Brief description:
Single staged, arrr, me bucko, 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. Begad! Ya scallywag! Nothin' was broken or missing. T' actual number o' parts was few, as t' rocket is very simple t' make. Avast, me proud beauty! T' instructions were simple and clear, with few drawings, but none were really needed.

T' nose cone was smooth, and was made o' alternatin' insets o' cherry and maple hardwoods. Arrr! it is precisely turned and symmetrical, arrr, me bucko, and t' grain o' t' wood is beautiful. Begad! It has a shoulder o' a couple inches in length, allowin' a close and secure fit in t' body tube. No sandin' be needed. Arrr! 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, 24 inches in diameter, arrr, and bright orange. Aye aye! Arrr! T' shroud lines are a strong braided nylon. Arrr! 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, with swirly grain patterns. All t' fins were precut, shiver me timbers, as were t' centerin' rings, engine tube, and body tube, and t' body tube was also preslotted for t' 4 fins. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins are designed with tabs that meet with t' motor tube for strong construction. Blimey! They were all cut alike, me bucko, 3/8 inch thick, me hearties, very precise, matey, and also very smooth on t' edges. They are rounded on t' continuous leadin' and trailin' edge. Blimey! T' edges show that t' inner ply is dark, arrr, mahogany-like. Ahoy! 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, as recommended, arrr, t' attach them through t' body tube and t' t' motor tube, which also is a pretty mahogany. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' two centerin' rings are plywood. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' 2 launch lugs are brass, shiver me timbers, beveled t' reduce drag, and accept 1/4 inch rods.

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

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

Flight and recovery:
T' Aerotech H180-M was used, ya bilge rat, and it's one o' t' engines t' manufacturer recommends. They also say that t' G64-4, me bucko, G80-7, ya bilge rat, arrr, H128-M, and H220-M are good too.

T' rocket roared off t' pad straight and high. When t' chute ejected at apogee, it appeared t' be a tiny speck. Begad! Avast! I got t' rocket back about a half mile downrange because it caught a thermal and lingered high. Begad! This was particularly an anxious moment, matey, because this was a Tripoli level 1 certification attempt. Avast, me proud beauty! I hadn't intended t' certify with this rocket, but everyone who saw it oohed and ahhed over it. Ya scallywag! People kept pressin' me t' launch this beauty. Nobody had ever seen a wooden rocket. Aye aye! Ahoy! Some even asked if it was real. That is, me hearties, 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. Then some were sad that I'd actually fly it, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me bucko, fearin' damage t' its looks. Even t' RSO worried about damage and destruction o' t' beauty, arrr, as he announced that everyone should look now while they still could. Begad! Aye aye! Several people took photos o' it. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' way I saw it, shiver me timbers, metaphorically, shiver me timbers, why breed a champion racehorse t' perfection and then nay let him run? Besides, 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. Arrr! Blimey! Nothin' was burnt or damaged, ya bilge rat, and t' engine stayed in, me bucko, me hearties, held with duct tape. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Fellow club members teased me about t' tight loops o' duct tape, arrr, sayin' that I wanted t' hold t' engine hostage. 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. Avast! Blimey! I first thought that t' waddin' was overkill, arrr, but cert flights must be perfect. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, I be glad I did this, me bucko, because t' Nomexsquare was burnt in half!

A small vent hole be drilled in t' body, near t' middle, 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. Arrr! Blimey! Due t' t' precise fit o' t' parts, air pressure be 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 was that I had one hand on t' launcher and t' other on t' camera, and consequently, matey, 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, matey, performs well. Ahoy! A crowd pleaser. A bit expensive at $125, but worth it since I certified in style. Blimey! Aye aye! And its manufacturer made all t' parts t' precision.

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

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5