The Phantom is the first large rocket that I have ever built. The 4" diameter and 50 inch length are a lot bigger than anything else I have ever built. I got this rocket back in July when our Hobby Lobby was having their 4th of July sale. I picked up the starter kit (rocket, pad and launch controller) for $60. At the same time I picked up a bunch of other kits (50% off) to practice building techniques.  Some of these turned out really nice (my Sizzler). I made several modifications to the Phantom as I built it. The first thing I did was to replace the 28.5 mm motor mount tube with a true 29 mm tube from Giant Leap Rocketry. Then I replaced the supplied motor retention system with a set of Kaplow Klips. I needed two styles to use both the Aerotech reloads and the North Coast single use motors. To get this to work I had to switch the center and rear centering ring, to get a nice flat bottom to the rocket. I also put the centering rings on one at a time. This allowed internal fillets for the centering rings and the fins. I replaced the elastic shock cord with 8 feet of tubular Kevlar from Pratt Hobbies, and used a large heat shield (also from Pratt Hobbies) in lieu of recovery wadding.  I sealed the plywood fins with finishing epoxy (it give a nice smooth surface) and filleted overall with 30 minute epoxy. I also used the finishing epoxy on the nose cone to get rid of the weld seam. I painted it nearly stock, with a white body and orange fins and nose. It is an impressive rocket sitting on the pad. The listed weight for the Phantom is 25 ounces. I'm not sure what mine weighs now, but it must be a bit heavier. I give the kit a 4 (the nose cone weld was huge, the retention system needs work) and construction also a 4, mainly because even with practice I just wasn't ready to build it.  It still looks nice.

The whole reason to replace the motor tube was to allow Aerotech reloads as the motors. The first launch was on an F52-5 at the Tripoli Louisiana Gumbo Launch. An F is a lot more than the normal A's and B's to which I'm used. The rocket really zooms off the pad. Perfect launch, boost and deployment of the 36" nylon parachute. We recovered the rocket about 100' from the pad. I also launched with a North Coast F62-4 and an Aerotech G64-4 RMS, all recovered quite close to the pad.  For now that's all I have launched. It is possible to launch this one in town, since the boost is not all that high on an F. I rate the flight a 5, but then, it's my first big rocket. It wasn't nearly as impressive as the H180's that were launched right after mine. I think I could use a smaller H in this one with no problem. Maybe a Level 1 launch later?

I'd probably give the whole thing a 4+ rating.Still a nice rocket.