T' Estes Firebird is your basic four-fins-and-a-nose-cone sport rocket. It stands almost two feet tall and uses a BT-55 (about 1.3") diameter body tube.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5(Simple and straightforward)

T' Firebird came in t' usual plastic bag with t' colorful graphics on the front. Ahoy! (Note t' Estes: Why do you print on t' back o' t' bag so we can't see inside t' see if t' parts are in good condition?) Inside were t' 11 by 17 instructions and all o' t' pieces in good condition. Avast, me proud beauty! T' kit be t' basic 4F&NC rocket, me hearties, ya bilge rat, so thar be a plastic nose cone, me hearties, body tube, ya bilge rat, Balsa Fins and the required motor mount, matey, and 18" parachute. Arrr! Ahoy!

T' instructions are printed on one large 11x17 sheet. Aye aye! They follow t' usual Estes highly detailed copious level o' illustrations that we all know and love. T' shock cord mount is printed on t' launch instructions page so the instructions remain in one piece, a nice touch. Aye aye!

T' Kit is rated as a "Beta Series" but I would call it a beginner level. There were no fit or alignment issues that I had with this kit, all of the parts fit together nicely. Well, blow me down! T' body tube is slotted t' allow t' fins to attach t' t' motor mount as well as t' body tube. Ahoy! This makes an exceptionally strong mount and strong fins that will stand up t' lots o' abuse. Begad!

There are no special tools or methods needed t' build this kit, ya bilge rat, you will want t' test fit t' fins and t' motor mount before assembly. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' gap that is shown in figure 5 o' t' instructions be t' thickness o' t' body tube, somethin' that was neglected in t' instructions. Begad!

I finished t' rocket in a basic high-visibility orange paint scheme, matey, as I thought t' recommended pattern was rather hokey. Ya scallywag! One regret that I have is that I did nay fill t' body tube spiral seams before I painted t' 'bird, as the spirals show up rather well in t' orange paint. Aye aye! T' decals are nay the nicer water transfer type, but t' self-adhesive variety. I do nay particularly like t' thickness o' these decals. Avast, me proud beauty! One tip in usin' these decals, Get a good straight edge and a sharp knife blade and cut as close t' t' color as possible, that way thar be as little o' t' clear carrier showin' when you apply t' decals. Ya scallywag! T' results are a rocket that is sturdy and, well, looks like four fins and a nose cone, your basic rocket.

Flight Recovery Rating: 4 out o' 5

T' shock cord mount is standard folded paper Estes, matey, with an elastic cord (much better than t' old rubber bands...) that ties off on t' nose cone. Included in t' kit is an 18" parachute, I found this too big for the 'bird, but more on that later. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' parachute packs easily into t' large body tube with plenty o' room for wadding, arrr, and t' shock cord. Ahoy!

T' recommended motors are the: A8-3, shiver me timbers, matey, B4-4, B6-4, C6-5, and C6-7. Begad! Ya scallywag!

T' motor is held in place by t' bent metal engine retainer, along with a motor block for good measure. Arrr! Blimey! (If you bend t' engine hook slightly t' rocket will stand on all four fins for display.) I have used t' A8-3, B6-4 and C6-5 engines in this model. Arrr! Blimey! All o' t' engines work well, matey, arrr, and t' C6 takes it pretty high but nay out o' sight. On t' first flight I used t' parachute as supplied. T' rocket is too light for that parachute, and it floated for what seemed t' be an eternity. Avast! Blimey! So t' next flight I cut out t' Estes logo in the chute. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! That flight took what seemed t' be a longer time t' reach t' ground, me hearties, shiver me timbers, at one point it seemed t' be suspended in mid-air, arrr, nay movin' down at all. Begad! Blimey! Well after that, arrr, matey, I fixed t' problem. Blimey! Blimey! T' 18" parachute now has a 16" hole in t' middle. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Basically it is a 2" rin' o' plastic. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Now t' rocket will return in a reasonable length o' time, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and it still floats down slow enough for a safe recovery. Avast! Blimey! I have launched t' Firebird in calm and 15-20 Mph winds, and it remained stable and predictable in all launches.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Everythin' considered, this an inexpensive (approx $11) basic sturdy model. Not flashy, arrr, and nay exotic, but a solid stable reliable performer. Arrr! This is the rocket I would use t' start a demonstration, me hearties, or t' recommend t' a newcomer as a first rocket.

It is very similar t' t' "Big Bertha" but t' through-the-wall fin attachment makes it a much more sturdy design. But do yourself a favor and either swap out t' a 12" parachute or cut a big hole in t' one that comes with t' kit, shiver me timbers, me hearties, or you might loose t' 'bird on t' wind. Blimey! Begad!