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

Construction:
Openin' t' box turned out t' be harder than makin' t' glider. Ya scallywag! Avast! Once I got everythin' opened and unpacked, I found t' glider body, shiver me timbers, me bucko, ya bilge rat, t' stabilizer, arrr, some clay for weight, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, 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. Aye aye! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! This be a very easy build and well within t' abilities of the typical cub scout. Aye aye! Blimey! I'd rate it more o' a skill level 1, 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. Avast! Mine was a pretty tight fit and I wound up crackin' t' Styrofoam, arrr, which was easily repaired with a bit more white glue.

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

Finishing:
Other than trimmin' t' glider, me hearties, thar's nothin' t' finishin' this. Arrr!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was on a C6-3. Even goin' through t' closest slip hole, ya bilge rat, the rubber band felt pretty tight, matey, and thar be a slight bend t' t' rocket on the pad, arrr, me hearties, as can be seen in t' photo. Arrr! It took off on a not-quite-vertical path. I'm not sure if this was due t' a short rod (only had a 36" rod today, shiver me timbers, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! Durin' t' 3 second delay, arrr, matey, t' not-quite-a-glider-yet managed to tumble about halfway back down. Ahoy! Blimey! When t' ejection charge finally blew, it did so with a vengeance, me bucko, shiver me timbers, breakin' t' brittle Styrofoam fuselage in two. Ya scallywag! T' wings flopped out slightly, arrr, just in time t' hit t' ground.

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

Recovery:
T' Styrofoam was 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