T' old 1/4 scale North Coast Patriot may have been a good kit, but I wouldn't recommend t' new Estes North Coast Patriot kit for several reasons.

Instructions:T' instructions were nay complete, as TWO separate addendum sheets were included. If you didn't see these two small slips o' paper, you'd have trouble buildin' t' rocket.

Ease o' Build:This rocket should have been easy t' build, me bucko, but it wasn't. Avast! There are several design problems with this rocket. Begad! T' fins have good tabs, but t' fin slots in the body tube were cut incorrectly on me kit. Avast, me proud beauty! One o' t' instruction addenda told me t' lengthen t' slots 1/4". This is sloppy manufacturing. This is sloppy manufacturing. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' thin-wall cardboard tubin' used, it isn't strong enough. T' plastic centerin' rings are strong enough, but they are nay easily adaptable t' a true 29mm motor mount tube or a 38mm tube, arrr, arrr, which this size kit could easily take. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' biggest problem be t' motor mount tube. Estes supplies a tube that is nay a standard 29mm. Avast, me proud beauty! It will take t' NorthCoast motors, it will barely fit a 29mm Aerotech reload case, but it will NOT take Aerotech single-use motors. This is a major deficiency, shiver me timbers, me hearties, as it requires t' builder to buy a standard 29mm motor mount tube and replace t' Estes tube with it if you want t' use G-80's. Well, blow me down! This would probably void Estes' warrantee.

Most likely, me hearties, Estes did this on purpose t' attempt t' get a captive market for their North Coast motors. Blimey! They are good motors, a bit pricey, but I want t' be able t' use different motors, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, nay just the F-62.

Quality:Sturdiness was another major flaw. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! This rocket zippers like a pair o' Levis. This rocket zippers like a pair o' Levis. T' thin-wall tubin' is nay strong enough t' handle t' shock cord. Begad! Blimey! Decals were excellent, a well-done part o' an otherwise disappointin' rocket. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' rocket looks fine until you fly it, then it may look like it's fly is open.

Rating:This rocket definitely gets 1 point because o' t' numerous problems outlined above. Ahoy! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' poor instructions, me hearties, non-standard motor mount tube, me bucko, and weak tubin' make this a rocket to avoid ... Arrr! Blimey! particularly when PML has a 1/4 scale Patriot for less loot and with stronger phenolic tubing.

I wish I had bought t' PML Patriot instead, and will probably buy PML next time.

UPDATE 4/99:

In t' year or so since I wrote this review, I have launched me NCR Patriot several times, shiver me timbers, mostly with G-64's G-75's and H-128's. T' Patriot, despite it serious problems with construction, me bucko, has flown okay. I've zippered or broken t' upper body tube several times, arrr, as this rocket lands rough. Ahoy! T' balsa strakes have also been dinged a bit. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I tried phenolic, matey, ya bilge rat, which did nay zipper, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but it cracked too easily on hard landings. Avast! Ya scallywag! Regular tubin' is a better deal. Arrr! Begad!

Two noticeable problems: 1/4" lugs are too small for a 4" rocket like this one. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! T' launch rod bends a lot and a larger rod and lugs are definitely needed. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Also this rocket weathercocks like an Estes SR-71, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and it has gone horizontal at times. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Some other people have noted meltin' o' t' plastic centerin' rings with hotter high-power reloads, ya bilge rat, but I haven't had this problem.