Brief:
This is a single staged HPR capable rocket. Avast! It can use anythin' from a big E to a J570. It can easily break Mach 1 on an H, arrr, ya bilge rat, and can reach Mach 2 on a J.

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

This be a very easy build. I used 2-ton epoxy throughout. I got all the parts besides t' nose cone and fiberglass cloth from Giant Leap Rocketry. The nose cone I got from PML, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' fiberglass I got from a hobby shop. Ya scallywag! After I fiberglassed t' tube, matey, t' fin can fit exactly. Ahoy! T' launch lugs liked t' slide around while t' epoxy is drying, me hearties, me hearties, but other wise it be easy. Begad! Aye aye! T' fins needed no alignment, me bucko, besides linin' up with t' launch lug. Begad! I taped and epoxied the shock cord t' t' body tube. Aye aye! After I completed t' construction I painted it red and black. Ahoy! Red on t' fins, and red on t' nose cone, matey, but black on t' body tube and part o' t' fin can and Slimline. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Overall, arrr, this is a very sturdy rocket — it could survive a tar landin' easily.

Flight:
I still have nay flown this, shiver me timbers, 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, ya bilge rat, and t' next on an F20-7W. Avast! I put in a home made parachute. Ahoy! It is a very large parachute, me bucko, shiver me timbers, but I will reef it on breezy days. Begad! It is over stable, shiver me timbers, accordin' t' Rock-Sim and SpaceCAD. Aye aye! All simulations show straight flights, shiver me timbers, high (approx. 3250' on F’s and G’s), and fast, me hearties, despite t' weight.

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

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

Cons: Price. Ahoy! $80. Begad! OUCH if you are 12, and I should know. Arrr! 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.. Arrr! I learned that the hard way. Begad! It took a lot o' sandpaper t' get it nice again.