This is a great kit t' get you into the more advanced, mid-power rocket kits, but I would still recommend gettin' a novice kit first. T' Graduator has t' great feature o' through-the-wall tubin' which decreases t' time and effort for you. Arrr! It also comes with t' LOC MMA-1 motor adapter t' fly it on 24mm motors. Arrr! T' only problem, me hearties, thar be no type o' "motor block" in t' mount. Well, blow me down! It's still a great kit t' build and fly. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Since t' kit has thru-the-wall tubin' all that needs t' be done, once the fins have be n epoxied in place, matey, me hearties, is t' apply an epoxy fillet. Ahoy! Also, I did not put a sealer on t' fins like t' instructions suggested, matey, but it turns out that I really needed to, as t' grain on t' plywood shows. Avast, me proud beauty! Make sure you sand the entire rocket before paintin' as well. Aye aye! [Editors Note] Before gluin' the motor mount into place a positive motor retention system could be installed. Friction fitting, shiver me timbers, with tape, me bucko, is a practiced method, but is a little scary with those expensive RMS casings.

Brief:   Single staged, me hearties, three-finned rocket for 29mm engines. Well, blow me down! Begad! I think that it is meant as a first rocket for middle power. It turned out t' be mine as well.

Construction: Everythin' be there, nothin' defective or broken. Ahoy! The nose cone and body tube are standard LOC parts, with t' nose bein' hollow sturdy plastic, arrr, me hearties, and t' body tube spiral wound kraft paper glassined on the surface. Aye aye! It was also pre-slotted t' allow t' plywood precut fins which came with tabs that matched these slots t' fit in. Begad! Two centerin' rings, plywood, were provided, ya bilge rat, and can be placed t' meet t' fin tabs and reinforce t' joint. And these rings center t' spiral wound paper 29mm motor mount tube. Begad! Avast! Blimey! T' kit came with a red, arrr, 18 inch nylon chute with 8 nylon cord shroud lines. Blimey! T' shock cord is 5 feet o' flat white elastic 1/4 inch wide, mounted t' a tough possibly nylon/Keelhaul®©™® 6-inch cord that is made into a loop and is anchored t' t' folded paper shock cord mount inside t' body tube. Aye aye! For this model, arrr, me bucko, I glassed over the affixed mount with epoxy. Begad! Begad! So far, no zipperin' has occurred. T' launch lug is spiral wound paper, and is 6 inches long and accepts 3/8 inch rods. Arrr! Well, blow me down!

Finishing: There weren't decals, so after I spray painted t' entire rocket with matte fluorescent orange sign paint, I wrote the name, shiver me timbers, me bucko, "Graduator" in blue up t' body tube in fabric paint.  Surprisingly, it has stayed on perfectly. In t' middle o' t' body tube, me bucko, me hearties, I put a 4-inch wide band o' adhesive silver mylar t' enhance visibility.  I also put a similar band o' orange mylar at t' top o' t' body tube t' prevent paint chippin' at t' top, me bucko, which happens a lot when I fly rockets as often as this one. Begad! Begad!

I used Micro Fill model filler t' fill t' spirals. It's white putty that is spreadable with fingertips and dries in a few hours at room temperature. And it's sandable. And it's sandable. Avast! Maybe I should have roughened it up a little to let t' primer adhere better and so t' main coat would have held better. This stuff does fill cracks and transitions and makes a surface more aerodynamic. 

Construction Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Flight: It's recommended t' use 29mm G Aerotech motors.  So far, I have tried t' G35, ya bilge rat, G40, and G80, matey, me bucko, all with a 7 second delay.  All work great. Arrr! Blimey! This battered rocket has lived two years and has flown easily 16 times. It's easy t' prep, with five papers bein' enough wadding, arrr, or enough worm bed waddin' t' fill t' tube t' one inch.  T' chute is unscorched and unfrayed, but I put it in a red rocket for color matchin' and made this one a similar sized one from blaze orange rip stop nylon t' match its color scheme. T' only wear t' rocket has is its paint. Ahoy! Blimey! Since this rocket be one o' my first in higher power, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I used putty t' smoothen t' fin t' body joints, ya bilge rat, but since this stuff can flex, t' paint over it has chipped and has required redoing.  Maybe next time I'll use primer and automotive paint.

I read that other reviewers would have wanted an engine block.  I have mixed feelings here. Aye aye! Blimey! First, I'll tell an embarrassin' story.  When I didn't tape me G80 in well enough, it kicked up and out and left t' rocket behind. This be in front o' a lot o' guys whom I would prefer t' have impressed. Well, blow me down! Blimey! An engine block cured that, but will prevent me later use o' longer motors. Blimey! Blimey! I'll just have t' buy another Graduator for that! Blimey!

Recovery: Just right, matey, no fin loss, no scorches on the chute. Ahoy! T' rocket is a little battered, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but intact and still flying.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary: Easy t' build, me bucko, reliable. Easy t' build, reliable. Durable.  Very possibly modifiable for H power if fiberglassed. I just might do that. Well, blow me down! Begad!

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5