Brief:
This is a review o' t' OOP Estes Master's Series Space Shuttle, shiver me timbers, EST# 1284. It is a 1/162 scale replica o' t' Space Shuttle and includes both Orbiter and booster sections. Avast! These sections are connected at launch, me hearties, me hearties, boost on a single C5-3 or C6-3 engine, and separate when t' 'main engine' ejects. T' Orbiter uses glide recovery while t' booster uses a parachute. For flight, thar are removable fin units that mount in t' SRBs. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! For display, arrr, plastic nozzles are provided.

Construction:
T' Space Shuttle came packaged like a typical Estes kit (plastic bags, matey, etc). This is definitely a skill-level-4 kit with 16 pages o' detailed instructions containin' 53 steps. Ya scallywag! It claims t' require 4 types o' glue and 6 colors o' paint. T' parts list includes 27 line items includin' t' chute, decals, shiver me timbers, etc. Ahoy! T' balsa fins, me bucko, cardboard body wraps/detailing, and vacuum-molded Orbiter components are all die cut. Blimey! Well, blow me down! T' die cut plastic components made t' Orbiter assembly a lot easier, shiver me timbers, as I never seem t' get a good fit when I have t' cut them with a knife.

I built t' kit stock, me bucko, down t' t' elastic shock cord. I figured it was good enough for several flights, and I probably will nay fly it too often. Begad! I substituted Titebond for t' white glue, and since I didn't want t' go out and buy 3 types o' glue that I normally don't use (contact cement, plastic cement, and liquid plastic cement), I used CA (medium and thick) instead. I assembled t' entire booster (main tank/SRBs) this way and it worked fine. Aye aye! Later, when I got t' t' Orbiter, shiver me timbers, which is almost all plastic, I broke down and got some liquid plastic cement. I want t' point out a general rule in buildin' models - one that I don't seem t' follow. Arrr! Ahoy! That is, read ALL t' instructions before you start. Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't pay attention and used t' elastic strin' required for t' adjustment o' t' Orbiter's elevons in another spot. Arrr! Avast! DUH. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I did, shiver me timbers, however, matey, shiver me timbers, find a suitable replacement when buildin' t' Orbiter. Ahoy! My feeble mind be confused by t' fact that t' chute came pre-assembled, and t' instructions called for a piece o' twine from t' chute. Aye aye! Arrr! I followed t' instructions pretty much as is, me bucko, but I did skip ahead at times t' keep busy while parts dried. I found one fin was broken out o' t' bag; however, this was easily fixed with some glue and tissue. Begad! I stopped at t' point that t' main tank, SRBs, matey, and removable fin units were complete. Avast, me proud beauty! At this point, shiver me timbers, I decided that I would separately paint each section. Begad! After these sections are assembled, it would be very difficult t' paint them different colors. T' fit o' t' plastic Orbiter parts was nay perfect, but nay too bad. Ahoy! T' first step in trimmin' t' Orbiter glider is balancin' it and adjustin' t' nose weight. Begad! T' kit provides two weights. Avast, me proud beauty! I used one weight and some clay instead o' cuttin' t' second one up. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Next, you adjust t' elevons with a strin' that is run through t' center engine nozzle in t' rear. This strin' pulls on a plastic arm on t' elevon assembly, while t' elastic strin' mentioned earlier maintains tension. Ya scallywag! Well, me bucko, blow me down! After quite a bit o' adjustment, shiver me timbers, t' Orbiter still seems t' glide like a brick (kind o' like t' real thing?). Begad! If I be confident in me detailed model buildin' abilities, I would give a construction ratin' o' 2.5, matey, me bucko, but will give it t' benefit o' t' doubt and bump it up a point.

Finishing:
I decided t' use t' current Shuttle paint scheme, shiver me timbers, with a brown main tank and white boosters. Ya scallywag! As I mentioned above, these were painted prior t' their final assembly. Aye aye! I used white spray paint and t' rest was brush-on. Ya scallywag! I didn't want t' buy multiple spray paints, shiver me timbers, nor am I that skilled in maskin' small details. Begad! I even mixed me own light gray-green for t' tip o' t' Orbiter's nose and t' leadin' edge o' t' wings. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals are t' water-slide variety. Arrr! They went on fine, but some o' t' smaller ones literally blew away when I sprayed t' final clear coat. Aye aye! T' end result, like many o' me finish jobs, looks good from a distance.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' kit flies on C5-3 and C6-3 engines only. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I chose a C6-3 because that is what I had available. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' winds were blowin' betwixt 5-10 mph (my guess) when I launched. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' boost was slow (read that realistic) and thar was some wobble and weathercocking.

Recovery:
T' recovery system is typical Estes with an elastic shock cord and a plastic chute. Blimey! Ejection appeared t' occur just before apogee and t' Booster separated, just as it be supposed to. Well, blow me down! Begad! It turned with t' wind and came down at a fairly steep angle, ya bilge rat, again, just like t' real thing. Well, blow me down! It landed nicely without damage. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' one problem was singein' on t' elastic shock cord, matey, which is no big surprise. Blimey! I will have t' replace it before t' next flight - should have done it at t' start! I rate t' flight/recovery at 5/5, shiver me timbers, matey, and take off ½ point for t' elastic shock cord.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs 1. Aye aye! Great lookin' scale model. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! 2. Avast, me proud beauty! Relatively easy t' build, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, considerin' t' number o' components. 3. Blimey! Realistic lookin' boost and Orbiter recovery. Aye aye! 4. Begad! Neat rocket!

CONs 1. Ahoy! Fin stock was broken out o' t' package. Aye aye! Aye aye! Blimey! 2. Well, blow me down! Some steps are hard t' understand and require lookin' at all t' finishin' diagrams t' understand what is intended 3. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' fit o' t' Orbiter parts is so-so 4. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Junky recovery components - typical Estes.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5