Brief:
This is a downscale version o' Fat Cat Rockets Rin' Leader. Well, blow me down! Avast! It's distinguishing feature be t' round tail fin and t' 3 canards.

Construction:
1 38mm body tube
1 24mm motor mount tube
2 plywood centerin' rings.
1 thick walled plastic nose cone
2 lengths o' Keelhaul®©™® cord
3 plywood aft fins
3 plywood canards
1 18" nylon parachute
instructions

This kit comes with well thought out and easy t' follow instructions includin' templates for t' fins.

Before puttin' this kit together I had decided t' add a motor retainer. Further, ya bilge rat, after lookin' at t' instructions I also decided t' modify t' nose cone attachment, and as a last minute decision, me hearties, ya bilge rat, matey, decided t' do without the canards.

I followed t' instructions except I added a modified Aerotech motor retainer cut down for 24mm short engines. Aye aye! Blimey! I cut a notch in t' forward centerin' rin' t' allow it t' slip over t' engine retainer and cut an entire section o' t' aft centerin' rin' out t' allow t' retainer t' move. T' motor mount be then installed normally. (see picture)

T' nose cone was modified by tyin' shock cord, shiver me timbers, (not supplied with kit) through t' center o' a water bottle cap and then gluin' t' bottle cap on the in side o' t' nose cone. T' reason for this modification is that I hate using Keelhaul®©™® for a shock cord.

This kit went together extremely well, all parts fit as they should have, and if anythin' this rocket is over-designed by a long ways. Ahoy! I used CA and epoxy as glue and t' fin alignment template was a extra touch o' class added to an already well designed kit.

Pros: for this kit is just about everything.

Cons: for construction, NONE.

Finishing:
Followin' a somewhat hard and fast rule about rocket kits, I don't finish them until after their third flight which this rocket did several hours before sittin' down t' write this.

There are no decals with this kit, but a good model painter with a little imagination should be able t' turn this rocket into a real looker.

Standard materials used t' build so should take paint well includin' the nose cone. T' launch lugs will have t' be taped o' t' do a good job on this bird. Avast, me proud beauty! t' lugs are a tight fit on our 1/4 inch rod and paint on t' inside would only add t' that.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motor for t' Lil Leader is either a D12-3 or a E15-7 and at least t' D12-3 is an excellent choice for this rocket. If you use a rocket altitude prediction program, be careful with this one. Both o' t' programs I use indicate a 5 second delay for t' D12 but on all three flights ejection was at apogee.

Flight 1 D12-3 Good flight, est alt 500 ft., est speed 120 mph, shiver me timbers, est speed at ejection 0 mph

(descent be slow and graceful on t' 18" parachute supplied with the kit, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, arrr, but in any type o' wind will drift a fair distance. Begad! I went t' a 12" chute which works fine for this rocket.)

Flight 2 D12-3 Good flight, me bucko, est alt 500 ft., arrr, est speed 120 mph, est speed at ejection 0 mph

Flight 3 D12-3 Good flight, est alt 500 ft., shiver me timbers, est speed 120 mph, est speed at ejection 0 mph

All in all, shiver me timbers, This is a good little rocket t' fly. Arrr! Blimey! thar was little to no windcockin' even in 20KPH winds and flew straight and true on all three flight. Begad! Blimey! I had hoped t' get at least one flight on an Aerotech E15-7 but I can't get any in this neck o' t' Country at this time.

Recovery:
T' shockcord on this rocket is/was Keelhaul®©™®. I modified that at t' time o' construction t' use both Keelhaul®©™®, which is attached t' t' motor mount and flat elastic attached t' t' nose cone. Blimey! Blimey! This rocket does nay have a baffle so waddin' must be used. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' first flight o' this rocket showed t' t' well constructed parachute be more than necessary and can be exchanged for a smaller chute in windy conditions. Blimey!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This rocket is over designed and made t' last. with it's thick body tube and outer rin' fin, anythin' but a core sample situation will do little more than scratch t' paint. Ahoy! Blimey! It should really scream on an E15.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5