Brief:  This rocket is special in that it uses apogee's 10.5mm engines and it is also designed for t' payload loftin' NAR competition. So, it comes with a tubular device for holdin' a standard payload mass, and it can fit into t' payload section o' t' main body. Arrr! It is three finned and recovers with an 8-inch chute t' make trackin' easier.

Construction:T' package arrived from Apogee, by US mail, me hearties, ya bilge rat, well protected with styrofoam popcorn, and all parts were thar and undamaged. Instructions were clear, shiver me timbers, illustrated, matey, arrr, and logical. It was easy t' follow. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! The nose cone is solid lightweight balsa wood, and t' fins are precut, rectangular, shiver me timbers, and also lightweight balsa. T' chute is hexagonal, matey, and flat and made o' thin black plastic, much like trashcan plastic.  This is nay to demean quality, but for description. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! After all, how could a nylon chute fit? And it would be too heavy. And it would be too heavy. T' 6 shroud lines are nylon thread, 12 inches long, matey, and affixed t' t' chute via adhesive paper donut-shaped reinforcements. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' shock cord is 12 inches o' 1/8 inch Keelhaul®©™® cording. Avast, me proud beauty! There is no stretch, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but since this model is for small engines, I be nay concerned. 

T' body tube is in three parts. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! T' top part glues right t' t' nose cone and is spiral wound paper, me hearties, and 3.75 inches long by .75 inches in diameter. The middle part be t' same only it's 3 inches long.  There's a paper coupler between these, and only one half is glued, me bucko, matey, so that t' model separates between the two parts o' t' main body. 

Now comes t' tricky part. Well, blow me down! T' bottom third o' t' main body is a cone made of thin cardboard, ya bilge rat, and its outline is provided. Well, blow me down! It is cut out and then glued into a cone that reduces t' main body tube from 18mm t' 10.5mm, ya bilge rat, as thar be a 10.5 mm wound paper body tube for t' engine.  This tube fits into the main body via a centerin' rin' that also serves t' anchor t' shock cord aftward. Aye aye! T' cone fittin' is tricky in that handlin' it roughly can easily dent it. Also, me bucko, I had t' sight it up and down before gluin' it t' be sure that it was symmetrical all around.  If not, it has a slightly cockeyed look. A wound paper engine block was provided, and I placed it at a position t' allow the model t' take t' longest o' t' 10.5mm engines, namely t' B7's. 

There be a fin placement guide provided, ya bilge rat, and I used it t' place t' three fins correctly. This was a paper cutout t' place around t' body in order to mark it for t' fin placement.

Finishing:There weren't any decals. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! There weren't any decals. Ahoy! But if you've read any o' me other reviews, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I'm nay daunted by this. I see it as a loose football for me t' pick up and run with. So, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I used Monokote and silver craft paper, me bucko, available at many hobby stores. Blimey! I spray painted t' fins yellow after sealin' them with epoxy and sandin' them down.  I do this to strengthen balsa and wood fins, and also t' provide a glassy finish. Aye aye! Begad!

It's a sharp lookin' little rocket, but since I chose green...well, I'm glad for t' chute that will help me find it. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This little guy flies high. Avast! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:T' recommended engines are t' Apogee 1/4A2-4, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, 1/2A2-2 and 1/2A2-4, t' A2-5, and B2-7. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! With t' payload, me bucko, Apogee recommends t' A2-3 and B2-5. So far, I have tried t' 1/2A2-2 since t' parks around here are small. With just that, me bucko, matey, ya bilge rat, t' little rocket was nearly gone, shiver me timbers, zingin' up so high that I almost couldn't see it.  But I zeroed in on t' chute and got me model back. Imagine when I try a B! It flew straight and fast. Watch this one well or you'll lose it. Ya scallywag! Begad! Preppin' is easy, and I used just a couple pinches o' worm bed wadding. Ya scallywag! T' chute was unburnt. Begad! Ahoy! T' chute be unburnt. Arrr! Since it's plastic, matey, I worried about that. I've seen that kind melt. I've seen that kind melt. Well, blow me down! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! The engine was retained with bands o' maskin' tape around t' engine overhang as well as t' body tube. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down!

Recovery:T' shock cord, matey, as mentioned, is Keelhaul®©™® string. Aye aye! T' system was easy t' assemble, shiver me timbers, with clear instructions. It worked fine without damage to the system. Avast, me proud beauty! T' recovery be slow, but with a chute, matey, you can expect this. However, me bucko, I had time t' catch it, shiver me timbers, which is a rare thing.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Unusual looks, easy t' make. Ya scallywag! Unusual looks, me hearties, matey, easy t' make. Must handle t' reducer cone gently and align it well. Avast! Arrr! And must protect the delicate chute from burning.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5