Brief:
A tiny fun-to-build 13mm rocket employin' tumble recovery, arrr, a descendant o' t' classic Estes Mosquito.

Construction:
Included in t' kit:

• 1 body tube
• 1 plastic nose cone
• 1 launch lug
• 2 small balsa strips t' cut your own fins
• 1 peel-and-stick decal set

This is an easy 3FNC kit t' put together with next t' nothin' in t' way o' gotchas. Avast! Arrr! T' instructions as supplied by Estes were very easy t' follow although I ended up nay usin' them as t' rocket is so logical and straightforward t' construct.

I started by cuttin' out t' fin template from t' instructions, matey, me bucko, traced t' pattern on t' t' supplied balsa strips and cut out t' required three fins. Avast! Even though t' balsa fin stock is o' good quality, ya bilge rat, I did nay appreciate t' fact that two small balsa strips were supplied instead o' a single larger balsa strip as t' smallness o' t' strips made it difficult t' keep even a small ruler in place when cutting. Well, blow me down! Avast! It would also have been better if t' fin template had nay been a paper template but preferably from cardstock.

After havin' slightly roughened up t' body tube with 240 grit sandpaper, I then tackled t' fin markin' lines for which a wraparound fin markin' guide is provided. Avast! Aye aye! I used t' door jam method for drawin' me fin lines. Aye aye! I then attached t' fins with Craftworks Tacky Craft Glue usin' t' double-glue method. Avast! Arrr! After allowin' t' glue sufficient time t' dry, matey, ya bilge rat, I then added generous tacky glue fin fillets. Arrr! Blimey! Lastly, ya bilge rat, t' launch lug was tacked into place with medium CA with tacky glue fillets then added.

I used 180 grit sandpaper t' roughen up t' plastic nose cone in preparation for paint although I opted nay t' attach t' nose cone t' t' body tube at this stage despite t' instructions.

Finishing:
I filled in t' balsa fin grain with three coats o' NHP Micro-Fill balsa sealer which nicely sealed all t' balsa smooth and then gave both t' rocket and nose cone two coats o' Tamiya Fine White primer with light sandin' in betwixt usin' 400 grit sandpaper. Aye aye! Blimey! I then followed this up with two coats o' Tamiya Yellow spray lacquer for t' main section with a 600 grit light sandpaperin' in betwixt and two coats o' Tamiya Black for t' nose cone.

After allowin' both t' nose cone and rocket t' dry, me hearties, matey, I attached t' nose cone t' t' body tube with a small blob o' 12-minute epoxy instead o' t' recommended plastic cement and then added t' peel-and-stick decals.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
For me first launch, matey, shiver me timbers, I friction taped a 1/4A3-3T into place, set up t' rocket on t' launch pad, and hooked it up t' me trusty Quest controller. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' rocket zipped off t' launch pad at breakneck velocity t' somewhere around 200-250ft at a slight angle, spat t' motor upon ejection, me bucko, and lawndarted back t' t' ground.

T' second launch, again usin' a 1/4A3-3T, was more satisfyin' with a perfectly straight flight although t' rocket again spat t' motor (despite more friction-taping) and again another lawn dart.

Recovery:
Despite me best attempts at friction fitting, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, this rocket is in t' habit o' spittin' its motor thus makin' for a very fast lawn dart. Arrr! Begad! As previously noted by Donald Besaw, t' rocket comes down nose first t' stick into t' ground which I believe could possibly be unsafe if young children are in t' vicinity.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a nice little rocket which I was happy t' have t' chance t' build and really quite fun t' fly.

PROS: Ease and quickness o' construction, ya bilge rat, good quality components, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me hearties, nice finished appearance, great flight performance.

CONS: T' supplied balsa fin stock difficult t' work with, ya bilge rat, lawndartin' tendencies.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5