Brief:
An upscaled version o' t' classic Alpha that flies on standard Estes 18mm engines. Almost 20 inches tall, this rocket reaches heights o' 600 feet.

Construction:
Balsa Nose Cone, Laser-cut Balsa Fins, Cardstock Centerin' Rings, me hearties, Engine Hook, BT-60 body tube, me bucko, arrr, and waterslide Decals

T' motor mount is constructed usin' typical methods. T' only thin' I changed was t' add a Keelhaul®©™ shock cord that ties around t' motor tube betwixt t' upper and lower centerin' ring. Avast! I used a small amount o' wood glue inside t' body tube and t' motor mount be inserted into t' BT. Ya scallywag! T' next step be t' I fill t' spirals. Blimey! Begad! After sandin' t' BT, t' tube be marked for t' fin locations and t' launch lug. Avast, me proud beauty! T' laser-cut fins are made from 1/8 hard balsa. Begad! Avast! T' fins leadin' edge be rounded and they were glued onto t' BT usin' a very small amount o' 5 minute epoxy. Once t' fins were attached and allowed t' dry, small epoxy micro balloon fillets were created around t' fins and launch lug t' add some strength and t' clean up t' joints. Ahoy! T' launch lugs be attached t' t' bt usin' epoxy as well. Ya scallywag! T' kit provides one long launch that I cut in half and installed them on t' bt about 7" apart.

T' only con was t' nose cone. Begad! Begad! It was made from hard balsa which is good, but it be very heavy. Aye aye! I used t' stock cone so it's no big deal. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! However, me hearties, because o' t' weight o' t' cone hittin' t' advertised weight o' 2.2oz is nearly impossible.

Finishing:
I sealed t' balsa fins and nose cone with two coats o' Minwax Polyurethane. Avast, me proud beauty! Once dry they were sanded smooth and coated usin' thinned spackle that was brushed on t' fill t' wood grain. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' filler was sanded off and t' rocket was primed with two coats o' Dupli-Color High Fill Primer sandin' betwixt coats. Ya scallywag! T' Super Alpha be painted silver with Dupli-color, and t' metallic black was Rustoleum. Once t' body was allowed t' completely dry t' Super Alpha decal be applied. Blimey! T' decal applied easily with no issues.

Construction Rating: 4out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' Super Alpha three times on t' first day. Avast, me proud beauty! I used an Estes C6-3, Estes C6-5, and a Quest C6-3. Preparation is very easy since t' BT-60 gives you plenty o' room t' pack t' chute. All three flights were perfect, stable, me bucko, and recovered close t' t' pad. Aye aye! Begad! On one o' t' flights t' nose cone impacted t' top o' t' BT causin' very minor damage that be easily fixed.

Recovery:
T' supplied 18" 'chute is a little on t' large size, shiver me timbers, so if it's windy be prepared for a walk. I used t' 18" 'chute for t' first three flights, but t' wind was less than 5mph. A 12" or 16" parachute would be better.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Estes Super Alpha is another great offering. Aye aye! Blimey! It's a very easy t' build model with great instructions. T' rocket flies great as designed and is durable. Blimey! T' Super Alpha can be easily modified t' accept 24mm motors as well.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5