Brief:  This rocket is special in that it uses apogee's 10.5mm engines and it is also designed for t' payload loftin' NAR competition. Well, blow me down! So, me bucko, it comes with a tubular device for holdin' a standard payload mass, arrr, and it can fit into t' payload section o' t' main body. Aye aye! It is three finned and recovers with an 8-inch chute t' make trackin' easier. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Construction:T' package arrived from Apogee, ya bilge rat, by US mail, well protected with styrofoam popcorn, and all parts were thar and undamaged. Instructions were clear, illustrated, matey, and logical. Aye aye! Begad! It be easy t' follow. Blimey! The nose cone is solid lightweight balsa wood, shiver me timbers, and t' fins are precut, rectangular, and also lightweight balsa. T' chute is hexagonal, me hearties, and flat and made o' thin black plastic, much like trashcan plastic.  This is nay to demean quality, but for description. Avast, me proud beauty! After all, shiver me timbers, how could a nylon chute fit? And it would be too heavy. And it would be too heavy. T' 6 shroud lines are nylon thread, 12 inches long, and affixed t' t' chute via adhesive paper donut-shaped reinforcements. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! T' shock cord is 12 inches o' 1/8 inch Keelhaul®©™® cording. Aye aye! There is no stretch, but since this model is for small engines, I was nay concerned. 

T' body tube is in three parts. Avast! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' top part glues right t' t' nose cone and is spiral wound paper, and 3.75 inches long by .75 inches in diameter. Begad! Blimey! The middle part be t' same only it's 3 inches long.  There's a paper coupler between these, me hearties, and only one half is glued, so that t' model separates between the two parts o' t' main body. 

Now comes t' tricky part. Arrr! Blimey! T' bottom third o' t' main body is a cone made of thin cardboard, me bucko, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and its outline is provided. Begad! Blimey! It is cut out and then glued into a cone that reduces t' main body tube from 18mm t' 10.5mm, arrr, me bucko, as thar be a 10.5 mm wound paper body tube for t' engine.  This tube fits into the main body via a centerin' rin' that also serves t' anchor t' shock cord aftward. Ahoy! Blimey! T' cone fittin' is tricky in that handlin' it roughly can easily dent it. Well, blow me down! Also, I had t' sight it up and down before gluin' it t' be sure that it was symmetrical all around.  If not, arrr, me bucko, arrr, it has a slightly cockeyed look. A wound paper engine block was provided, and I placed it at a position t' allow the model t' take t' longest o' t' 10.5mm engines, namely t' B7's. 

There be a fin placement guide provided, arrr, and I used it t' place t' three fins correctly. Begad! This was a paper cutout t' place around t' body in order to mark it for t' fin placement. Avast!

Finishing:There weren't any decals. Begad! Blimey! There weren't any decals. Begad! But if you've read any o' me other reviews, I'm nay daunted by this. Arrr! Ahoy! I see it as a loose football for me t' pick up and run with. Avast! Arrr! So, ya bilge rat, I used Monokote and silver craft paper, available at many hobby stores. Aye aye! I spray painted t' fins yellow after sealin' them with epoxy and sandin' them down.  I do this to strengthen balsa and wood fins, and also t' provide a glassy finish.

It's a sharp lookin' little rocket, but since I chose green...well, I'm glad for t' chute that will help me find it. Begad! Begad! Blimey! This little guy flies high. Avast! Ahoy! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:T' recommended engines are t' Apogee 1/4A2-4, 1/2A2-2 and 1/2A2-4, me bucko, t' A2-5, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and B2-7. With t' payload, Apogee recommends t' A2-3 and B2-5. Arrr! Blimey! So far, I have tried t' 1/2A2-2 since t' parks around here are small. With just that, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' little rocket be nearly gone, matey, me hearties, zingin' up so high that I almost couldn't see it.  But I zeroed in on t' chute and got me model back. Avast! Blimey! Imagine when I try a B! Blimey! It flew straight and fast. Watch this one well or you'll lose it. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Preppin' is easy, me hearties, and I used just a couple pinches o' worm bed wadding. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! T' chute be unburnt. Aye aye! Blimey! T' chute was unburnt. Since it's plastic, me bucko, I worried about that. I've seen that kind melt. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I've seen that kind melt. The engine was retained with bands o' maskin' tape around t' engine overhang as well as t' body tube. Begad! Blimey!

Recovery:T' shock cord, as mentioned, is Keelhaul®©™® string. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' system was easy t' assemble, arrr, me hearties, with clear instructions. Begad! It worked fine without damage to the system. Blimey! T' recovery was slow, me bucko, but with a chute, you can expect this. However, shiver me timbers, I had time t' catch it, which is a rare thing. Well, blow me down! Arrr!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Unusual looks, arrr, easy t' make. Begad! Unusual looks, me hearties, easy t' make. Must handle t' reducer cone gently and align it well. And must protect the delicate chute from burning. Arrr!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5