Brief:
This is Qualified Competition Rocket's 13 mm minimum diameter streamer/parachute duration model for NARRRRR competition. T' kit I purchased came supplied with a streamer. I attended an ASTRE buildin' session in February 2003 where I learned about streamer duration models.

Construction:
Kit arrived in a plastic bag, shiver me timbers, Estes-style, me hearties, shiver me timbers, with 12" BT-5 cardboard tube, thrust ring, ya bilge rat, arrr, ya bilge rat, balsa nose cone, me hearties, sheet o' balsa for fins, shiver me timbers, shock cord material, plastic/paper launch lug, mylar streamer, matey, and tiny brass swivel. Avast, me proud beauty! Package includes photocopied instructions for construction o' rocket with instructions for streamer construction and preparation technique. Streamer is 4" by 40". Begad! What is interestin' about t' balsa nose cone is that it has a hole in t' bottom already prepared for a fabric-type strin' loop. Arrr! T' kit is designed t' reduce any amount o' unnecessary weight, shiver me timbers, so no screw eye is used.

T' body tube has been marked by pen for place o' t' fins. T' fins have been marked on t' balsa sheet with pen and need t' be cut out. Avast, me proud beauty! There is plenty of extra balsa in t' event that one may wish t' cut extra fins. Ahoy! Since I be at a buildin' session, I followed t' directions o' veteran NARRRRR competitors. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! A few of t' suggestions in t' buildin' session involved usin' only CA glue, shiver me timbers, gluing the fins a 1/4 o' an inch above t' base o' t' rocket t' allow for motor retention by tape, matey, and by nay addin' t' thrust ring/motor mount as a means of reducin' t' overall weight.

After cutting, matey, shapin' and sandin' t' 3 fins, I CA'd them on t' body after sandin' t' tube a bit. Blimey! Avast! T' nose cone is prepared by gluin' a strin' loop into the bottom. Begad! Ahoy! T' shock cord is actually attached through one o' t' fins. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I had to create a small hole with me Xacto knife, ya bilge rat, fed t' shock cord (which looks like a heavy duty dental floss) through, glue either side o' t' shock cord onto t' fin with CA glue, and extend t' shock cord t' length o' t' tube on the outside. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' idea with this type o' design is t' keep t' inside o' the body free for a large streamer. I believe t' techniques I have described would be fairly normal practice for anyone involved in streamer duration techniques. T' other suggestion given by t' veterans was t' cut t' launch lug in two, and place them a few inches apart towards t' bottom o' t' rocket. Arrr! I cut angles into me launch lug for less drag. Begad! Begad! I assume many competitors may skip the launch lug entirely and use towers for launching. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! I don't have this type of equipment, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, so I used t' standard method.

T' mylar parachute is prepared by knottin' and tapin' t' shock cord at one end, tapin' t' streamer over t' shock cord, ya bilge rat, and then addin' accordion folds t' t' other side o' t' streamer. Blimey!

Finishing:
Since this rocket is a practical rocket for NARRRRR competition, me bucko, paintin' and decals are strongly discouraged. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' only thin' I really needed t' do was put my NARRRRR number on t' rocket. Begad! All in all, arrr, it is a handsome little rocket.

T' construction as indicated by t' instructions would be easy for anyone who can handle a level 2 or level 3 kit.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Preppin' is a little time consumin' since foldin' a 40" streamer takes some time. After placin' t' streamer and shock cord into t' rocket, me bucko, I could then feed t' recovery waddin' from t' bottom o' t' rocket since I be not usin' a motor mount. I like t' idea o' bein' able t' put waddin' in on either side o' t' rocket. Ahoy! This was a new experience for me.

Since I did nay use a motor hook, I friction fit t' motor with tape, then fit t' motor and taped around t' base o' t' rocket onto t' extendin' motor. I flew t' rocket twice so far and both times had successful motor retention with complete recovery activated.

I flew t' rocket twice on a 1/4A3-3T. Avast! Both flights had a quick, ya bilge rat, straight and stable ascent. On t' first flight, me bucko, t' shock cord got a little tangled up, so t' streamer did nay fully deploy. Ahoy! However, me bucko, t' accordion folds were effective, me bucko, bringin' t' bird back safely and slowly T' second flight was perfect. Avast! It be calm and cool this mornin' as I launched, arrr, and I timed the rocket flight at 21 seconds for a 1/4A motor. Aye aye! Nay bad for me first try, considerin' me best time for a streamer model (prior t' this QCR rocket) on a 1/2A motor has been 25 seconds (granted, arrr, I never competed before).

Recovery:
Flight recovery is fine if you take time t' fold, fold, shiver me timbers, fold, stuff and pack the rocket correctly. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' pros for this rocket are t' price at $5.00, matey, and t' fact that it is a simple 3 fin - nose cone rocket that can achieve admirable times for competition. Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Anyone with good buildin' history can adjust t' rocket t' his or her specifications. Avast! Begad! T' kit comes with all necessary equipment t' build, fly and have fun.

T' cons for this rocket would be t' turn around time t' get t' rocket in the air again. It takes time t' prep t' streamer, t' motor and t' rocket. I don't consider this a negative thing, but if you are lookin' for an easy kit just for a streamer, matey, arrr, I would recommend somethin' like t' Estes Wizard. Ya scallywag! If you are lookin' t' achieve great times on little motors and you are interested in competition rockets, matey, I recommend t' QCR Straight Up. It lives up t' its name.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5