Brief:
This be t' re-design o' the Holverson Wicked Winnie payload kit, ya bilge rat, usin' styrofoam nose cone, me hearties, boat tail, shiver me timbers, and fins.

Construction:
T' body tubes included are thick paper tubes, one for t' main airframe, ya bilge rat, and one for t' payload section. Begad! Avast! T' boat tail, ya bilge rat, arrr, nose cone, fins, me hearties, and coupler are all made o' expanded styrofoam. Blimey! This kit is mostly assembled out o' t' box. T' payload section and coupler are pre-assembled, me hearties, with shock cord and parachute already attached. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' shock cord is tied t' a launch lug which is glued inside t' airframe. Begad! A plastic parachute is tied t' t' middle o' the shock cord. Ya scallywag! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! At t' business end, t' motor mount is already assembled in the boat tail. Begad! T' kit utilizes two launch lugs which are also already glued on.

T' instructions are easy to follow, and well illustrated. Ahoy! Actual assembly was where I ran into problems. T' fins attach t' t' boat tail usin' a V shaped groove. Blimey! They are supposed to slide in and be glued into place. Avast, me proud beauty! T' tabs on t' fins were too wide and had to be sanded in order t' fit in t' groves. Aye aye! After attachin' t' fins, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, a paper ring is glued t' t' top o' t' boat tail t' protect it from ejection burns. Arrr! The boat tail is then supposed t' be glued into t' airframe, ya bilge rat, arrr, where again, me bucko, I had to sand it t' get it t' fit. Avast! After t' fin can is assembled and attached, matey, me hearties, t' only thin' left t' do is apply t' decals, matey, which are self stick. When I went t' put the payload section into t' main airframe, I noticed t' coupler be crooked, and had t' do quite a bit o' sandin' t' straighten it out. T' nose cone had the same problem fittin' into t' payload section, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and be also a little "egg shaped" sittin' on top o' t' rocket. Blimey! I removed t' shroud lines from t' pre-assembled parachute, and put paper re-enforcement rings at the attachment points and then re-assembled it for a little added insurance. Avast, me proud beauty!

Finishing:
There is no finishin' required, arrr, as everythin' is pre-painted. Avast! Blimey! T' styrofoam parts show a lot o' texture under t' paint, me bucko, and could use some added filling and painting. Blimey! I didn't do any extra t' mine, me hearties, as it's me daughter's kit, and she was happy with t' way it was. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' fins are thick, matey, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and would look better with an airfoil, or rounded edge, but it would weaken them too much.

Construction Rating: 1 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended engines are: B4-4, shiver me timbers, B6-4, matey, and C6-5. Avast! I only made two flights, both on B6-4's. Begad! T' rocket is easy t' prep for flight: install wadding, matey, pack the chute and shock cord, shiver me timbers, and install an engine. T' engine is retained via a motor clip. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! First flight: Lift off was fast and straight, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' rocket flew straight as an arrow. Avast! After recovery, I noticed t' lower launch lug was missing. Arrr! When we got back t' t' pad, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, it was still on t' launch rod. Second flight, arrr, t' next day, upon lift off, both launch lugs and one fin were left at the launch pad. Ahoy! T' rocket looped t' about 40ft, and had ejection on the ground. Arrr! Evidently, t' previous landin' had cracked a fin, and I hadn't noticed, but it is easily repaired.

Recovery:
T' shock cord and chute held up good. Ya scallywag! T' shock cord mount appears that it will need replacement after a couple more flights. Begad! Ahoy! T' included parachute is just t' right size for minimal drift, arrr, me bucko, and safe descent, although it could be made o' a little heavier material. It will also need replacement after a few flights.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
I feel with this particular kit, ya bilge rat, arrr, t' assembly and finishin' should be left up to t' modeler. Aye aye! Aye aye! I had a lot o' trouble fittin' t' parts, me bucko, matey, and they would bond better without bein' pre painted. Begad! T' biggest problem I have had has been with the launch lugs. It's hard t' get a good bond t' a painted surface, and they keep gettin' stripped off. Well, blow me down! Blimey! There are a lot o' improvements that can be made to turn this into a quality kit, me bucko, mainly better cuttin' o' t' parts, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, so they fit properly. Arrr! Begad! Personally, I think styrofoam is useful in rocketry applications, shiver me timbers, but not for fins, arrr, as they receive a lot o' stress on landing. Avast!

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5