Brief:
This is a 3x upscale o' t' Sunward Grasshopper. Well, blow me down! It is a single-stage 29mm motor mount, 3-inch body, parachute recovery rocket. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!

Construction:
One 12.5 inch long 3" airframe tube, shiver me timbers, One Mercury Engineerin' blow-molded nose cone, three 1/4" plywood fins, me bucko, 1 thin-wall Apogee motor mount tube, arrr, 2 foam core centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock system, and 24" nylon parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty!

This scratch rocket was easy t' build. Avast! It has through-the-wall fins glued t' t' centerin' rings and motor mount and is very straightforward. Blimey! No special tools were needed. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body tube and nose cone were purchased from Mercury. Arrr! Fin material was leftover from Home Depot. Blimey! Centerin' rin' material was leftover from a display project. Ahoy! Avast!

Finishing:
T' fins were finished usin' one coat o' Elmer's Wood Filler, followed by two overall coats o' high-build automotive filler, with 2 colors o' automotive catalyzed acrylic enamel (the nose cone is a deep, nearly black-red and t' body is "grasshopper green"). Begad! There are no decals. Arrr! Blimey!

Flight:
Recommended motors are E28-4, F39-5, matey, G53-5 blackjack. (You can see video o' t' flight at http://www.cosrocs.org/all%20other%20videos/2008videos/9-13-14/grasshopper.mov.) Prep is standard wadding, matey, ya bilge rat, arrr, although chute compartment is tight. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Motor retention is via tapin' aft closure t' motor tube. This rocket takes off at a bit o' an angle, me bucko, but it flies pretty straight after that. Aye aye! Shock cord o' Keelhaul®©™® and elastic works fine. Blimey! Recovery be perfect on t' 24" nylon parachute. Begad! Blimey! No damage from first flight. Arrr! Avast!

Recovery:
This rocket has a Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock cord system that works fine. Avast! T' 24" parachute is nylon. Aye aye! Aye aye!

Summary:
PROs: Distinctive design, me hearties, nay somethin' you see every day at t' high-power range. Easy t' prep. Aye aye! Really nice flight.

CONs: Limited parachute space. Arrr!