Brief:
A helicopter recovery rocket. Blimey! Aye aye! My wife's favorite, because t' prep time after a recovery is about 2 minutes -- put t' engine, me hearties, igniter, and igniter plug in, me hearties, and t' rocket is ready for another go!

Components:

• Body tube: BT-20D (7")
• Nose cone: BNC-20B (balsa) (any blunt one will do)
• Fins: 2 large, me hearties, 2 hinged, me bucko, me bucko, 4 rudders
• No motor mount, just an engine block
• No shock cord, shiver me timbers, parachute, me hearties, or streamer
• Short length o' elastic string
• Short length (2") o' hardwood (popsicle stick works well)
• Launch lug 1"
• Hinge material (unscented bounce sheets work well)
• Other materials you will need (as usual): pencil or pen, hobby cutlass t' cut t' fins, a sewin' needle, and some white glue (no plastic parts).

Construction:
Construction PROs: This rocket is pretty simple t' build. Aye aye! There are relatively few steps, due t' t' simple design. Typical Estes picture-heavy instructions make everythin' go together well. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Most o' t' "gotcha's" were spelled out in t' instructions (gluin' t' fins together where t' hinge goes). Begad! Blimey! T' only hard part o' this whole "kit" is gettin' t' elastic into t' fins without destroyin' them. Ya scallywag! Blimey! A sewin' needle is almost too big, but t' elastic is too thick for most everythin' else.

Another PRO be t' sturdiness. Avast! You would think that t' rocket repeatedly landin' on t' nose would dent it, matey, or rip t' fins off. Ya scallywag! However, while it looks like it is screamin' down, it is really floatin' -- an optical illusion because it is spinning, I guess. Finally, ya bilge rat, thar are only two fins t' glue onto t' body tube, so it is much easier t' align than 3 or 4. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! You could probably use a ruler or other straight-edge t' help also, arrr, if needed. Avast! Gluin' t' rudders is pretty easy, they need t' be opposite o' each other, which you can tell by sightin' down t' fin.

Construction CONs: Nothin' really. Blimey! A very simple rocket t' build.

Finishing:
As this is a JimZ plans, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, thar are nay any decals supplied. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! So, shiver me timbers, you are free t' make up your own scheme. Aye aye! I painted it in a spiral by paintin' t' undercoat white, me bucko, then maskin' off with a length o' 3/4" tape. I also painted t' fins and rudders alternatin' colors, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, so it really blurs when it comes down. Aye aye! This makes t' finishin' much harder than it has t' be. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Nay too many nooks and crannies, arrr, so is easy t' spray paint.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Flights are great. Ya scallywag! Put an A engine in (a B engine is almost too much, arrr, shiver me timbers, a C is out o' sight for a LONG time), add an igniter and its plug, and you are good t' go. Well, blow me down! T' engine holds t' fins straight until it ejects, shiver me timbers, which lets t' elastic pull t' bottom part o' t' fins into t' helicopter configuration. No waddin' t' forget. Blimey! Well, me hearties, blow me down! No parachute t' fold or get tangled. Aye aye! No shock cord t' burn through, shiver me timbers, or cause a zipper. Well, blow me down! Begad! Man, me hearties, what a waste! How are you supposed t' CATO this? ;-) Mine flies pretty straight, matey, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but has a spin t' it while boosting. I can't tell if I didn't position t' hardwood against t' engine right, ya bilge rat, or got t' fins cocked while gluin' them on, or t' wind pushes it. Arrr! However, it just adds t' t' "helicopter" feel!

Recovery:
T' only CON here is that t' elastic and hinge material wear out after a while. Ahoy! Mine has had about ten flights, arrr, and one fin only pulls a little. Avast! Blimey! However, shiver me timbers, matey, it doesn't seem t' affect t' spin much. Ya scallywag! I'll bet I have t' replace both elastic strings, and maybe t' hinge material too. Ahoy! Arrr! Blimey! I don't know what you could do t' make it better, shiver me timbers, though! Blimey! Ten flights and still goin' strong, better than most o' me rockets ... Blimey! Blimey! but that's another story.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Simple t' build, shiver me timbers, very simple t' prep, very little t' go wrong on this baby. Begad! A great rocket. An added bonus: All t' old-timers get a real kick out o' seein' this one, too.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5