Brief:
This is a review o' t' OOP Estes Master's Series Space Shuttle, me hearties, EST# 1284. It is a 1/162 scale replica o' t' Space Shuttle and includes both Orbiter and booster sections. Arrr! These sections are connected at launch, shiver me timbers, 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. Ahoy! For flight, arrr, arrr, thar are removable fin units that mount in t' SRBs. Arrr! For display, 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! Blimey! 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. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! T' balsa fins, me bucko, cardboard body wraps/detailing, me bucko, and vacuum-molded Orbiter components are all die cut. Well, blow me down! T' die cut plastic components made t' Orbiter assembly a lot easier, 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. Begad! I figured it was good enough for several flights, and I probably will nay fly it too often. Avast! I substituted Titebond for t' white glue, shiver me timbers, and since I didn't want t' go out and buy 3 types o' glue that I normally don't use (contact cement, shiver me timbers, plastic cement, and liquid plastic cement), me hearties, I used CA (medium and thick) instead. I assembled t' entire booster (main tank/SRBs) this way and it worked fine. Well, blow me down! Later, matey, when I got t' t' Orbiter, shiver me timbers, which is almost all plastic, matey, me bucko, I broke down and got some liquid plastic cement. Blimey! Avast! I want t' point out a general rule in buildin' models - one that I don't seem t' follow. That is, read ALL t' instructions before you start. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I didn't pay attention and used t' elastic strin' required for t' adjustment o' t' Orbiter's elevons in another spot. Blimey! Begad! DUH. Ahoy! I did, shiver me timbers, arrr, however, find a suitable replacement when buildin' t' Orbiter. My feeble mind was confused by t' fact that t' chute came pre-assembled, and t' instructions called for a piece o' twine from t' chute. I followed t' instructions pretty much as is, shiver me timbers, but I did skip ahead at times t' keep busy while parts dried. I found one fin be broken out o' t' bag; however, this was easily fixed with some glue and tissue. Avast! I stopped at t' point that t' main tank, me hearties, me bucko, SRBs, shiver me timbers, and removable fin units were complete. Begad! Ahoy! At this point, I decided that I would separately paint each section. Well, me hearties, blow me down! After these sections are assembled, arrr, arrr, it would be very difficult t' paint them different colors. Begad! Ahoy! T' fit o' t' plastic Orbiter parts was nay perfect, but nay too bad. T' first step in trimmin' t' Orbiter glider is balancin' it and adjustin' t' nose weight. Avast, me proud beauty! T' kit provides two weights. Begad! I used one weight and some clay instead o' cuttin' t' second one up. Begad! Ya scallywag! Next, shiver me timbers, 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, me hearties, me hearties, matey, while t' elastic strin' mentioned earlier maintains tension. Avast, me proud beauty! After quite a bit o' adjustment, t' Orbiter still seems t' glide like a brick (kind o' like t' real thing?). Avast! If I was confident in me detailed model buildin' abilities, ya bilge rat, I would give a construction ratin' o' 2.5, 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, me hearties, with a brown main tank and white boosters. Well, blow me down! As I mentioned above, these were painted prior t' their final assembly. Ya scallywag! I used white spray paint and t' rest was brush-on. Begad! I didn't want t' buy multiple spray paints, me hearties, nor am I that skilled in maskin' small details. I even mixed me own light gray-green for t' tip o' t' Orbiter's nose and t' leadin' edge o' t' wings. Avast! Begad! T' decals are t' water-slide variety. They went on fine, but some o' t' smaller ones literally blew away when I sprayed t' final clear coat. T' end result, like many o' me finish jobs, ya bilge rat, me bucko, looks good from a distance.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' kit flies on C5-3 and C6-3 engines only. Begad! I chose a C6-3 because that is what I had available. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! T' winds were blowin' betwixt 5-10 mph (my guess) when I launched. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Begad! Begad! Ejection appeared t' occur just before apogee and t' Booster separated, arrr, matey, arrr, just as it was supposed to. Aye aye! Begad! It turned with t' wind and came down at a fairly steep angle, me bucko, again, matey, just like t' real thing. Avast! It landed nicely without damage. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' one problem was singein' on t' elastic shock cord, matey, which is no big surprise. Avast! 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, arrr, matey, me bucko, and take off ½ point for t' elastic shock cord.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs 1. Begad! Great lookin' scale model. 2. Ahoy! Relatively easy t' build, ya bilge rat, considerin' t' number o' components. Avast, me proud beauty! 3. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Realistic lookin' boost and Orbiter recovery. 4. Avast, me proud beauty! Neat rocket!

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5