Brief:
This is a single stage 20" tall rocket with 3 fins by CYCLINE3 which is described as an "Ultra High Performance Mid-Power Rocket". Aye aye! Avast! T' kit comes with a unique and well made rectangular light fabric chute. Aye aye! Blimey! This is the second CYCLINE3 kit I have built, t' first bein' t' simply named #002b.

Construction:
This comes in an Estes type retail package, a plastic bag with peg ready header card. Begad! Includes a 1.6" BT60, rounded plastic nose cone, me bucko, 24mm engine tube, rail buttons, fabric chute, 12 foot elastic shock cord, brass snap-swivel, me hearties, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, very nice quality black flame sticker, (6) page 8.5 x 11 manual and a CD-Rom of flight videos which include this rocket. Arrr! Well, blow me down!

T' instructions with this kit are very good, and are some o' t' best I have ever seen. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! They explain why each o' t' methods o' construction are suggested. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! One thin' out o' t' ordinary in t' instructions is that it calls specifically for Polyurethane glue for construction, arrr, which I be unable to locate. I used other methods for t' construction which I will describe below.

T' shape o' t' fins, I only happen t' know by personal experience, are the same as were on t' Estes Astron Sprint (OOP) from t' late 70's. Begad! This is a nice choice for fin shape, yet considerin' that these must be cut and shaped from balsa fin stock that is nay die-cut, this is nay a kit for a beginner. The Balsa is good quality, matey, and with a lot o' patience, usin' a razor saw, arrr, several sizes o' exacto cutlass blades and a sandin' block, I be able t' come up with nice lookin' fins. Begad! For someone who has never made fins this shape, this could be a challenge. For t' more experienced builder, it's nay hard really, with time and care. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr!

This kit calls for a very unique method o' creatin' an engine tube centerin' rin' with Polyurethane glue. Ya scallywag! Like t' other Cycline3 kit I built, shiver me timbers, it does nay come with a thrust ring or engine clip. Begad! Begad! With this rocket, I decided t' add a 24mm thrust rin' and D length engine clip, as well as two cardboard centerin' rings, all pulled from a Mean Machine kit. Arrr! I also added a 30" piece o' Keelhaul®©™® 100# test cord. Avast, me proud beauty!

This kit, just as t' other Cycline3 kit I built (#002b), arrr, is designed t' be (4) ounces. Ya scallywag! Even with me modifications o' engine tube rings, recovery and addition o' a thrust rin' and clip, me bucko, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, both me Cycline3 #002b, me bucko, and this Cycline3 #004 Poison Arrow, only came t' 3.5 ounces each.

When mountin' t' fins, I went a little out o' t' way, ya bilge rat, in ways not suggested by t' instructions. Begad! First I sanded off t' glassine layer from the body tube all t' way around t' fin area. Begad! I then traced where t' fins would be located, matey, shiver me timbers, and usin' a very sharp exacto pin (like a map pin), I made (7) small holes in t' body tube where each fin would mount. Then usin' a medium CA, ya bilge rat, I made a nice bead on each fin root, me bucko, placed them and lined them up with an Estes fin alignment guide and clips. After t' CA dried, arrr, I used DAP Woodweld yellow wood glue for fillets. It is me thinkin' that t' tiny holes in the airframe will allow t' CA t' seep in, me bucko, ya bilge rat, matey, makin' little "rivets" sort of. This is a technique I gleaned from EMRR recently, when readin' other reviews. Blimey!

I added me own launch lugs instead o' t' rail buttons which were provided.

Finishing:
T' Cycline3 kits suggest usin' primer, me bucko, shiver me timbers, then sandin' and then usin' flat paint for t' color, followed by decals, then a gloss coat. Arrr! T' reason bein' as they state, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, that flat paint does nay tend t' run like gloss paint. Well, blow me down! That's very true, and nice attention t' detail.

I skipped primer on this one, matey, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, t' fly it t' same day. Begad! I'm nay one t' worry about a glass like finish. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I painted this one as per t' prototype shown on the cover o' t' manual, arrr, arrr, and in t' flight video CD it came with. Nose cone gloss black, arrr, arrr, and t' rest metalic silver. Well, blow me down!

T' black flame decal that comes with this kit is one o' t' best quality I have ever seen with any rocket kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

Due t' t' construction and finishin' methods, arrr, me hearties, I believe this kit should have a high skill level stated on it. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' cuttin' and shapin' o' t' fins requires previous experience. Begad! Begad! I'm goin' t' have t' take off 1/2 a point due to this. Ahoy! Here I give a (4.5/5.0). Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
This kit does nay state any specific recommended motors, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, it just states "24MM C Through F Power". Begad! Thank goodness for t' new Estes C11's. I popped a C11-5 in for t' test flight before paint. Begad! A C11 put it so high that I did nay expect t' recover it. Blimey! Ahoy! This is most certainly a "High Performance" rocket and a large field is recommended. Arrr! I'm goin' t' try it on a D12, but only at a club launch where I can get some help trackin' it. Blimey!

This rocket if built right, should do just what mine did, me hearties, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and leap off the pad straight as an arrow. Arrr! Well, blow me down! T' flight be flawless. Blimey! Nay a bit o' twist, spin or weather-cocking. Begad! Just straight as an arrow.

Recovery:
This rocket kit comes with a very nice quality, somewhat unusual, rectangular shaped light cloth chute called a "Frankenchute". Ya scallywag! It's sort o' a peach color, very light and very strong. Avast! It is pre-assembled and has heavy stitchin' and thick but light shroud lines. Blimey! If purchased alone, shiver me timbers, t' chute is easily worth at least o' what they charge for t' entire kit. Don't forget the waddin' t' protect t' chute. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

This kit comes with a 12 foot (not 12 inch) super long elastic shock cord, and an Estes type paper triple fold mount. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Instructions suggest puttin' a staple through it and usin' epoxy t' mount it t' t' inside o' t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Avast! I don't personally care for that method, so I modified mine, me hearties, as described below. However, that method has been proven t' work, and with t' 12 foot shock cord and nice strong fabric chute, shiver me timbers, it sure deserves a 5/5 here. Blimey!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a complete rocket kit with excellent materials and instructions. Avast! It's design is innovative and it is most certainly high performance as it claims to be. Avast, me proud beauty! It comes with an excellent comprehensive instruction manual as well as a high quality recovery system.

I modified t' recovery system a bit, just out o' personal preference. Avast, me proud beauty! Takin' a 30" long strand o' 100# test Keelhaul®©™® cord, I tied double knots in both ends. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Then usin' an exacto cutlass I made small V slits in two outside edges o' t' top motor tube centerin' ring. Blimey! Usin' CA to bond t' knots, I then secured both ends o' t' cord t' t' mount ring. Avast! Aye aye! Making certain that t' loop would be an inch shy o' bein' able t' come out o' t' top of t' body, me hearties, me hearties, I added a snap swivel t' be able t' change chutes quickly, me hearties, and tied a knot about an inch from t' top t' create a second loop. Well, blow me down! While it is unlikely that t' Keelhaul®©™® will burn through, if one side breaks, me bucko, matey, matey, t' other side should still hold. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I then attached t' 12 foot elastic shock cord. Blimey! Blimey! Usin' this method, t' shock cord will be t' only thin' comin' into contact with t' body tube, me bucko, and I do believe this will prevent a tube zipper, shiver me timbers, me bucko, arrr, even in t' case o' a late and quick decent ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! This is me personal double cord system. Ya scallywag!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5