Brief:
This is a scale model o' t' Starchaser Industry's entry in t' Ansari X-Prize. Just like t' real Thunderstar, arrr, this model is a cluster kit. It has a two engine cluster mount that flies on 18mm motors. It's a beautiful scale model and a good first cluster rocket.

Construction:
T' kit comes with t' followin' parts:

• 2 18mm engine mount tubes
• 1 body tube
• 1 spacer tool for construction
• 2 mylar retainer rings
• 2 engine blocks
• 1 nose cone
• 4 laser cut balsa fins
• 1 1/8" launch lug
• 2 engine hooks
• 1 rubber shock cord
• 2 die but centerin' rings
• 1 18" parachute
• 1 decal sheet
• many plastic parts t' form t' escape tower, me bucko, conduits, and t' display nozzle base for t' scale model

T' fins are strong balsa wood that are laser cut into a balsa sheet. You still have t' use a hobby knife t' cut them out o' t' sheet but it is nay difficult at all t' do. Blimey! T' centerin' rings are made out o' thin cardboard, however, and are rather flimsy. Aye aye! Blimey! They bend easily, arrr, especially where t' holes for t' motor tubes are close together and t' centerin' rin' is thinnest. Begad! Avast! T' motor mount tubes are 4 inches long and handle 18mm engines. Ya scallywag! There are two o' them though, arrr, since this is a cluster rocket. Avast! T' shock cord mount that comes with t' kit is standard Estes tri-fold paper shock cord mount. Avast, me proud beauty! It has a rubber shock cord, but t' shock cord is 30" long so it works very well. Begad! T' nose cone is molded plastic and shaped like t' capsule o' t' actual craft. Well, blow me down! It is suppressed on t' front for t' escape tower t' be glued t' t' top o' it. Avast! Begad! It has fine scale plastic parts that are molded for this rocket.

T' instructions are easy t' follow with good diagrams, although I do nay typically go it exactly t' same order as they are listed.

T' weakest points in t' kit were t' flimsy centerin' rings and t' shock cord attachment. Arrr! T' motor mount tubes fit into t' centerin' rings rather easily and I used Titebond glue t' attach them. Avast! I used plenty o' glue t' make up for t' flimsiness o' t' centerin' rings. Begad! Just be sure when t' glue is settin' that you do nay twist any o' t' motor tubes. They seem t' twist easily and this would causes t' rocket t' spin undesirably durin' thrust. Avast! And instead o' usin' t' tri-fold shock cord mount that came with this kit, matey, I built me own shock cord mount. Ya scallywag! I thought that t' Estes' mount may nay hold up t' many dual ejection charges. I used 90lb test Keelhaul®©™ thread and made sometime similar t' a mini version o' t' LOC/Precision shock cord mount. Avast! Ya scallywag! I tied knots in t' ends o' t' thread and covered them in epoxy. Then I tied t' shock cord onto t' loop in t' thread. Begad! Ya scallywag! I'm sure this will hold together fine and last many flights.

All o' t' parts fit together very nicely, shiver me timbers, although t' plastic parts for t' escape tower may be slightly difficult t' hold together while t' glue sets. Begad! I rigged up a jig with some scrap wood and rubber bands t' hold t' two halves o' t' tower together while t' glue dried, matey, shiver me timbers, but once you get it all together t' plastic parts look awesome.

PROs: Easy Estes instructions, Good fittin' parts

CONs: Estes shock cord mount, Flimsy centerin' rings

Finishing:
This kit is a scale model and came with decals and a paint scheme t' make it look very similar t' t' real thing. Arrr! I first primed everythin' with a flat white paint. Then I sanded down and smoothed everythin' out. Then I added another coat o' white paint (seein' how t' model is supposed t' be white in t' end anyway). I sanded a bit and added a final coat. Avast, me proud beauty! I took t' display nozzle off durin' this point and just painted it black. Begad! Begad! I then applied t' decals t' t' rocket. I liked these decals. Begad! They are just adhesive decals, shiver me timbers, me bucko, nay waterslides. Arrr! I find them very easy t' work with just as long as you are careful nay t' place them in t' wrong spot. Blimey! Well, me hearties, blow me down! I would actually prefer these decals over waterslide ones. After puttin' on t' decals I added a final clear glossy sealer coat. Blimey! With t' decals and glossy finish, arrr, this turned out t' be one sharp lookin' scale model.

PROs: Adhesive decals, good lookin' scale model

CONs: None

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors are: two A8-3s, me hearties, two B4-4s, two B6-4s, and two C6-5s. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Preppin' this rocket is just as easy as any other Estes kit. Avast! Blimey! T' only difference is that thar are two engines t' prep instead o' only one. After placin' t' igniters and plugs in t' engines t' instructions say t' twist t' leads o' t' igniters together t' light them with one pair o' alligator clips. I have a five engine clip whip and chose t' use that t' ignite t' cluster instead o' twistin' t' igniters together. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I placed 4 sheets o' recovery waddin' into t' airframe tube prior t' flight t' be sure that t' parachute or shock cord would nay get charred from t' dual ejection charge.

For me first flight o' this scale cluster model, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I chose t' use two A8-3s. Blimey! I was launchin' at t' local club meet and this was me first cluster so I wanted t' be sure that nothin' went wrong with it by overpowerin' it t' first time. Both engines ignited perfectly with t' use o' me clip whip and it took off. Avast, me proud beauty! It coasted up and slowed t' apogee. T' ejection charge fired at t' 18" chute deployed. Avast, me proud beauty! It be nay a very long flight, as I heard one o' t' club members say "Short and sweet." But it was a good lookin' flight t' me.

PROs: Good first cluster, shiver me timbers, Looks great takin' off t' pad

CONs: None

Recovery:
T' 30" long shock cord does t' trick in this kit and t' 18" parachute brings it down nice and soft. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! It was easy t' assemble t' recovery system even with t' modification t' t' shock cord mount.

T' recovery system deployed right at apogee and t' parachute perfectly unfurled. I think that t' descent speed was perfect for this rocket. Arrr! It was nice as soft so that nothin' even had t' possibility t' be damaged. T' 4 squares o' waddin' did t' trick because thar be absolutely no evidence on t' shock cord or parachute that thar had been any hot gases t' deploy them at all. Ahoy! They still looked brand new.

PROs: Great speed on decent, No damage or wear with t' right amount o' wadding.

CONs: None.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a fantastic rocket for t' scale enthusiast, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' cluster lover, or anyone interested in either one o' these types o' model rocketry. Ahoy! It is a good solid kit and may have a few areas where improvements could me made, shiver me timbers, arrr, but with a little construction technique, me hearties, arrr, these shortfalls can be overcome. Blimey! Aye aye! I would recommend this kit t' everyone seein' how I absolutely enjoyed buildin' it and especially watchin' it take off on those two engines. Arrr! This be me first cluster rocket and I can now say that I am hooked.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5