Brief description:
Single staged, 29mm motor rocket in all wood construction and retro lookin' design, much like t' stout sci fi rocketships with huge swept back fins, seen in old movies.

Construction and finishing:
All t' parts arrived securely wrapped in liberal amounts o' bubble wrap. Avast! Well, blow me down! Nothin' be broken or missing. T' actual number o' parts be few, as t' rocket is very simple t' make. Arrr! T' instructions were simple and clear, ya bilge rat, with few drawings, me bucko, but none were really needed.

T' nose cone was smooth, matey, and was made o' alternatin' insets o' cherry and maple hardwoods. Well, blow me down! it is precisely turned and symmetrical, and t' grain o' t' wood is beautiful. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! It has a shoulder o' a couple inches in length, allowin' a close and secure fit in t' body tube. Avast! Arrr! No sandin' was needed. Arrr! Well, blow me down! There is a metal screw eye already in place in t' nose cone for t' parachute and shock cord attachment.

T' parachute is rip stop nylon, matey, 24 inches in diameter, and bright orange. T' shroud lines are a strong braided nylon. Begad! Begad! Blimey! T' shock cord is 1/4 inch thick Keelhaul®©™® type cordin' that attaches t' a screw eye in t' forward centerin' rin' on t' engine mount.

T' body tube appears t' be mahogany and is sanded smooth with t' grain very evident and pretty.

T' 4 fins appear t' be basswood, me bucko, with swirly grain patterns. All t' fins were precut, as were t' centerin' rings, engine tube, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and body tube, arrr, and t' body tube was also preslotted for t' 4 fins. Avast! T' fins are designed with tabs that meet with t' motor tube for strong construction. Well, blow me down! Avast! They were all cut alike, me bucko, matey, 3/8 inch thick, me hearties, very precise, and also very smooth on t' edges. Ya scallywag! Avast! They are rounded on t' continuous leadin' and trailin' edge. Begad! T' edges show that t' inner ply is dark, ya bilge rat, mahogany-like. Avast! This stripin' o' color provides a nice accent. T' fins are also accented with a half-moon shape o' iron-on veneer that has a mahogany-like color.

I used epoxy, ya bilge rat, as recommended, ya bilge rat, t' attach them through t' body tube and t' t' motor tube, ya bilge rat, which also is a pretty mahogany. Blimey! T' two centerin' rings are plywood. T' 2 launch lugs are brass, beveled t' reduce drag, arrr, ya bilge rat, and accept 1/4 inch rods.

T' model came out very sturdy and strong. Aye aye! But I just couldn't brin' myself t' paint it or decal it. T' wood is just too pretty. So I finished it with three coats o' polyurethane clear furniture varnish.

Ratin' for construction and finishing: 5 out o' 5, ya bilge rat, but some might say 4 1/2 because o' t' need for t' vent hole. But this is somethin' we should do in high power anyway.

Flight and recovery:
T' Aerotech H180-M was used, and it's one o' t' engines t' manufacturer recommends. Ahoy! Arrr! They also say that t' G64-4, G80-7, H128-M, and H220-M are good too.

T' rocket roared off t' pad straight and high. Blimey! When t' chute ejected at apogee, matey, it appeared t' be a tiny speck. Aye aye! I got t' rocket back about a half mile downrange because it caught a thermal and lingered high. This was particularly an anxious moment, because this be a Tripoli level 1 certification attempt. Begad! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I hadn't intended t' certify with this rocket, but everyone who saw it oohed and ahhed over it. People kept pressin' me t' launch this beauty. Aye aye! Nobody had ever seen a wooden rocket. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Some even asked if it be real. Blimey! That is, is it a display or does it fly. Blimey! It amazed them when I popped off t' nose cone t' reveal a legitimate construction for flight. Well, blow me down! Then some were sad that I'd actually fly it, fearin' damage t' its looks. Arrr! Begad! Even t' RSO worried about damage and destruction o' t' beauty, me bucko, as he announced that everyone should look now while they still could. Well, blow me down! Several people took photos o' it. T' way I saw it, metaphorically, matey, why breed a champion racehorse t' perfection and then nay let him run? Besides, ya bilge rat, half o' t' club be fixed on me and t' rocket, darin' me t' be bold and do it.

Everyone cheered when t' flight occurred. Begad! Nothin' was burnt or damaged, and t' engine stayed in, matey, held with duct tape. Well, blow me down! Fellow club members teased me about t' tight loops o' duct tape, sayin' that I wanted t' hold t' engine hostage. Ahoy! I'd seen too many other people lose motors t' ejections and be paranoid about mine.

T' rocket was prepped with one Nomexsquare and worm bed wadding. Ya scallywag! I first thought that t' waddin' was overkill, but cert flights must be perfect. Well, me hearties, I was glad I did this, me hearties, because t' Nomexsquare was burnt in half!

A small vent hole was drilled in t' body, arrr, near t' middle, arrr, shiver me timbers, on t' side opposite t' launch lugs t' relieve differences in air pressure and prevent ejection o' t' motor or premature separation o' t' nose cone. Aye aye! Due t' t' precise fit o' t' parts, air pressure was evident on t' ground when t' motor resisted bein' placed all t' way in until t' hole be drilled.

If thar was anythin' nay good about t' flight, it be that I had one hand on t' launcher and t' other on t' camera, and consequently, I didn't capture t' great moment o' takeoff on film.

Ratin' for flight and recovery: 5 out o' 5

Summary and tips:
Simple t' build, performs well. Begad! Begad! A crowd pleaser. Well, blow me down! A bit expensive at $125, arrr, but worth it since I certified in style. And its manufacturer made all t' parts t' precision.

Don't paint it. Arrr! Every club has a woodworker who would execute someone who'd mar such art as this. Aye aye! I recommend this beauty t' anyone who wants t' show off with class. Begad! In fact, ya bilge rat, I think that me level 2 project might be a scratch-build usin' t' parts that Retro Rocket Works makes. Avast, me proud beauty! I'm pricin' preslotted 4 inch mahogany tubes now. Avast, me proud beauty! And they make lovely 4 inch nose cones. Arrr! And 38mm motor tubes!!! I'm hooked.

Any tips I learned? T' vent hole in t' body tube be very important in preventin' premature separation o' t' nose cone. I don't remember seein' any mention o' such in t' instructions.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5