Brief:
Another classic kit returns. Begad! Begad! T' Hornet, based on an original Centuri design. This classic kit flies on 18mm motors up t' 775 feet and each flight is recovered with a 12 inch parachute.

Construction:
This kit came packaged in a plastic bag with header panel and along with the instructions, arrr, it included t' following:

• 1 balsa nose cone and screw eye
• 1 body tube (BT-55 sized)
• 4 laser cut balsa fins
• 1 motor mount tube
• 1 motor hook and retainer
• 1 thrust ring
• 2 centerin' rings
• 1 launch lug
• 1 rubber shock cord
• 1 12 inch parachute
• 1 waterslide decal sheet

T' instructions with this kit are t' typical Estes format with lots o' excellent illustrations and text. Also included in t' instructions are t' BT markin' guide and t' shock cord mount.

Bein' a simple 4FNC (four fins and a nose cone) rocket, this is a skill level 1 kit and I found it very easy to build with no issues. This would make for a great beginners kit. Arrr!

T' construction starts with t' preparation o' t' fins. Aye aye! I started by sandin' t' fin sheet smooth with 320 grit sandpaper. Arrr! Next, t' fins are carefully removed from t' sheet and stack sanded and after that, I sanded t' leading edges t' a round shape.

Next up be t' motor mount assembly. Begad! Blimey! First, t' rings are removed from t' die-cut card and t' MMT tube is marked at t' locations shown in t' instructions and then t' motor hook, retainer and rings are all attached and afterwards t' installation o' t' thrust rin' and fillets t' t' centerin' rings and then t' MMT assembly is complete. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

I then carefully cut t' markin' guide out from t' instructions. Avast! Before I marked t' tube, I slightly scuffed up t' surface with another piece o' 320 grit sandpaper. Begad! Although this nay mentioned in t' instructions, ya bilge rat, matey, me hearties, I highly recommend it as it promotes optimum adhesion o' t' fins t' t' tube.

All t' lines were carefully marked and t' fins are attached one at a time at approximately 1/2 inch from the bottom o' t' BT and then checked for proper alignment. Well, blow me down!

After t' glue on t' fins was dry, I attached t' launch lug at t' 4 inch mark on t' LL line and allowed it to dry. Ahoy! At this point I added fillets t' all t' fins and launch lug. Avast, me proud beauty!

Now t' motor mount assembly is installed into t' end o' t' body tube and once it dried, shiver me timbers, I applied fillets to both sides o' t' mount t' secure it. Ahoy!

With t' construction nearly complete, I inserted t' threaded end o' t' screw eye into t' base o' t' NC.

T' complete t' construction, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I assembled and then installed t' shock cord mount per t' instructions. Begad! Blimey!

At this point, matey, t' assembly was finished and all that remained was t' finishin' steps. Begad! Blimey!

PROS: Builds fast and easy and in a logical order.

CONS: None.

Finishing:
To finish t' model I started by sandin' everything, especially t' balsa NC and fins smooth.

I sprayed t' model with 2 light coats o' white primer and sanded betwixt each one and then sprayed t' model with gloss yellow spray enamel. Blimey! Aye aye!

I also masked off t' shoulder o' t' NC and sprayed it with gloss black enamel.

T' next day I masked off t' body and three o' t' fins as this model is shown with a single black fin. Blimey! The unmasked fin be also sprayed gloss black as well. Avast, me proud beauty!

After t' black paint dried I then applied t' waterslide decals. Compared t' previous Estes decals that were an absolute nightmare t' use, I really didn't have too much trouble with these. Ya scallywag!

When t' decals were fully dry I sprayed t' model with gloss clear enamel t' seal and protect t' decals. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I then attached t' parachute and tied t' shock cord t' t' screw eye and t' rocket be all finished and ready for flight.

PROS: Easy t' finish as shown on t' header panel and t' decals were easier t' use than before. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey!

CONS: None. Begad! Aye aye!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors for this kit are t' B4-4 (first flight), B6-4 C6-5

With this kit, shiver me timbers, t' motor is held tightly in place by t' motor hook and t' protect t' parachute, ya bilge rat, waddin' is required.

For me first flight I went with t' recommended maiden flight motor, matey, matey, t' B4-4. Aye aye!

Liftoff was quick and t' boost was almost arrow straight t' maybe 400-450 feet and ejection occurred just a bit after apogee with a loud POP. Aye aye! This motor certainly had quite an ejection charge and after t' rocket was recovered I noticed a pretty sizable slice in t' shoulder o' t' NC where it impacted t' BT but luckily since t' cone is lightweight balsa, matey, t' BT was completely unharmed.

This is certainly one advantage o' a balsa NC.

Had t' cone been plastic, arrr, ya bilge rat, t' BT would almost certainly have sustained a HUGE "Estes Dent".

I also feel that t' length o' t' shock cord be nay t' blame and this be caused due t' t' VERY powerful almost cannon like ejection.

For t' second flight, I simply put a small piece o' maskin' tape over t' slice and I really wanted t' see what this rocket was capable o' and conditions were calm so I loaded it up with a C6-5, put it back on t' pad and started another countdown.

On this flight, matey, me bucko, arrr, t' rocket lifted off t' pad very smartly and climbed nearly straight up and appeared t' go up higher than t' advertised 775 feet. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ejection be again just after apogee and thankfully this motor seemed t' have a gentle ejection charge.

Due t' calm conditions, arrr, t' rocket drifted down nicely on t' 12 inch chute and landed maybe 100-200 feet from the pad.

PROS: Flies great, nice straight flights with no fuss.

CONS: None.

Recovery:
I will definitely say t' 12 inch parachute is just t' right size for this model and this rocket also included an orange chute that be easy t' see in t' air.

PROS: Recovers well on t' provided chute.

CONS: None.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I really like this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It builds quick and easily, me bucko, me hearties, is easy t' finish as shown and it really does fly and recover well, matey, me hearties, over enthusiastic ejections aside.

Although it did take a while for Estes t' release this kit, arrr, it is finally available and inexpensive and I would highly recommend it and I will nay hesitate t' give it a perfect 5 rating.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5