Brief:
Single stage, scale, high power rocket with parachute recovery.

Construction:
One 48" phenolic body tube, me hearties, a 22" phenolic payload bay, four (4) G10 fins, me hearties, three (3) plywood centerin' rings, me bucko, matey, a 54 mm motor mount, me bucko, matey, a fiberglass nose cone, PML's piston ejection system, shiver me timbers, two (2) 3/8" launch lugs, two (2) PML parachute's (a 60" and a 48") and PML elastic shock chord.

T' instructions were easy t' follow with illustrations for every step. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It was extremely easy t' build, me hearties, but it took TONS o' epoxy. Avast! Blimey! This wasn't t' kit's fault, though, it's just really big. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! Everythin' fit well and thar were no alignment issues. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! All be well thought out. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey!

There be only one part o' t' instruction that I didn't understand; how the recovery be expected t' be done. There were two 'chutes, t' piston, matey, and a lot of t' Public Missiles elastic (which we wouldn't have used anyway). Begad! We decided it would be best t' just have t' rocket split at t' middle t' put less stress on t' rocket, and come down in two pieces.

T' instructions, me hearties, after re-readin' them, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, said t' attach t' rocket with the elastic. Ahoy! Blimey! Here's what it said: "Tie t' parachute t' one end o' t' elastic shock chord. Arrr! Repeat this step for both chutes. Blimey! T' larger chute and longer shock cord attach t' t' piston and t' smaller chute and shorter shock cord attach t' t' eye-bolt on t' payload section."

One o' t' most important techniques with this kit that be new t' me and my dad both be t' piston ejection system. Avast, me proud beauty! Lookin' at it, shiver me timbers, I really didn't trust it, ya bilge rat, but it worked great, much better that I had seen any other system work. Ahoy!

It also taught us a better way t' make fillets, me hearties, matey, -first, put t' epoxy on, but then, shiver me timbers, tape down saran wrap tightly on either side o' t' fin or launch lug, and t' you won't have t' worry about it drippin' down t' side o' your tube. Well, blow me down!

Finishing:
T' Rocket is absolutely enormous! Blimey! It looks awesome, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but t' spiral groove takes days t' fill. Avast! Blimey! We used some putty from Hobby Town, shiver me timbers, me bucko, pretty thick stuff, sanded, ya bilge rat, and you could still see t' groove!

There were no decals t' make t' rocket scale, but thar were directions to paint it so. Begad! It gives you t' paint scheme with a main black body, arrr, red fin can and payload, and with t' nose cone and letterin' paint schemes. We didn't follow this paint scheme recommendations.

To finish it, we took our first shot at auto paint. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Nay knowin' what we were gettin' ourselves into, we bought t' $70 dollars o' paint, arrr, me hearties, primer, matey, shiver me timbers, and gloss-coat, Then we saw that you must spray it on. All in all, me bucko, t' paint job cost us about $300, matey, o' course, most o' t' expensive stuff is reusable, matey, me hearties, and we now have t' supplies t' paint a car. Well, blow me down! We did t' rocket Metallic Copper, (Base coat, Clear Coat), shiver me timbers, with two black metallic stripes. Avast! If you do use this paint (DuPont Automotive), me hearties, wear a respirator with t' correct cartridges, shiver me timbers, and have very good ventilation; t' neighbors will get over t' noise.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
They only give you t' smallest recommended motor, which is a J415, though on the Public Missiles' site, matey, it says you can use any 54mm motor aside from the J90. We flew on a K550-10 for an awesome, shiver me timbers, roaring, matey, me bucko, perfectly straight boost. T' piston worked great, and t' rocket broke apart (how we had set it up). Ya scallywag! It said you don't need wadding, but we went ahead and put some under t' piston anyway, just t' feel better. Blimey! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Sims put it at a little over 3000 feet, me bucko, so we just went with that. Begad! Avast!

Recovery:
I liked t' method o' lettin' it break apart. Aye aye! It's nay too tough t' find these pieces! T' chutes brought it down without a scratch, arrr, gettin' Level Two certification for me dad, David Wheeler. Begad! When we recovered t' rocket, arrr, there was one shroud-line torn from t' chute. Ahoy! We will probably switch it out with a Rocketman one next time, me bucko, matey, and attach t' two pieces with some tubular nylon or Keelhaul®©™®. T' decent rate was good, but t' smaller chute did loose a shroud line, so I won't be usin' t' PML 'chutes anymore.

T' recovery system, like other PML kits, came with a piece o' nylon which attached t' t' motor mount through t' upper-most centerin' rin' and attached the piston t' t' rocket. Begad! Ahoy! This was long enough t' let t' piston come out of the rocket about 2 feet. Avast! Aye aye! It appeared t' be just a seat belt, very strong! The elastic was very long and looked very sturdy, me hearties, but I've heard numerous times to throw it out and that's what I did (as mentioned above). Arrr! Blimey! I have no idea o' how strong it is, just what others have said.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Me and me dad really enjoyed buildin' this rocket. Ahoy! It is really cool t' own a rocket this big, matey, most people don't even believe it flies, but it does, and quite well. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! T' Pro's o' t' kit are its size, arrr, quality, shiver me timbers, and building techniques. Avast, me proud beauty! I think I will buy many more Public Missiles kits in t' future. T' Con's were few and small, but t' spiral grooves, and t' overall quality of t' parachutes.

Most o' all, shiver me timbers, it was fun and a neat experience buildin' a kit o' this size. Though it is expensive, you don't really need t' fly it that often, me bucko, but it's really cool t' show off, arrr, and I believe it t' be more fun t' have one giant K flight, me bucko, shiver me timbers, that two or three I powered flights. Begad! Well, blow me down! It'll also usually get you on the launch highlights page. Avast! This rocket was t' first rocket we've used auto paint on, and it looks absolutely stunning, but it's really expensive. Aye aye! I think it was worth it though, we must have gotten twenty compliments on t' paint job alone, not t' mention t' awed faces lookin' at it. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, me hearties, blow me down! I strongly recommend this kit to anyone who has a big enough budget; you don't even need an altimeter. Aye aye!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5