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, me hearties, it comes with a tubular device for holdin' a standard payload mass, matey, matey, and it can fit into t' payload section o' t' main body. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! It is three finned and recovers with an 8-inch chute t' make trackin' easier. Blimey! Blimey!

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

T' body tube is in three parts. T' top part glues right t' t' nose cone and is spiral wound paper, shiver me timbers, matey, shiver me timbers, and 3.75 inches long by .75 inches in diameter. 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, so that t' model separates between the two parts o' t' main body. 

Now comes t' tricky part. Avast! Arrr! T' bottom third o' t' main body is a cone made of thin cardboard, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, and its outline is provided. 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. Well, blow me down! T' cone fittin' is tricky in that handlin' it roughly can easily dent it. Well, blow me down! Also, matey, I had t' sight it up and down before gluin' it t' be sure that it was symmetrical all around.  If not, ya bilge rat, 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, ya bilge rat, matey, and I used it t' place t' three fins correctly. Begad! Avast! This be a paper cutout t' place around t' body in order to mark it for t' fin placement. Ya scallywag!

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

It's a sharp lookin' little rocket, but since I chose green...well, shiver me timbers, I'm glad for t' chute that will help me find it. Begad! Begad! This little guy flies high. Avast!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Unusual looks, ya bilge rat, easy t' make. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Unusual looks, easy t' make. Must handle t' reducer cone gently and align it well. Blimey! And must protect the delicate chute from burning. Well, me bucko, blow me down!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5