Brief:
Classic clustered egg-lofter. Very neat rocket.

Construction:
This is a clone kit I purchased on eBay for $21.00. Blimey! It came in a box, but the parts were in a plastic bag. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! All parts were present. T' Astron Scrambler was Estes' first egg-lofter and was distributed from 1969-1977.

T' kit includes:

• 1 Balsa Nose Cone
• 1 Payload Tube
• 1 Balsa Transition
• 2 Balsa Fin Stock Sheets
• 1 Wooden Dowel
• 1 Body Tube (BT-60)
• 3 Engine Tubes (BT-20)
• 1 Centerin' Ring
• 2 18" Parachutes
• 2 Snap Swivels
• 1 Launch Lug
• 3 Engine Hooks
• 1 Decal Sheet
• 1 Screw Eye
• 1 Shock Cord
• 1 Pattern Sheet
• 1 Tape Strips Sheet
• 1 Technical Report on Clusterin' (TR-6)

This rocket is rated Skill Level 3 but is very easy t' build if you've had a few other rockets you've built. Begad! Tools needed are glue, me hearties, me hearties, ya bilge rat, sandin' paper, hobby knife, and maybe tape. Well, blow me down! Arrr! There are 16 steps in t' instructions.

You start by gluin' t' 3 engine tubes together t' form pyramid. Blimey! While that dries, arrr, ya bilge rat, you then stick 4 tape strips into t' bottom o' t' payload tube. Begad! Then you add glue to those strips and slide t' balsa transition into place. Well, blow me down! Next, you glue t' 3 engine tubes t' t' centerin' ring, where they must be aligned correctly or they will nay fit in your body tube. Blimey! You cut a small slit in each o' t' engine tubes for your engine hooks and tape them t' t' engine tubes. T' ensure a proper fit, matey, shiver me timbers, slide t' motor mount assembly into t' butt o' t' rocket without any glue! Once satisfied with t' fit, glue it in t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Make sure the ends o' t' engine tubes are even with t' end o' t' body tube.

Now you cut 3 fins out with t' 2 balsa sheets supplied with t' kit. Well, blow me down! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! Cut 2 fins on one sheet, and t' third on t' second sheet o' balsa wood, sand them to an airfoil if you want good performance. Ahoy! T' fins are glued on before the last external item, me bucko, me hearties, t' launch lug, is glued t' t' standoff.

Screw t' screw eye into t' narrow end o' t' balsa transition, arrr, remove, add glue, then screw it back in. Well, blow me down! Arrr! This will be your shock cord/parachute mount for t' payload tube. Ahoy! Attach t' paper shock cord mount inside t' body tube and tie t' shock cord end t' a snap swivel. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' finish construction, attach the parachutes t' t' loop on t' snap swivels. T' payload tube can come down in 2 pieces if you're usin' a payload or for non-payload flights, remove t' payload chute and you attach t' body tube's snap swivel t' t' screw eye.

You finish t' build by addin' fillets t' all balsa joints.

Finishing:
This rocket can be painted any way you want. Avast, me proud beauty! I've even seen a purple Scrambler. I tried t' paint it t' mirror t' face card: red nose cone and one fin, black stripes on top and bottom o' payload tube along with one fin, arrr, and white body tube, transition and fin. Well, blow me down! Unfortunately, I was cursed while tryin' t' paint this rocket. Avast! First, a bee lands on wet paint and then it dripped. Avast! Then when I clear coated t' black bands on t' payload tube, arrr, ya bilge rat, they warp!! How? I don't know but because o' that, I may nay be able t' do egg lofts with it now...

T' decal sheet comes with very funny and weird decals such as: Omlet Express, Eggsaust, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, Good Eggs Fly Estes, me bucko, and Sunnyside Up. They are waterslide decals that went on easy. Begad! Well, blow me down! Clear coat them after they dry and you're done!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' Scrambler uses a 3 engine 18mm cluster o' A, B and C engines. Avast, me proud beauty! It does require about 8 sheets o' wadding. You also need t' place 1/4 square o' wadding in each o' t' engine tubes before loadin' t' engine. You also need a battery source o' at least 12v t' ignite all 3 motors. Begad! I flew mine on 3 A8-3s with an egg on 4/17/05. It didn't go as high as I expected, but sitll a great flight. Avast!

Recovery:
Recovery is by 2 18" parachutes. 1 for t' body and 1 for t' egg-crate. They both worked perfectly. No scrambled egg!

Summary:
This is a great sport and competition rocket. It truly proves that egg lofting is fun, me hearties, especially with 3 motors t' put it way up there!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5