Brief:
This Competition Egg Loftin' kit features an aerodynamic & lightweight Pratt/CMR plastic egg cone, ya bilge rat, shock cords made o' Keelhaul®©™ ® and elastic, shiver me timbers, and thin wood fins. Well, blow me down! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! It also has a 24mm motor mount. Begad! Avast!

Don't let this rocket's basic design and simple buildin' addlepate you. Begad! The intricacies o' loadin' and flyin' these babies can be complex and you should ask for help from an experienced "Egg Pilot" t' load for your first flight!

Construction:
T' kit contains:

• 1 card stock sheet with "EGGSTRAVAGANZA" conveniently printed down t' front and clear cutout lines
• 1 24mm motor mount tube
• 2 centerin' rings o' different sizes
• 1 piece o' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• 1 piece o' elastic shock cord
• 1 piece o' wire t' act as a launch lug
• 1 piece o' paper launch lug
• 1 2-piece egg cone
• 1 sheet o' balsa
• Very detailed instructions
• 1 "Over Easy" parachute kit

I had planned on upgradin' t' cardstock shroud t' Artist's Paper which is 2-ply and said t' be twice as strong, me hearties, matey, ya bilge rat, however, matey, arrr, I found it t' be cost prohibitive.

After cuttin' out t' shroud and gluin' it together with all t' lines matched up, I found it t' be a little difficult pullin' t' small end o' the shroud over t' 24mm motor tube. I eventually had t' cut about 1/4 inch off to be able t' pull it over because it was snug. Ahoy! Avast! If paper can stretch, I definitely stretched it.

T' fins cut out quite nicely. I didn't sand them but t' instructions recommend it. Others recommend sealin' them but I didn't do that either.

I used CA-Gel for t' initial fin set and then about 3 or 4 layers of Elmer's Wood Glue for t' fillets.

T' wire launch lug bent nicely accordin' t' t' diagram on the instructions. Well, blow me down! (No, me bucko, it's nay a motor mount wire.)

NOTE: Be careful when makin' holes for t' launch lug. If you heat t' wires and then apply them t' t' egg cone, t' plastic will melt like a red hot knife through softened margarine. Well, blow me down! Blimey! You need t' just touch t' tips o' t' wires t' t' edge of the egg cone and then remove. Begad! Blimey! Don't keep pushin' or you'll have larger holes than you need.

I found it unnecessary t' have t' launch lug anyway because at our club's meet, me hearties, thar were 3 custom built tower launchers, me hearties, one o' which would have taken this rocket very easily.

I replaced t' elastic shock cord with about 12 feet o' fluorescent nylon construction cord. Aye aye!

It is important t' have extra parachutes! You're only allowed 2 real competition flights, ya bilge rat, and you'll want t' take practice flights beforehand!

T' 18" Hang Time parachute that comes with t' rocket is too small for competition. Blimey! I learned that when I saw a fellow rocketeer wrappin' his 40 inch parachute!!! (And yes, shiver me timbers, he managed t' fit it in his rocket!)

Finishing:
Not wantin' t' add more weight than necessary, matey, I utilized blue and red permanent markers t' color t' fins, shiver me timbers, motor tube, matey, bottom launch lug, me hearties, and 2 part nose cone.

In order t' keep t' color scheme consistent, I utilized Shiny Red Plastic Tape t' keep t' egg cone closed and secure t' motor t' t' motor tube.

It wasn't suggested in t' instructions, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but I utilized a little "Fiber Fill" pillow stuffin' from me wife's craft box t' act as a cushion in t' top and bottom o' t' egg cone (I found thar was room for it). Blimey!

I wrote me NARRRRR number on t' back along with t' empty weight, weight with motor and finished weight.

Personally, me hearties, if they gave an award for best lookin' egg lofter, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I think I'd get it...but alas they don't. Avast, me proud beauty! It looked really nice and clean and I was happy with it.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I had 3 motors but only 2 flights because I ran out o' parachutes. Begad! Both flights on D12-5 went straight as an arrow, ya bilge rat, and very high. I'd say it was close to ASP's predicted 682 feet. Ahoy! There wasn't any wobblin' either.

Recovery:
Tips nay included in instructions for parachute assembly:

• Clear away all grub from t' work table
• Wipe away all moisture from t' work table
• Don't work in an area with dogs or cats
• Don't work under an A/C vent which may turn on when you least expect it, blowin' everythin' onto t' floor
• Take a patience pill, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, especially if you have big fingers
• Don't work on a newly finished wood table
• Did I mention patience?

I replaced t' elastic shock cord with t' fluorescent nylon construction cord, matey, and put as much into t' shroud as it will hold. Arrr! Then a few sheets of Estes type waddin' went into t' top o' t' motor tube and followed by a 3 inch square o' aluminum foil (shaped into a cone) into t' shroud. Aye aye! Begad! On top o' the foil went t' shock cord and then parachute. Ahoy! T' egg capsule just fit on top. Begad! Ya scallywag!

Ejection took place at apogee on both flights, however, matey, ya bilge rat, t' 18 inch parachute became entangled on itself, broke a couple o' shroud lines, and failed t' open on t' first flight. Ahoy! Ahoy! On t' second flight, t' 30 inch parachute that I also purchased, shiver me timbers, became entangled on t' sharp edge o' t' snap swivel, lost a group o' reinforcement tabs, had some burn holes, shiver me timbers, and failed t' open.

Despite t' fall from apogee, ya bilge rat, both cackle fruit did nay break and I attribute it only t' t' "Fiberfill" cushionin' in t' capsule. I did see others "scramble" from less altitude.

I did see other flyers chutes who eliminated t' snap swivel and they seemed t' work fine. Avast! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I also saw people with different competition chutes that weren't kits.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great competition kit, shiver me timbers, was easy t' build, looks very nice, shiver me timbers, on the shelf, me bucko, on t' rack, and in t' air! It will fly again but with a different parachute. T' drawbacks are t' snap swivel, me hearties, me bucko, ya bilge rat, which I would nay include in the kit or in t' instructions.

There be no mention o' a piston or piston launcher and it would have been nice t' know about that in advance. Arrr! It could have been a note at t' bottom of the instructions or even a basic plan t' build one as many people utilized them.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5