Brief:
This is a single staged HPR capable rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! It can use anythin' from a big E to a J570. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It can easily break Mach 1 on an H, shiver me timbers, and can reach Mach 2 on a J.

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

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

Flight:
I still have nay flown this, 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, and t' next on an F20-7W. I put in a home made parachute. Arrr! It is a very large parachute, but I will reef it on breezy days. It is over stable, arrr, accordin' t' Rock-Sim and SpaceCAD. All simulations show straight flights, high (approx. Ahoy! 3250' on F’s and G’s), me hearties, me hearties, and fast, ya bilge rat, despite t' weight.

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

Summary:
Tough as anything. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! 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! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I consider it a work o' art. It is easily the best o' me fleet (that is sayin' something). Arrr! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! It goes high and fast, arrr, can survive hard landings, and requires zero fin alignment (A definite + for me! Blimey! I hate alignin' surface mounts on large rockets). Ya scallywag! Blimey! Easy build.

Cons: Price. Begad! Blimey! $80. Avast, me proud beauty! OUCH if you are 12, and I should know. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! 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.. I learned that the hard way. It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.