Brief:
T' modern, me bucko, arrr, E2X reincarnation o' t' ARV Condor, matey, this kit is a quick, arrr, easy build and eye-catchin' design. Begad! At apogee, shiver me timbers, (2) separate gliders break free t' circle t' field while t' main rocket eases down under chute.

Construction:
T' 2003 Estes line seems t' be carefully packed, arrr, with each body tube enclosed in plastic. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! T' nose cone is an unusual appearance, with a raised canopy and a duct area underneath. Avast! T' fins are plastic, arrr, rugged enough t' handle C's. Begad! T' motor retention compartment is a 2-piece plastic housin' with a quick release cap. Begad! Shuttles are made from pre-cut styrofoam (1-piece) wings, fuselage, arrr, and hook. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Shock cord is standard Estes 1/8", and way too short.

T' package boasts o' total build time in under an hour, ya bilge rat, and most modelers will find that t' be true. T' parts fit very well, arrr, shiver me timbers, and t' directions were easy t' follow.

Pros-fit and finish. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' body tubes come fully detailed (decals already on). Blimey! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' only "assembly" work be t' motor retention compartment, ya bilge rat, gluin' on t' plastic fins, and mountin' t' shock cord. Aye aye! Blimey! A very nice plus is that t' Estes chutes seem t' be all pre-assembled this year.

Cons-Gluin' t' styrofoam glider parts together is a bit messy, ya bilge rat, especially t' rudder, arrr, which is glued in after placin' a decal over t' top o' t' fuselage. Ahoy! Blimey! T' decal be also a bit tricky, as you're supposed t' cut a slot in it after puttin' it on t' fuselage, and t' slot you cut is supposed t' line up with t' now-covered slot on t' fuselage. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Trimmin' t' gliders is weak, matey, as t' ailerons are pre-cut into t' styrofoam, and don't tend t' stay flexed for very long.

I'd also gladly pay an extra dime or so if Estes would get rid o' t' 1/8" elastic shock cords that might last 3-4 flights, me bucko, me bucko, and replace them with 1/4" or even Keelhaul®©™®.

Finishing:
This is a very nice lookin' rocket/shuttle combo. Arrr! Very little finishin' work is required at all.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight be under perfect conditions (72 degrees, matey, winds under 5 mph, arrr, we only get about 3 o' these days a year in Ohio). Begad! I flew it on a B4-4. Begad! Begad! Straight up flight, slight spin, matey, deployed right at apogee. Aye aye! Gliders seemed t' stick for a second or two, matey, then broke loose. Begad! #1 came down very fast & steep, ya bilge rat, #2 seemed better trimmed and circled a bit on t' way down, ya bilge rat, but still had a somewhat steep decent. Blimey! Avast! Everythin' be recovered safely within about 50 yards o' t' pad.

Recovery:
As mentioned, trimmin' t' gliders is difficult, as t' styrofoam tends t' have a "memory". I definitely refer t' ARV condor's gliders t' these foam gliders.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great introduction t' boost gliders. Ahoy! Fast, easy, and neat appearance. For t' experienced modeler, shiver me timbers, t' gliders will be a bit disappointing.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5