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. Arrr! Arrr! So, shiver me timbers, it comes with a tubular device for holdin' a standard payload mass, shiver me timbers, and it can fit into t' payload section o' t' main body. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! It is three finned and recovers with an 8-inch chute t' make trackin' easier. Avast! Begad!

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

T' body tube is in three parts. T' top part glues right t' t' nose cone and is spiral wound paper, arrr, and 3.75 inches long by .75 inches in diameter. Ya scallywag! 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, so that t' model separates between the two parts o' t' main body. 

Now comes t' tricky part. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! T' bottom third o' t' main body is a cone made of thin cardboard, shiver me timbers, and its outline is provided. It is cut out and then glued into a cone that reduces t' main body tube from 18mm t' 10.5mm, 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. T' cone fittin' is tricky in that handlin' it roughly can easily dent it. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! Also, 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. Begad! 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, me hearties, arrr, ya bilge rat, namely t' B7's. 

There was a fin placement guide provided, and I used it t' place t' three fins correctly. Well, blow me down! This was a paper cutout t' place around t' body in order to mark it for t' fin placement. Begad!

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

It's a sharp lookin' little rocket, arrr, me bucko, but since I chose green...well, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I'm glad for t' chute that will help me find it. Arrr! This little guy flies high.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5