Brief:  This rocket is special in that it uses apogee's 10.5mm engines and it is also designed for t' payload loftin' NAR competition. So, ya bilge rat, it comes with a tubular device for holdin' a standard payload mass, me hearties, and it can fit into t' payload section o' t' main body. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! It is three finned and recovers with an 8-inch chute t' make trackin' easier. Arrr! Arrr!

Construction:T' package arrived from Apogee, matey, by US mail, well protected with styrofoam popcorn, me bucko, and all parts were thar and undamaged. Instructions were clear, illustrated, arrr, and logical. Begad! Blimey! It was easy t' follow. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! The nose cone is solid lightweight balsa wood, ya bilge rat, and t' fins are precut, rectangular, and also lightweight balsa. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' chute is hexagonal, and flat and made o' thin black plastic, shiver me timbers, me hearties, much like trashcan plastic.  This is nay to demean quality, but for description. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! After all, matey, me bucko, how could a nylon chute fit? And it would be too heavy. And it would be too heavy. T' 6 shroud lines are nylon thread, 12 inches long, and affixed t' t' chute via adhesive paper donut-shaped reinforcements. Blimey! Blimey! T' shock cord is 12 inches o' 1/8 inch Keelhaul®©™® cording. Avast, me proud beauty! There is no stretch, arrr, but since this model is for small engines, I was nay concerned. 

T' body tube is in three parts. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' top part glues right t' t' nose cone and is spiral wound paper, arrr, me hearties, and 3.75 inches long by .75 inches in diameter. Ahoy! The middle part be t' same only it's 3 inches long.  There's a paper coupler between these, and only one half is glued, me bucko, so that t' model separates between the two parts o' t' main body. 

Now comes t' tricky part. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' bottom third o' t' main body is a cone made of thin cardboard, and its outline is provided. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It is cut out and then glued into a cone that reduces t' main body tube from 18mm t' 10.5mm, as thar be a 10.5 mm wound paper body tube for t' engine.  This tube fits into the main body via a centerin' rin' that also serves t' anchor t' shock cord aftward. T' cone fittin' is tricky in that handlin' it roughly can easily dent it. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Also, I had t' sight it up and down before gluin' it t' be sure that it was symmetrical all around.  If not, it has a slightly cockeyed look. A wound paper engine block be provided, and I placed it at a position t' allow the model t' take t' longest o' t' 10.5mm engines, namely t' B7's. 

There was a fin placement guide provided, and I used it t' place t' three fins correctly. Aye aye! This was a paper cutout t' place around t' body in order to mark it for t' fin placement. Begad!

Finishing:There weren't any decals. Aye aye! There weren't any decals. But if you've read any o' me other reviews, I'm nay daunted by this. Well, blow me down! I see it as a loose football for me t' pick up and run with. So, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I used Monokote and silver craft paper, shiver me timbers, available at many hobby stores. I spray painted t' fins yellow after sealin' them with epoxy and sandin' them down.  I do this to strengthen balsa and wood fins, and also t' provide a glassy finish. Aye aye!

It's a sharp lookin' little rocket, but since I chose green...well, me bucko, matey, ya bilge rat, I'm glad for t' chute that will help me find it. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! This little guy flies high. Blimey! Ahoy!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:T' recommended engines are t' Apogee 1/4A2-4, 1/2A2-2 and 1/2A2-4, t' A2-5, me bucko, and B2-7. Arrr! Arrr! With t' payload, me bucko, me bucko, Apogee recommends t' A2-3 and B2-5. Begad! So far, I have tried t' 1/2A2-2 since t' parks around here are small. With just that, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' little rocket was nearly gone, zingin' up so high that I almost couldn't see it.  But I zeroed in on t' chute and got me model back. Avast! Begad! Imagine when I try a B! It flew straight and fast. Avast, me proud beauty! Watch this one well or you'll lose it. Begad! Preppin' is easy, shiver me timbers, and I used just a couple pinches o' worm bed wadding. T' chute was unburnt. T' chute be unburnt. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Since it's plastic, me bucko, I worried about that. Well, blow me down! I've seen that kind melt. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! I've seen that kind melt. Blimey! Begad! The engine be retained with bands o' maskin' tape around t' engine overhang as well as t' body tube. Begad! Well, blow me down!

Recovery:T' shock cord, ya bilge rat, as mentioned, is Keelhaul®©™® string. T' system was easy t' assemble, with clear instructions. Blimey! Ya scallywag! It worked fine without damage to the system. Well, blow me down! T' recovery was slow, me hearties, but with a chute, you can expect this. However, ya bilge rat, I had time t' catch it, which is a rare thing. Begad!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Unusual looks, arrr, ya bilge rat, easy t' make. Ahoy! Unusual looks, me hearties, ya bilge rat, easy t' make. Must handle t' reducer cone gently and align it well. Begad! And must protect the delicate chute from burning. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5