Brief:
T' Payload-R is a very nice single stage payloader with t' traditional lines that really looks and flies great! Blimey! It flies on 18mm motors and recovers by parachute. Begad! Blimey! I got me kit from John as a beta test kit. T' rocket is slightly longer than 2 feet tall. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' rocket will grab some serious altitude even on a B motor.

Construction:
T' lower body tube is a BT-55 with a balsa transition t' a BT-50 kraft tube used for t' payload section. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' 18mm engine mount is centered with kraft rings and installed flush with t' aft o' t' tube. Begad! T' extension o' t' fins below t' body tube allows t' model t' be stood up without interference from t' engine hook. T' shock cord be super long as I modified t' way it is installed. Avast! John has a neat way o' loopin' t' Keelhaul®©™® over t' motor mount betwixt t' centerin' rings, me hearties, passin' it through a notch in t' forward centerin' rin' and then attachin' t' elastic cord t' that. Blimey! I used me standard tri-fold shock cord attachment. Arrr! Havin' t' Keelhaul®©™® already provided was a nice plus!

T' balsa nose cone be very nice and required minimal finishing, matey, but t' payload tube had some pretty bad spirals that needed filling, me hearties, more so than t' larger aft tube. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! A screw eye is inserted into t' base o' t' balsa transition t' attach t' Keelhaul®©™®/1/8" elastic shock cord combo and 12" mylar parachute. Arrr! Aye aye! A 1/8" launch lug is provided which must be cut in half and installed at two points along t' body tube. Begad! I angle-cut t' forward end because I just think it looks cooler. Avast! The balsa fins are all laser cut and remove easily from t' fin sheet. Ya scallywag! Begad! Waterslide decals are provided with t' roll patterns addin' that "real rocket" look t' it.

T' instruction sheet contains easy-to-follow, numbered instructions and helpful illustrations. Begad! T' motor mount is a standard installation, ya bilge rat, me bucko, except for t' shock cord attachment as I described earlier, ya bilge rat, and includes an engine hook for positive motor retention. Avast! I very much appreciated t' "small parts" bag that keeps all t' little things in one place. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey! A fin-markin' guide is supplied t' properly align t' fins. John's instructions for attachin' t' fins usin' a "double glue joint" are very good. Blimey! Blimey! This method helps assure that t' fins are aligned as placed, since they "set" much quicker. Avast! Ahoy! Blimey! T' laser-cut fins were perfectly matched and required minimal sanding, although I still used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' fill in t' grain.

As is usual on any rocket I build, arrr, I installed t' provided Keelhaul®©™® in t' shock cord attachment with a loop at t' end t' attach t' elastic shock cord. Arrr! Blimey! T' minimize abrasion from the Keelhaul®©™® against t' body tube, I soaked in CA around t' top 1/2" o' t' body tube and tied a knot in t' Keelhaul®©™® to meet t' lip o' t' body tube. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' parachute comes in a separate plastic bag, me bucko, complete with instructions. Avast! Ya scallywag! Once assembled, you're ready for finishing.

Finishing:
T' balsa nose cone, reducer and fins require standard finishing. Begad! Blimey! I used Elmer's Light Fill 'n' Finish but any balsa filler will work fine. Avast, me proud beauty! I followed t' paint scheme on t' face card and then went on t' apply t' provided decals. The decals are really thin but I used detergent t' help them slide and they went on easily and laid down nicely. Ya scallywag! Once complete, matey, I put on a thick coat o' Future floor finish on all t' painted/decaled surfaces t' protect everything. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! It looks fantastic!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
My first flight be on a B6-4. Avast! Blimey! It jumped off t' pad and flew straight as an arrow. Ahoy! Blimey! T' parachute deployed right at apogee and came down gently on t' 12" parachute. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! I used a C6-7 on t' 2nd flight. Blimey! Blimey! Wow! Blimey! T' rocket took off the pad with authority and zoomed arrow-straight almost out o' sight. Ahoy! Blimey! T' parachute deployed again right at apogee and recovered perfectly.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Payload-R is another excellent rocket from Red River Rocketry that can be built in a few hours. Arrr! T' payload section will make it a unique addition t' your fleet and it is reasonably priced. Ahoy! You'll need t' make sure you've got plenty o' room t' fly if you put that C motor in though.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5