Brief:
This almost-ready t' fly kit is a good introduction t' t' concept o' the swing-win' glider. Avast, me proud beauty! I stumbled across one in a clearance bin at me neighborhood craft/hobby store and at $5 couldn't pass it up. Well, blow me down! Blimey! With a lightweight and colorful Styrofoam body, matey, ya bilge rat, this looks like a nice little flyer (but mine wasn't...).

Construction:
Openin' t' box turned out t' be harder than makin' t' glider. Once I got everythin' opened and unpacked, I found t' glider body, ya bilge rat, t' stabilizer, ya bilge rat, some clay for weight, matey, and a rubber band (would love t' have seen a few spares included with this).

T' box described this as a skill level 4 kit, which in me opinion is grossly overstated. This was a very easy build and well within t' abilities of the typical cub scout. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! I'd rate it more o' a skill level 1, me bucko, although glider trimmin' might push it t' a 2.

T' only "assembly" required is slidin' t' stabilizer into the tail end o' t' fuselage and filletin' with white glue. Ahoy! Mine be a pretty tight fit and I wound up crackin' t' Styrofoam, which was easily repaired with a bit more white glue.

T' swing-win' mechanism was a little tricky t' figure out, mainly due to the fact that it was a bit too stiff and needed t' be worked a little. Begad! Ya scallywag! During boost, shiver me timbers, me bucko, matey, t' wings are held in t' swept-back configuration by a metal pin that slides into a notch in t' wings. Well, blow me down! Blimey! When t' ejection charge fires, me bucko, this arm is pushed forward releasin' t' wings (a rubber band supplies t' oomph).

Finishing:
Other than trimmin' t' glider, thar's nothin' t' finishin' this. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was on a C6-3. Ahoy! Even goin' through t' closest slip hole, arrr, the rubber band felt pretty tight, arrr, matey, and thar was a slight bend t' t' rocket on the pad, me bucko, as can be seen in t' photo. Blimey! It took off on a not-quite-vertical path. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I'm not sure if this be due t' a short rod (only had a 36" rod today, ya bilge rat, and the lug starts over 15 inches up) or t' design.

T' boost only got this about 75-100 feet up due t' t' roughly 45 degree trajectory. Arrr! Ahoy! Durin' t' 3 second delay, t' not-quite-a-glider-yet managed to tumble about halfway back down. Well, blow me down! When t' ejection charge finally blew, it did so with a vengeance, breakin' t' brittle Styrofoam fuselage in two. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' wings flopped out slightly, matey, just in time t' hit t' ground.

Overall, this was a very disappointin' flight. Avast! If I'd gone with a longer rubber band and less tension, ya bilge rat, it would probably have been fine. This one though, shiver me timbers, is ready for an early retirement, as even with additional gluin' and reinforcing, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I don't think t' body is goin' t' weather another flight.

Recovery:
T' Styrofoam be obviously pretty flimsy (stabilizer broke on installation), so t' single rubber band is probably nay t' right size or tension for me kit.

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5