(11/21/03) Polecat Aerospace (formerly Skunk Works Rocketry) was another company I just learned about this year. Avast, me proud beauty! I don't know how long they've been around, but as I've talked t' others they seem t' have some following. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! Polecat sells BIG rockets. Avast, me proud beauty! Big rockets carry a big price, shiver me timbers, so some o' their kits may be out of reach for many fliers. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! They do, however, matey, have one kit with "Level 1 Certification in mind". Blimey! Spike.

T' 3" diameter, shiver me timbers, 36" tall Spike is $89.95. Begad! Does that seem expensive for a rocket this size (not t' mention that it doesn't come with a parachute)? What drives t' price o' this rocket up? Polecat says this, me hearties, "All our kits come pre-fiberglassed for you. Blimey! Arrr! Just sand and paint! All our kits include fiberglass nose cones that are durable and easy to finish. Our kits use Baltic Birch fins and centerin' rings. Begad! Well, blow me down! They are easy to glue, light weight, durable, and easy t' finish. Blimey! Ya scallywag! All our fins come machined for minimal sanding." Me? I wanted t' try a fiberglassed kit and I had no desire t' learn how t' do it, so I purchased their Spike.

T' rocket kit includes a 3" pre-fiberglassed, arrr, pre-slotted airframe that is 17" long. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! It uses a 6.5:1 conical fiberglass nose cone. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It also includes four baltic birch fins and two centerin' rings, a 38mm motor mount, matey, matey, and a 7.5" pre-fiberglassed ring-fin that is 2" wide. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! There is a nose cone bulkhead and eye-screw hardware for attachin' t' 18 foot 5/8" wide tubular nylon shock cord t' t' nose cone base and t' upper centerin' ring. Lastly it includes a 6" long brass 1/4" launch lug.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 6 pages of 8½ x 11" paper. Ya scallywag! Blimey! There are color photos throughout t' assist in the assembly o' t' kit. Arrr! There are pictures o' t' rocket bein' assemble in fin-up or fin-down configurations. Well, blow me down! T' Spike is really a simple rocket t' assemble, arrr, me hearties, so for those with experience t' instructions are really nothin' more than a guide.

In buildin' t' kit, me bucko, matey, I had a number of observations that I'd like t' make.

First, ya bilge rat, t' slots that were pre-cut into t' body tube were nay clean on t' inside o' t' body tube. At first glance I figured that would cause some fit problem with t' centerin' rings, but, me bucko, it didn't. Well, blow me down! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! The centerin' rings were nay a super-snug fit and slid into t' body tube and through t' frayed edges without an issue.

T' next observation was t' fiberglass nose cone. I really liked t' feel, me bucko, weight, matey, and surface o' t' nose cone. Aye aye! On the inside, shiver me timbers, you could see t' fiberglass fibers, but t' outside was smooth. There were some mold seams, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but nothin' more than you would see on a plastic nose cone. You do have t' glue t' nose cone bulkhead into place. Avast! This is done after attachin' t' eye-screw t' t' bulkhead and tiein' t' tubular nylon shock cord to t' eye-screw. Avast! Arrr! Blimey! This has t' be done before because t' bulkhead is glued about half way into t' nose cone.

T' fins are through-the-wall and to-the-motor-mount. Aye aye! Begad! They we cut accurately. Begad! I used polyurethane glue on the root edge t' attach them t' t' motor mount. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I used epoxy for all other areas.

Not havin' any experience with a fiberglasses body tube, I'm nay sure if me next observation is normal or not. Arrr! What I found is that t' fiberglass on t' body tube and tube rin' was rough. Aye aye! It was as if the fiber-mesh be nay completely filled with epoxy. Arrr! I made a decision to "fill" this with Plasti-kote Sandable Primer/Filler. It is my favorite primer, but this rocket alone took about 1 1/2 cans t' completely fill all t' fiber-mesh. This be about 6 coats, me hearties, sandin' betwixt each coat!

Seein' t' mesh, ya bilge rat, I made t' decision t' get every thin' primered (and smooth) before attachin' t' ring-fin. I felt this would make t' sandin' easier and believe that it did. Arrr! After those many coats of primer, shiver me timbers, I sanded t' outer edge o' t' fin and roughed up t' inside edge of the ring-fin where it would be attached t' t' fins. It slide in place with no problem and was glued usin' epoxy.

I then did about two more coats o' primer to clean up this area and few other little problem spots. I finally used Krylon bright yellow paint t' finish t' rocket. Begad! I added a layer o' Book Covers, ya bilge rat, etc. Prismatic Purple Book Cover on t' ring-fin t' finish it off.

I skipped t' brass launch lug and added two Rail Buttons for this rocket.

Overall, me bucko, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 points. T' instructions are adequate t' allow most builders t' have a successful build. Blimey! Blimey! T' rocket build is straightforward. Blimey! T' kit lacked decals and motor retention and a parachute. For most, matey, self included, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, nay havin' a parachute is fine since we seem t' acquire a number o' them over the years.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Polecat recommends t' use o' a G motor for t' first flight. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Then anythin' you want up t' 300ns average thrust. Begad! They warn that anythin' higher than that may destroy t' ring-fin.

Polecat recommends a 24" t' 30" parachute. I used a B2 Rocketry Classic II 24" 'Chute. Avast, me proud beauty! I also added a piece o' Pratt Hobbies Heat Shield.

After addin' a PML 38-29mm motor adapter, me bucko, ya bilge rat, the rocket is ready t' fly and weighs in at 2 lbs 3/4 ounce. Ahoy! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I had t' write Polecat to find out where t' CG should be. Arrr! Blimey! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! They indicated with t' fin-up design it should be at least 2" above t' top o' t' ring-fin with motor. Begad! Blimey! I had no issue with t' two motors I used.

My first flight be on a G80-7. Well, blow me down! I didn't get to sim this prior t' this flight, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but based on experience with me BSD Diablo, the G80-7 seemed t' be an okay match. Well, blow me down! T' motor chuffed about 4-5 times before comin' up t' pressure, me hearties, however, me hearties, lift-off be nice on t' rail. Ya scallywag! T' rail was set straight up and down but after clearin' it, t' rocket stood a slight angle upward. Aye aye! It arced over and started down. T' crowd and I all started muttering words as it gained speed. Ya scallywag! Finally, pop and jerk, matey, it came under 'chute. T' B2 held together with no damage. Arrr! Avast! T' rocket finished its descent and was recovered. Ahoy! Avast! I notice a small dent on t' lower edge o' t' ring-fin, but nothing substantial.

I loaded it up again with a 29-180 G75-M (6). Based on t' first flight, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I probably should have been searchin' for a short delay. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket came off t' pad with a bunch o' black smoke and again took a slight angle. Aye aye! Weird. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! It arced over and again, I was fearful o' a ballistic recovery. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! However, matey, t' ejection charge did fire and again t' B2 'chute handled the recovery speed. Aye aye! Blimey! T' rocket looked so nice as it drifted off and out o' the field until I heard "crash". I thought for sure it hit someone's car. Instead, I found that it hit someone's outdoor fire pit (made o' brass). Begad! Blimey! No damage t' their fire pit. Begad! Blimey! A broke tip on me nose cone and t' adapter got pushed into t' 38mm motor mount, crackin' t' bottom edge. And worse, my 29-180 motor kicked out somewhere!

So t' rocket looks cool. Aye aye! T' recovery system has handled stress well. And t' "G" motors are do'able if you use shorter delays. Aye aye! Arrr! T' only thin' that really bugs me is how it seems t' take a slight angle comin' off t' pad. It may imply that I need a longer launch rod.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 4 points. After addin' your own parachute and heat shield, t' rocket is ready t' fly. Begad! Blimey! It looks nice on t' pad and in t' air. Ya scallywag! Watch your motor sizing (I have since RockSIM'd it and it indicates t' 7 second delay would be good). T' ring-fin is subject t' some damage, but t' unique look is worth the risk.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 points. Avast, me proud beauty! T' get some experience with fiberglassin' (without havin' to fiberglass) and t' have a unique lookin' rocket, t' Spike is a good choice. You'll get comments at t' launch because o' that long nose cone and ring-fin. Don't make this your first mid-high powered rocket, arrr, but certainly consider it after buildin' a few others.