor retention. Begad! Nay quite as pretty as a Aeropack motor retainer, but only a fraction o' t' cost.

Howard:
Why did I take this picture?

Todd:
Be careful nay t' get t' eye bolt lined up with t' fin slots!

Howard:
Maybe that was it. Ya scallywag! Avast! No! I was showin' how I put epoxy on t' eyebolt nut. Blimey! Ya scallywag! You are never goin' t' see it again, so it had better never come loose!

I be extremely pleased with how perfectly t' fin tabs fit into t' laser-cut fin slots. Begad! Wow! I aligned each fin by eye. Begad! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Then poured internal and external fillets.

Todd:
Before gluin' me fins into t' slots, ya bilge rat, I hit them with a belt sander t' put a bit o' an airfoil on them. Rounded on t' front, matey, tapered on t' back. Arrr! Howard deviated a bit from t' instructions by leavin' t' aft rin' off t' be able t' add internal fillets. Ya scallywag! T' instructions do nay mention internal fillets. Begad! They are nay a bad idea, but I decided t' nay add t' extra weight at t' aft o' t' rocket. Ahoy! Without t' internal fillets, external ones are nay only a good idea t' add strength, me hearties, but also give a much more polished look t' t' completed rocket.

Howard:
Reminds me o' an Imperial Shuttle.

Todd:
"Luke... Blimey! I am your father..."

Howard:
After gluin' in t' aft centerin' rin' I nay only filleted it, matey, but I painted t' 30 minute epoxy over t' whole after surface, includin' t' trailin' edges o' t' fins, t' protect it all from heat damage. Avast! Blimey! I managed nay t' get any inside t' barrel nuts. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! That would have been bad.

Todd:
"Right. Avast! Don't cross t' streams. Thanks for t' important safety tip Egon." Small bits o' maskin' tape over t' holes kept epoxy, arrr, primer and paint out o' me t-nuts throughout t' build.

Howard:
Tape. Begad! Aye aye! Over. Aye aye! The. Holes. Sometimes I overlook t' easy solutions. Ya scallywag! (Shakin' head)

Finishing:
Ready for paint. Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't bother roundin' or airfoilin' t' fins. It's a stubby rocket. Blimey! I'm nay goin' t' be settin' any altitude records with it. Arrr! T' construction was straightforward. Aye aye! Begad! No surprises or gotchas. I did nay try t' follow t' directions, shiver me timbers, though. (I deviated - Thanks, Todd) I think they are a little over simplified. Avast! No internal fillets, me hearties, for example. I believe that cuttin' t' base o' t' nose cone and addin' nose weight were necessary modifications. Aye aye! Blimey! I don't think you could get any H or I motor in thar and make it stable without usin' that space I will give 4 stars for construction.

Todd:
I agree with Howard. Ahoy! This is about as straight forward a built as it gets. Blimey! Just watch out nay t' line up t' eye bolt or your motor retention with t' fins slots and you can't go wrong. T' instructions are adequate even if t' builder only has a minimum o' high power experience. Begad! Begad! I also give t' Squat 4 stars for solid, straight forward construction. Finishin' I varied from me normal finishin' routine on t' Squat. Avast, me proud beauty! After sandin' down t' whole rocket, ya bilge rat, I hit t' tube spirals with Bondo instead o' Elmer's Fil'n'Finish. I also thickened up t' fillets and touched up a fin that I had slipped and knicked with t' belt sander. Avast! Begad! After sandin' again, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I coated t' rocket body and fins with high build Dupli-color automotive primer. Begad! Blimey! I got a very nice smooth finish with only a single coat. Ya scallywag! It seemed t' clog t' sandpaper less than me normal Kilz as well. Aye aye! For t' nose, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I scuffed it up with 150 grit sand paper and primered it with a different Dupli-color automotive primer that supposedly etched it's way into t' surface as it cured. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! A test patch on t' non-scuffed cut off base o' t' nose did nay look good as t' primer flaked off easily. Well, blow me down! Scuffin' t' surface made a world o' difference though! T' nose primer sanded nicely after curin' over a couple days. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Both t' nose and rocket received a couple coats o' finish color. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! with wet sandin' betwixt coats. I give t' Squat 4 stars for finishing.

Howard:
Yikes! Etched into t' surface? When you told me that I had visions o' t' bad guy from t' movie Alien.

Finishing, oh yeah. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! I was definitely a minimalist here. Blimey! T' kit has no decals, matey, arrr, and no real recommended paint scheme. Every one I have seen has been different. Aye aye! T' picture on t' instructions has a nice flame pattern on it. Avast, me proud beauty! I did nothin' so fancy. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I sprayed on a couple o' coats o' white Kilz, ya bilge rat, with a light sandin' after each coat t' remove t' fuzz and smooth t' surface. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Then I sprayed it with a couple o' coats o' gloss black enamel followed by a coat o' clear enamel t' even out t' gloss. Begad! Avast! I left t' nose cone unfinished white, since I knew I didn’t have anythin' that would stick t' it. Well, blow me down! I think t' black and white was fine for a first draft. I am plannin' on givin' it some detail now, arrr, but I have nay decided what t' add. I give it a solid 4 for finishing. Could have been a five, but that nose cone is difficult t' paint.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First o' all, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, gettin' t' CG right with t' I150 did require nose weight. Mine be OK with t' 60g I had in there. Aye aye! Todd had t' add some. Avast! Aye aye! T' first flight for both o' us be on t' Cesaroni single grain 54mm I150. Ahoy! We did a drag race.

Another o' our club members joined our race with his own Squat, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, which he had built with electronics in t' nose. Avast, me proud beauty! Cool. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! We left t' pad before him since he had an Aerotech motor. Aye aye! Blimey! All three rockets performed perfectly. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I hear Todd stuck his landing.

Mine landed on a bush and got a minor scrape on t' nose cone. Also, me 9 second delay was a little long. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! 7 would have been better. Given that I had landin' damage, me bucko, t' 30 inch chute may have been small, but it worked fine on t' second flight.

Todd:
Wow! What a drag racer t' Squat is! T' Pro54 1 grain Blue Streak propellant is now one o' me favorite motors! I can't wait t' try it on VMAX for t' LDRS drag race! My flight seemed like it be just past apogee when it deployed. Begad! Probably a second or two late. I did stick t' landin' on one fin! This was a worst case scenario without t' internal fillets, but t' Squat took it like a champ, probably due t' it's stubby proportions.

Howard:
My second flight was on an Aerotech H242-M. Ya scallywag! This motor be perfect. Begad! Ya scallywag! It is a 38mm motor, me bucko, and I used Dr. Rocket 38-54mm adapter closures. Blimey! Because o' t' shortness o' t' motor mount, t' adapter closures will only work for 1 or 2 grain 38mm Aerotech motors. With a 3 grain motor t' forward closure sticks out o' t' motor mount, me bucko, so some other motor adapter method must be used.

Todd:
For me second flight, matey, I wanted t' take CTI's new 3G motors out for a test spin and make it 5G! Green flame, shiver me timbers, arrr, green propellant, shiver me timbers, green rocket, me hearties, green 'chute. Ya scallywag! I settled on t' 6 grain Pro29 H159. Well, blow me down! T' casin' stuck all t' way up into t' nose cone! I slid t' shock cord protector I had added all t' way up and packed t' rest o' t' cord and t' 'chute down around t' motor tube and put a handful o' dog barf on top o' t' laundry. Arrr! Great flight! I dialed t' delay a little shorter and it popped just before apogee.

Howard:
So, arrr, betwixt us, we launched it on 29mm, matey, 38mm, and 54mm motors. Pretty versatile little rocket. Aye aye! Arrr! My third flight was a little scary. Avast! T' Cesaroni I120 blew through its ejection charge durin' t' boost, arrr, resultin' deployment while still under thrust. Avast! T' rocket did some sky writing, me bucko, and fluttered down with its chute flutterin' on two o' its 8 shroud lines. Well, blow me down! T' inside o' t' airframe is barbecued, shiver me timbers, but it still seems airworthy.

Todd:
For me third flight, ya bilge rat, I launched me Squat in a much more challengin' environment, San Diego's Fiesta Island. Ya scallywag! I dropped t' power way down t' a Aerotech G76-4 hopin' t' nay have t' go swimmin' t' recover one o' me new favorite rockets! Despite t' light breeze, t' Squat boosted perfectly and recovered inside t' field.

Howard:
T' flights were superb. Aye aye! I think t' CG issues were predictable. Ya scallywag! I am goin' t' give it 4 1/2 stars for flight.

Todd:
I absolutely concur. I give t' Squat 4-1/2 stars for flight. Very nice, stable flights with a wide variety o' motor choices available. Aye aye! Blimey! Accordin' t' EMRR's maximum lift off weight calculator, me hearties, me hearties, me Squat could fly on as small as a high thrust F motor and with t' nose cone base cut off, arrr, arrr, it could fit a 54mm K motor if you have a tracker and enough guts t' use it!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Howard:
Overall I will give it 4 1/2 stars. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This is one cool little rocket, and a bargain nay t' be missed. Aye aye! I already got one for me daughter. Begad! Maybe I need another one.

Todd:
I give t' Squat a final ratin' o' 4 stars. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! A fun little addition t' any fleet. Ahoy! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! This kit is a bargain with great quality components, but has nay included some normal amenities t' give you such a deal. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Probably nay t' best kit for a first time high power flier, matey, but would be a great project for someone with a bit o' experience.

Howard:
I have t' agree. I think that if a novice built it completely unmodified, shiver me timbers, it might be hard t' get t' CG right. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' Madcow’s credit, me bucko, ya bilge rat, t' recommended CG location is printed right on t' front o' t' instructions, matey, ya bilge rat, so nobody who is payin' attention will launch an unstable rocket.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5