Brief:
T' X-Ray is an easy-to-build 'bug-lofter' for 13mm (mini) motors. Avast! Arrr! It's essentially an Estes Gnome with a clear plastic payload section, shiver me timbers, and it shares the easy buildin' and flyin' characteristics o' that popular rocket. Ya scallywag! Avast! Like the Gnome, t' main body tube is a minimum-diameter 13mm/BT5, but t' upper, payload section is wider; t' equivalent o' an 18mm/BT20 tube. Arrr! A plastic transition section handles t' 18mm t' 13mm connection. Avast! Begad! T' rocket requires no paintin' or other finishin' except application o' decals.

Construction:
This kit has fewer parts than most rockets and none are especially tricky. There is no balsa in t' kit, arrr, just pink plastic for t' nose cone, fin unit (on piece with 4 fins) and upper launch-lug (the lower lug is built into t' fin unit), matey, a grey plastic transition section, a paper main body tube (bt5) in black, and t' clear payload tube. Ahoy! A mini engine clip, ya bilge rat, shock cord and streamer complete t' kit.

Construction is easy and quick. Aye aye! Blimey! As t' body tube is also t' engine tube, the motor clip is mounted externally. Blimey! Ahoy! T' top o' t' clip slips into a small slit in t' tube and t' fin can is glued over t' top o' t' clip, matey, securing it. T' shock cord mounts through a similar slit in t' top o' t' tube and is secured by t' upper launch lug. Ya scallywag!

T' nose, payload tube and transition section are friction fit, so that the payload section can be opened. Arrr! We needed a turn o' maskin' tape, me bucko, as the instructions suggested, t' get a snug fit. Blimey! Blimey! T' shock cord ties t' t' bottom of the transition section, me bucko, me bucko, me bucko, and you're ready t' apply t' stick-on decals. Ya scallywag!

T' only thin' remotely 'tricky' be t' securin' o' t' shock cord t' the body tube and linin' up t' lugs, arrr, me bucko, and neither should cause problems even for young builders. Begad!

PRO's: Fast and easy t' build right. Your young rocket scientist is goin' t' get a result he's happy with (which is t' say it will look just like the picture on t' box and he gets t' fly it today!)

Con's: If you want a challenge or a chance t' develop building skills you won't find it with this kit.

Finishing:
Put on t' decals. I can't imagine what else you could do, shiver me timbers, really. Well, blow me down! Begad!

I'm goin' t' rate it a 4 just because thar be so little t' build. Its really as close t' RTF as you can get and still call it a kit. Ahoy! If that's what you want then it's a perfect 5!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
We've flown it on t' A3-4 only. Its t' perfect motor for this bird. Begad! Blimey! RockSim puts t' apogee at 450 ft. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! with A impulse, me hearties, and 215 ft. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! with 1/2 A. Blimey! Blimey! I don't think we're gettin' all o' 450 ft with ours, matey, matey, but we still get nice satisfying flights.

I believe (can't really remember...) that I replaced t' stock shock cord with a longer Estes 1/8 elastic; I wanted t' reduce t' load on t' cord and the payload section friction joints. Gettin' wadding, me bucko, t' cord and t' streamer into t' 13mm body tube is a tight fit, matey, which may have contributed t' t' one problem we have experienced with t' X-Ray. Well, blow me down!

T' only weakness in t' construction concerns t' motor clip mount through the BT-5 body tube. Ya scallywag! Well, matey, blow me down! After several flights I noticed that t' clip had been forced back by ejection charge, arrr, me hearties, and had torn t' slit into a small "window". I should be able t' fix it, but t' clip, which is also the motor block, shiver me timbers, seems like t' weak point. Begad! Arrr! That small slit through t' tube is not enough t' restrain it.

Recovery:
Recovery is quick with t' streamer, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and t' fins can take t' landings with ease. Begad! Very little drift. Well, matey, blow me down! T' biggest risk, I believe, aside from t' usual shock cord breakage, matey, shiver me timbers, is that t' friction fit o' t' nosecone or transition section will fail at separation and parts will be lost. Aye aye! We have nay experienced such a problem, shiver me timbers, but I'm careful t' get a snug fit. Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
It's a kid's rocket and it does that job quite well. Aye aye! You can buy it, build it, and fly t' whole pack o' A3's in a day. T' biggest disappointment me son felt was t' difficulty he had securin' 'passengers' t' ride in t' payload section. T' package shows a 'stink beetle' (that's how he describes it) onboard the rocket, and he thought that was just ideal. Ya scallywag! Such beetles are hard t' find just when you need 'em, however, and we were about t' send up our third sample of clover when a flyin' ant landed on me wrist just as I was securin' t' nose cone. Avast! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! It seemed like he was voluteerin' for t' flight so we scooped him up and sent him aloft. Avast, me proud beauty! Afterwards me son got t' t' rocket first and opened the payload, but could nay find our passenger. I think he made his exit as soon as the cone came off! All in all a nice little payloader for mini-engines and mini-rocketeers.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5