Brief:
This is an OOP rocket from MPC who be sellin' model rockets back in t' 1960s and 70s. I won it on eBay for under $13.00 with shipping. I saw thar were some reviews o' t' MPC kits and thought it would be interestin' t' some t' see this model reviewed! I was launchin' rockets back then but never know thar was a company other than Estes and Centuri sellin' them till I saw them on eBay. Blimey! This is a single stage rocket usin' a 12" plastic parachute for recovery. Aye aye!

Construction:
There were four pages o' assembly instructions with illustrations and a parts list with pictures. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' body tube be t' same diameter as a BT-20 and is in two lengths. T' longest tube is about 12 3/4" and t' smaller one, which is used as a payload section, is 4". Ya scallywag! T' nose cone is plastic and thar be a four fin plastic unit. Well, blow me down! There is a thin metal hook for engine retention. Begad! The shock cord attachment method was rather bad so I used t' old Estes 3 fold paper in t' tube way o' doin' it. Well, blow me down! T' kit's method was usin' a strip of cardboard t' tie t' cord t' then gluin' in t' tube. Begad! Aye aye! There be no way I could see that t' parachute would eject without rippin' by doin' it t' way in the instructions!

T' method o' t' engine mount was different than I have seen. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! There is a small length o' heavy cardboard tube 1.175" in length that is glued in to the top o' t' plastic fin unit with a small section stickin' out t' be glued to t' longer o' t' two body tubes. Begad! You install a motor block and t' metal hook here. Ahoy! Begad! What I found strange was that t' engine sticks out o' t' fin unit over 1/2". Ahoy! Ahoy! This is standard assembly but for one real big "gotcha": you must glue a plastic coupler into t' 4" length of body tube, which also happens t' be where you tie t' parachute and shock cord. Well they just say glue it in but don't tell you or show that it has t' stick out half way t' mate t' t' lower tube. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Fortunately, arrr, I pulled it out before the glued dried! I wonder how many young rocketeers messed up this step back then? As I said before, t' method o' shock cord attachment was nay t' best. Begad! Arrr! If you ever build one o' these, use t' Estes way and it will work better! The included shock cord is round. Arrr! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I used some new 1/8" cord I had since the round was too thick for t' small body tube and was in bad shape because of age. It took me one night t' build t' kit. Arrr! I think it could have been done better back then. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' PROs are quick assembly and t' parts were OK.

Finishing:
With plastic fins and nose cone, t' prep work be fast. Avast, me proud beauty! I painted t' payload section red and t' main body tube white. Ya scallywag! I used me standby paint, Rustoleum enamel I get at Home Depot. T' kit included full color waterslide decals. Aye aye! I scanned t' decals, got some inkjet decal paper, arrr, and made me own since the decals had very fine cracks from age. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! With t' decals, matey, it made for a rather sharp lookin' rocket! No CONs in t' finishin' dept.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
I used some Estes recover waddin' and used a 1/2A6-2 for t' first flight. Arrr! The engines listed were a MPC number that don't exist anymore! T' first flight was not very high, matey, me hearties, but t' rocket went up straight and t' chute came out fine with a good recovery next t' t' pad. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! I then used an Estes A8-3. Blimey! Blimey! This flight pushed it much higher and again recovery was fine. Well, blow me down! Avast! There was no wind, me bucko, so t' last launch with this rocket be with a C6-5. This engine shot it way up there! Just a speck up in t' hazy sky. Ahoy! None o' us saw where t' parachute opened up--in fact we all lost it in t' sky. Blimey! We looked and looked and did nay find it. Ahoy! Well, not at t' time we launched it anyway. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When a friend's rocket came down over a small hill by t' farm we sometimes launch at, me bucko, he found t' rocket in a low branch on one o' t' few trees there! We got it down and t' rocket was in fine shape although t' parachute was shot! All t' flights were fine even though I was wonderin' with t' way t' engine be out o' t' body tube if it would mess up t' flight path. I would have t' say thar were no CONs t' t' flights I had with it though I would never use anythin' bigger than a B in it!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
It was fun buildin' a kit I never even knew about when I was a kid t' first time around buildin' and flyin' model rockets. Ahoy! T' kit could have had a little better instructions but I did have some fun with it. Ya scallywag! Back then it would have been nice t' know about MPC rockets but I always ordered me rocketry items mail order from t' big two. I never went in a hobby shop t' look at kits... Begad! I was happy me dad would pay for a small $10.00 order once in a while back then! $10.00 sure got you lots o' rocketry stuff in t' 1960s and early 70s!

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5