Brief:
This is a single stage rocket, ya bilge rat, nice sized, me hearties, over 3 feet tall. Skill level (2), bein' t' most simple kit offered by T' Launch Pad. Begad! Begad! It comes in a large retail type (Estes type) plastic bag with a peg hole punched header card and a full color cardboard insert which looks very nice. Begad! I purchased this kit and two other Launch Pad kits (the two others bein' t' HARM and ALARM) at t' same time, t' get a good experience with their kits. Ahoy! Ahoy! They seem t' be all military scale and similar in difficulty. Begad! But this one looked t' be most simple, ya bilge rat, so I built it first. Begad! (See Picture - Type 30 Painted Green)

Construction:
While this kit does nay include a list o' parts, matey, everythin' be thar and perfect t' get started. Avast! T' instructions are quite nice with illustrations and by usin' them you are walked through very concise and detailed, yet simple steps t' make this rocket a nice reality. Well, blow me down! It comes with two body tubes (2.6), plastic nose cone, arrr, balsa fin stock (very flexible), ya bilge rat, me bucko, me hearties, engine tube, arrr, clip, ya bilge rat, rings, very thin body tube connector, engine mount centerin' rin' type parachute compartment bulkhead ring, highly reflective Mylar chute material and what is needed t' assemble it, and templates for a paper nose cone extension, me bucko, me bucko, fins, me hearties, etc.

Overall t' kit looks nice, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, matey, t' instructions are simple and complete (other than t' fact that they do nay tell you where t' mount t' launch lug), and I enjoyed buildin' this. Aye aye! I only have one concern, and that is that t' balsa fin stock is very, me bucko, very soft. T' balsa fin stock provided is so soft that it could be used t' fold or roll in applications such as makin' RC airplane wings. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I had read reviews before about how soft t' balsa is in T' Launch Pad kits, so I be nay let down. But I was surprised as I never expected it t' be THIS soft. There is no way in t' World that you could use this Balsa fin stock as is and expect reliable repeat flights. Well, blow me down! As it is, an E could shred t' fins apart. Arrr! Blimey! I sanded t' glassine off t' body and tacked t' fins which I cut and sanded t' be uniform, with quick CA. Well, blow me down! I then used DAP yellow wood glue for fillets. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! But that does nay matter. Begad! You can still use your pinky and next t' no pressure and t' fins are so soft that they move a lot. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' instructions do nay give any warnings or directions on how t' make t' fins stronger. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! So as t' kit is, this looks nice, me hearties, matey, but it is ready t' come apart, without more attention than t' kit instructions detail.

T' instructions are quite good. Well, me hearties, blow me down! I have built a few rockets in me time, shiver me timbers, so for me, arrr, they were perfect. Ahoy! But this is nay a kit for someone who has never built a rocket.

T' engine tube centerin' rings as well as t' same type rin' which is used t' create t' parachute compartment, are very nice quality black stiff cardboard.

A thin paper/cardboard nose cone tip was provided, matey, along with instructions on how t' add it t' t' plastic nose cone. I decided t' opt out o' this myself. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I would prefer a nice correctly shaped balsa nose cone, shiver me timbers, but that is just a personal preference.

As a PRO, t' parachute compartment created with a thick black thin cardboard centerin' rin' is a major plus and nice touch. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! A shock cord could even be mounted t' it.

A CON is that t' Balsa fin stock is way, shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, way too fragile.

Finishing:
This is a quite easy rocket t' build and finish. Ya scallywag! I decided t' skip any primer. Avast! Avast! It does nay come with decals o' any type, but that is no big deal as t' prototype that it models didn't really have any major marks other than a few stripes. Begad! I used FIX-ALL All Purpose spray enamel, me bucko, gloss green. It's hard t' spray paint in Houston because it is so humid and me rocket shop is an outside metal building. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I have a few paint runs, but nay that bad. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket looks very nice. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I just wish I felt confident with it

. T' main thin' that worries me about this rocket is how soft and flexible t' fins are. Arrr! I will build another one, matey, usin' me own Balsa wood fin stock. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! This is a great kit, arrr, nice sized rocket easy t' build, but I can only give it a 2/5 as t' Balsa fin stock is below average and thar could be major improvement there. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! I used yellow DAP wood glue and CA for t' entire build.

Construction Rating: 2

Flight:
I put it up once, ya bilge rat, unpainted on an Estes D12-5. Arrr! Blimey! Slow lift-off, then some boost. Looks like it got about 400 feet. Arrr! Blimey! Ejection right at apogee, matey, looked nice. Soft landing, no damage. Ya scallywag! It tore one fin off right above me yellow wood glue fillet, me hearties, me hearties, right into flight. Ya scallywag! It got majorly sideways and did nay fly like anythin' I would want t' put up at a club launch. Glad I was by myself on this one. Blimey! I am nay at all surprised t' see it shed a fin as t' fin stock be so weak that t' fins were almost fallin' apart while bein' cut out.

Recovery:
This kit suggests usin' an Estes type paper tri-fold shock cord mount, ya bilge rat, arrr, matey, mounted t' t' inside o' t' body. Begad! But it is set up for way better methods, me hearties, for those who want t' enhance t' recovery system. Aye aye! Arrr! I used a two foot long piece o' 1/8 Keelhaul®©™ Cord, matey, mountin' each end through t' top rin' o' t' engine assembly centerin' ring, creatin' a loop, me bucko, me bucko, with a knot about an inch from t' top. Begad! (see picture) This results in (2) cords which are supposed t' be fireproof. Avast, me proud beauty! An exacto knife be able t' make nice slits in t' top centerin' ring, and t' knotted ends got a drop o' CA each. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' knot about 1 inch from t' top will ensure that if one fails, ya bilge rat, t' other will work.

I then added t' snap swivel, which came with t' kit, me hearties, me hearties, arrr, t' connect t' chute quickly. I then added 15 feet o' me own 1/2" elastic shock cord instead o' t' 18"x1/8" that came with t' kit, t' extend t' t' nose cone and chute snap swivel. Ahoy! T' Keelhaul®©™ loop is designed t' fall short o' t' top o' t' body by 1 inch, me bucko, includin' t' snap swivel. Well, blow me down! Begad! This causes t' only body contact t' be with t' 1/2" elastic, thus almost entirely eliminatin' any chance o' a zipper like damage event t' t' body, me bucko, me bucko, even in t' case o' a very late ejection and deployment.

On an interestin' note, arrr, when lookin' at t' three Launch Pad kits I have, arrr, now two t' finish, ya bilge rat, it appears as if they all come with a very shiny Mylar parachute which must be put together. What is funny is that this rocket designed t' be green, came with a purple chute. Ya scallywag! Begad! Then t' ALARM designed t' be red, came with a green chute. Arrr! T' HARM, designed t' be white came with a red chute. Ahoy! Begad! So I just switched them out, ya bilge rat, and used t' green chute from t' HARM with this Type 30, which is green as well, and will use t' purple chute with t' Harm/White and t' red chute with t' Alarm/red.

While I do nay care for t' Estes type paper tri-folded shock cord mount system, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me bucko, it will work for this kit and t' parachute is o' good quality when built right. Nice reflective mylar. Well, blow me down! It was only a personal choice t' add me own Keelhaul®©™ to t' mount system. (See pictures 1 and 2) Here, due t' fin failure only, in flight, I give it a 3/5. Blimey! Blimey! If t' fins were strong I would have gave it a 5/5.

Flight Rating: 3

Summary:
This is a nice sized rocket kit that comes in a professional package with everythin' you need, along with good instructions. Ya scallywag! What scares t' heck out o' me is that t' Balsa wood for t' fins is just very weak and limp. Avast! When I finish a model and have me thumb on t' button t' launch it, I like t' feel confident about everything. Well, blow me down! With this one, I can't feel confident at all, and it really does scare me t' think o' how weak these fins are. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! So for overall rating, considerin' what is most important t' me, I can only give this kit a 2.5/5. Begad! It needs better balsa t' become average, but with that it makes a big jump. If it had stiff and strong balsa, I would have most certainly have given it a 5/5, cause it's a cool, fun and complete kit.

Overall Rating: 2