Brief:
This is a new 2004 release kit by Estes. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! It is a small and sleek 4 1/2 inch tall rocket that flies on mini motors up t' 750 feet and uses tumble recovery.

Construction:
T' kit came in a plastic bag and included two 1/16 balsa strips for fins, body tube, matey, matey, arrr, nose cone, arrr, ya bilge rat, launch lug and decals.

T' instructions for this kit included t' fin template as you need t' cut them out yourself from t' balsa strips provided. Blimey! Also included in t' instructions was t' fin markin' guide.

This is a skill level 1 kit and was very easy t' assemble. Arrr! I had it built and ready for finishin' in about an hour.

I started by cuttin' out t' fin template from t' instructions, ya bilge rat, me hearties, traced it onto t' fin stock and cut out t' three fins. Ya scallywag! Avast! You may notice that thar be enough scrap left over t' make another fin if necessary. I then sanded t' fins and prepared them t' be mounted onto t' body tube.

I then mounted t' fins one at a time t' t' body tube as directed. Arrr! You may want t' go with Estes' recommendation t' put a thin film o' glue on t' root edge, me bucko, me hearties, let it dry for a minute or so then apply another film then attach. Ya scallywag! Trust me, it works.

I then applied t' launch lug next t' one o' t' fins. Avast! Well, me bucko, blow me down! After it dried, me hearties, I applied generous fillets t' t' fins and launch lug for strength.

T' instructions call for t' nose cone t' be glued into place at this time but I waited t' glue it on after it was painted.

PROS: Easy and quick assembly.

CONS: None

Finishing:
To finish t' rocket, I started by sprayin' on a coat o' Ace brand white primer, shiver me timbers, sanded and applied another coat and sanded and for t' color coats, I copied t' color scheme on t' header card by paintin' t' rocket body with gloss yellow enamel and t' nose cone with gloss black enamel.

After t' paint dried, me hearties, I glued t' nose cone into place and applied t' provided peel and stick decals t' finish t' model. Blimey! An optional step be t' apply clear spray enamel but I decided t' pass.

PROS: Easy color scheme t' copy.

CONS: None

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors for this kit be t' 1/4A3-3T, shiver me timbers, 1/2A3-4T, A3-4T, A10-3T, me hearties, ya bilge rat, all Estes 13mm mini motors and they are friction fitted.

To prep this little model for flight, you prep t' motor and slide it into place, arrr, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, you probably won't need any tape. I didn't anyway.

For me flight, matey, I used a 1/4A3-3T and t' rocket zipped off t' pad straight and fast, arched over and popped t' motor casing. Begad! Unfortunately, matey, me bucko, I never saw t' rocket fallin' but I knew it had burrowed into tall grass because that's where it be heading. Begad! I wasn't able t' recover it which was a bummer, me bucko, as I would have liked t' have recovered this one as it was a neat lookin' rocket.

PROS: Flies great

CONS: Easy t' lose but that's typical o' rockets like this.

Recovery:
This rocket uses tumble recovery but from previous experience with Mosquitos and Quarks, it comes down nose first and sticks into t' ground so be sure t' launch with caution.

PROS: Recovers easily if you can track it.

CONS: Doesn't tumble as advertised.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I really liked this rocket. Well, blow me down! It was easy t' assemble and looked great and I be sorry t' lose it on t' first flight, but since these things are fairly inexpensive (about $3.19 each), I've already bought another one. Begad! Ya scallywag! I recommend buyin' about two or three o' these at a time.

Main PROS: Easy and quick construction, matey, nice finished appearance and flight performance.

Main CONS: T' recovery issues--primarily t' lawn dart recovery.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5