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

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

This be a very easy build. Well, blow me down! I used 2-ton epoxy throughout. Begad! I got all the parts besides t' nose cone and fiberglass cloth from Giant Leap Rocketry. Blimey! Ya scallywag! The nose cone I got from PML, t' fiberglass I got from a hobby shop. Avast, me proud beauty! After I fiberglassed t' tube, shiver me timbers, t' fin can fit exactly. Arrr! T' launch lugs liked t' slide around while t' epoxy is drying, me bucko, but other wise it was easy. Aye aye! T' fins needed no alignment, me bucko, besides linin' up with t' launch lug. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I taped and epoxied the shock cord t' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! After I completed t' construction I painted it red and black. Aye aye! Red on t' fins, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and red on t' nose cone, matey, but black on t' body tube and part o' t' fin can and Slimline. Begad! Arrr! 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, matey, me hearties, and t' next on an F20-7W. Avast! Blimey! I put in a home made parachute. Blimey! Blimey! It is a very large parachute, me bucko, but I will reef it on breezy days. Blimey! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! It is over stable, me bucko, accordin' t' Rock-Sim and SpaceCAD. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! All simulations show straight flights, me hearties, me hearties, high (approx. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! 3250' on F’s and G’s), ya bilge rat, and fast, me bucko, despite t' weight.

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

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

Cons: Price. Begad! $80. Avast, me proud beauty! OUCH if you are 12, matey, and I should know. Well, blow me down! 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. Aye aye! Begad! It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.