Brief:
Big Betty is a fairly large 3FNC model rocket, matey, usin' B and C motors. Arrr! It is straightforward t' construct and a snap t' prepare for flight. With its enormous fins and blunt, matey, rounded nose cone, Big Betty has a peculiar look. It looks either dated or classic, matey, ya bilge rat, dependin' on whether you're a BAR or not. Well, blow me down! Begad! Estes' Big Bertha, shiver me timbers, Big Betty's obvious inspiration, is about 35 years old. For t' Freudians among us, Big Betty is a cry for help.

Construction:
Big Betty is a very simple model - it could quite easily be a first model, and I would certainly recommended as such. Begad! T' instructions are sufficiently simple for a non-modeler. Begad! T' pieces all fit together just fine - t' die-cut fins were identical, arrr, ya bilge rat, arrr, and thar were no ill-fittin' parts.

I had two problems with me kit, me hearties, which had been ordered from Hobbylinc.com. Ahoy! T' body tube had a slight crease t' it, matey, ya bilge rat, and t' engine hook wasn't springy - once bent outward t' fit an engine into place, it has t' be bent back into place. Avast! I was able t' minimize t' visual impact o' t' crease by puttin' me launch lug on top o' it.

Finishing:
My daughter and I painted our Big Betty with Dutch Boy Instant Chrome. Arrr! T' paint was shiny and nice, but it picked up fingerprints very easily. Blimey! T' kit only comes with one underwhelmin' "Big Betty" decal. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! We grabbed a few decals from rocket kits I bought fifteen years ago. Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Those decals, me hearties, I learned, became VERY delicate. Arrr! They flaked apart, requirin' a bit o' jig-saw puzzle work t' have them look OK. Avast, me proud beauty! After puttin' t' decals on, we sprayed t' rocket with Krylon Crystal Clear. Begad! Blimey! Unfortunately, t' lovely Chrome turned into Ugly Mottled Grey. Avast! Begad! Blimey! T' nosecone, arrr, which I didn't clear-coat, is still shiny.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
My daughter and I flew Big Betty (we've named it t' Silver Patriot, me bucko, owin' t' t' decals and paint-job) three times on Saturday. Arrr! Preparation o' t' rocket be easy enough for me daughter, me bucko, age 7, me bucko, t' do by herself. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' 14" parachute fits into t' 1.6" body tube very easily. Avast! We used four sheets o' early-'80s vintage Estes wadding.

T' first flight was on an Estes B6-2. Well, blow me down! T' rocket flew straight up, about 200 feet or so. Avast, me proud beauty! It's big and slow, so it's easy t' follow, though t' grey we ended up with could be lost against an overcast sky. Ya scallywag! Ejection was before apogee, me hearties, and t' descent was just t' right rate - it suffered no damage, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, though it landed on some metal bleachers.

T' second flight was on a C6-3. Avast! I would guess it went up 500-600 feet, slow enough t' follow. Ahoy! Avast! Ejection was again, me bucko, ya bilge rat, before apogee. Begad! Blimey! T' softball players in t' next field were impressed with t' flight, matey, particularly when I caught it on t' way down. Arrr! T' third flight be on a C6-5. Avast! Ejection seemed t' be just past apogee. Blimey! T' parachute didn't open completely, arrr, and t' rocket descended fast, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, arrr, in a corkscrew fashion. Begad! T' rocket landed in a muddy field, and suffered no damage. Arrr! Unfortunately, me daughter ran towards t' rocket with a bit too much gusto, shiver me timbers, and slid into that same mud. Ya scallywag! Both rocket and daughter washed up nicely when we got home.

Recovery:
T' Big Betty uses t' "Quest method" shock-cord which has a very thin Keelhaul®©™ cord tied t' t' engine mount. Blimey! T' Keelhaul®©™ is long enough t' stick out o' t' rocket tube an inch or two, ya bilge rat, where it is then tied t' an 18" piece o' round elastic, which is then tied t' t' nosecone and parachute. Avast! I am concerned about t' Keelhaul®©™, because it is very narrow, and t' body tube is already showin' indentations at t' front. Zipperin' seems likely if t' delay is further off than I've already had.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I really like t' Big Betty. Avast, me proud beauty! More importantly, me 7-year-old does, too. It's big, easy t' build, shiver me timbers, easy t' prep, easy t' track, me bucko, and unlikely t' be lost. Blimey! I spent less than $8.00 for this rocket, me bucko, which I think is a really good deal, me bucko, shiver me timbers, even if t' engine hook is lame. I am assumin' that t' creased body tube be a fluke. Begad! Ya scallywag! If I get another rocket from Quest or Hobbylinc which is damaged, ya bilge rat, I'll amend this review.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5 for bein' a solid kit at a bargain price.