Brief:
True Modeler's Rocket Kits (TMRK) formally released their 1:14 scale Aries "Fat Albert" in November, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, 2003. Ahoy! I was fortunate enough t' purchase one o' t' beta kits. Aye aye! Begad! T' kit may seem pricey at $79.95 but once you see the components, me hearties, me hearties, t' cost becomes apparent.

Kit Contents:
This kit is made o' quality components throughout.

• T' nosecone is hard balsa and comes already weighted for flight, with the screw eye secured in epoxy. Avast, me proud beauty! T' nosecone is heavy, matey, havin' about 6 oz o' weight added t' make t' rocket stable with 4-F24 motors. Ahoy! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' nosecone alone accounts for 1/3 o' t' kit's price (get t' price for a 3x12 inch hard balsa cone at Balsa Machining). Another nice touch be a wrap o' foam around t' nosecone's tip t' prevent damage in shipping.
• All small parts are in bags, ya bilge rat, and each bag has a parts list and a picture for parts identification. It doesn't get any better than this.
• T' kit has heavy kraft paper body tubes
• T' launch lug is long 1/4 inch ID aluminum tube.
• There is even a second copy o' t' paper shroud, arrr, shiver me timbers, me bucko, in t' event that your first try doesn't work.
• A 24 inch synthetic parachute
• T' motor tubes (4) are lined with aluminum foil - another nice touch.
• All centerin' rings are laser-cut plywood
• T' motor retention system is already installed in t' aft centerin' rin'
• Water-slide and peel-off decals

Construction:
The instructions are clearly written and easy t' follow. Ya scallywag! This is a skill level 3 or 4 kit, arrr, primarily due t' fin construction and t' large shroud. Avast, me proud beauty! Construction requires epoxy and thin CA and t' usual items (hobby knife, matey, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, etc). Ahoy! If you have one, I recommend a hobby saw for cuttin' t' heavy fin stock.

T' base o' t' kit is a 4 inch rin' tube, and is installed with 8 heavy-duty wooden spacers. Begad! I found t' spacers t' be about 1/4 inch too tall, requirin' a good bit o' sandin' t' get t' rin' t' fit. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! However, matey, t' design is sturdy and probably necessary if you intend t' use 4 F24 motors.

The shroud be t' tricky part, ya bilge rat, since it includes a cutout for t' launch lug to pass through. Begad! Blimey! My first shroud be barely able t' fit t' large tube, shiver me timbers, and the cutout for t' lug was way too small. Begad! No fear, shiver me timbers, matey, matey, I cut out t' second one, stayin' outside t' lines t' get a larger shroud. Avast! I also used a hole punch to lengthen t' launch lug cutout, me hearties, and be able t' get a good fit. I also changed the order o' assembly on me kit: I did nay install t' aft centerin' rin' until the shroud be finished. This allowed me t' glue t' shroud t' t' body from the inside, arrr, and t' fill t' cavity with two-part foam t' reinforce t' shroud. I recommend this change t' anyone who wants a rock-solid shroud. Ya scallywag! If you don't have foam, me hearties, stuffin' t' area with glue-soaked tissues would reinforce the shroud. Arrr! I hardened t' exterior o' t' shroud with thin CA, matey, followed by light sandin' t' get a smooth finish.

The fins are very thick, and made with 1/4 inch wood stock. A hobby saw is great for these cuts. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! A triangular piece o' balsa (R/C trailin' win' edge) provides the fin's taper. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' fins do require a good deal o' additional taperin' to finish, but they nicely conform t' t' base and t' shroud. A nice design. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

Motor retention is simple: a threaded blind-T nut sits in t' middle o' the motors. A bolt and fender washer retains all t' motors, and can be easily replaced if necessary. Simple but effective.

Finishing:
I finished me kit by sealin' t' wood parts with thin CA, me hearties, applyin' spot body to imperfections in t' balsa, shiver me timbers, me hearties, followed by 3 coats o' sandable primer, matey, sanding between each coat. I used Krylon white, shiver me timbers, orange, me hearties, and black for final coats, and then applied t' decals as per t' instructions.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
TMRK claims that this kit can achieve almost 1/2 mile o' altitude when flown with 4 Aerotech F24 motors. Arrr! That's t' equivalent o' an H motor, folks. Begad! Ahoy! For first flights, matey, shiver me timbers, 4 D12-5s are recommended. Arrr! Aye aye!

My first flight was less than successful. Aye aye! Begad! I be at t' club launch, me hearties, and I was assured that t' launch system could ignite a cluster o' four D12-5 motors. I prepped for flight, matey, and when t' fire button was pushed, me hearties, t' rocket screamed about 10 feet into t' air with igniter wires in tow. Ahoy! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' rocket fell over in the grass. Two o' t' motors ignited. Arrr! After cleanin' off t' mud on one fin, the rocket was prepared again, arrr, ya bilge rat, this time on a pad equipped with a relay launcher. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Success! T' four D12 motors gave a nice slow lift-off with about 500 ft maximum altitude. Well, blow me down! Parachute deployment be right on time, arrr, and recovery was successful. Well, blow me down! Definitely don't attempt t' launch this kit without a relay launcher. Well, blow me down!

Since t' first flight, I've made two more successful flights with four D12-5 motors. Aye aye! This rocket never fails t' get comments when I fly it. If you want t' keep it white, you'll either have t' shipshape t' aft end every time, or paint it again. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! All in all, a kit that looks great and flies great, arrr, too. Begad!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
In summary, this be an enjoyable kit t' build, and I be pleased with the quality o' t' components and t' final product. Ya scallywag! I recommend that you install the aft rin' only once t' shroud is finished, providin' an opportunity to reinforce t' shroud after installation. Ahoy! T' kit may seem pricey at $80, me hearties, me hearties, but its quality will nay disappoint you. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5