Brief:
Almost ready t' Fly, shiver me timbers, twin parachute, me hearties, missile-esque 4FNC.

After workin' on some projects that are takin' a bit o' time, arrr, me hearties, I decided I wanted some quick gratification and pulled this rocket out o' me "build bin". Well, blow me down! Avast! It went together smartly and gave me an excuse t' try t' Future acrylic tip I had read about. Begad! Besides, I kind o' like t' picture on t' package.

Construction:
T' kit includes:

• Plastic fin can assembly in two halves
• 4 plastic fins
• plastic fin lockin' ring
• plastic motor lock ring
• motor tube
• 3 body tubes o' diminishin' length and diameter (not specified)
• large plastic reducer
• small plastic reducer
• plastic nose cone
• Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• round elastic shock cord
• 2 14" parachute kits
• peel off sticker set

T' body tubes and motor tube were grey colored and had a rough texture. Ahoy! T' spirals were deep but part o' the ARTF karmic price. Avast! T' texture is apparently part o' t' "finish" and distracts t' eye from t' spirals.

T' instructions were printed on both sides o' a single 11" x 17" sheet. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' actual instructions were one one side and launch info be on t' other. Avast! Blimey! They were illustrated adequately, matey, in logical order, easy t' understand, and suitable t' t' purpose.

Assembly starts off by tyin' t' Keelhaul®©™® to t' elastic with an overhand knot and then tyin' t' Keelhaul®©™® to t' appropriate loop in one half o' t' fin can. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I supplemented this by puttin' a drop o' CA on each o' t' knots.

T' fin can comes in 2 halves. Avast! Blimey! T' motor tube is notched at t' top and t' notch slips into a peg on either side of t' fin can. Begad! T' fin can is then cemented together with plastic model cement. Aye aye! I used Solva-weld. Begad! Model cement is also indicated t' glue t' fin can t' t' lower body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Havin' bad experience with Estes products doin' this, ya bilge rat, I used CA.

T' plastic fins were then slipped into t' provided grooves in t' fin can. Ya scallywag! T' instruction warn you t' test fit them first. This is a very good idea. Three o' t' four fit fine, though one be rather loose. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fourth was very difficult t' fit and needed some trimmin' with a razor. Aye aye! Aye aye! If I had nay checked first, shiver me timbers, this would have cause problems since I used CA instead o' t' recommended model cement. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' final part o' this step was t' insert t' fin lockin' ring which I secured with Solva-weld and then inserted t' motor retainin' ring. Avast! Begad! Be careful nay t' let any solvent get onto the motor lockin' ring.

I also used CA t' glue in t' transitions and nose cone. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' design calls for t' use o' 2 parachutes and separate recovery for t' nose cone but I don't generally like doin' that. Ahoy! Blimey! I affixed t' shock cord t' t' upper transition so t' rocket would recover in a single unit. Begad! Blimey! I would have made t' separation point on t' lower transition for easy stuffin' o' t' parachute but thar was nothin' t' tie it on to. Aye aye! Blimey! I again secured t' knot with a drop o' CA.

Since I didn't play t' "assemble t' parachute" game, me bucko, t' model was ready for finishing.

PROs: Easy and quick assembly.

CONs: 2 piece fin can. Begad! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I just know that is goin' t' cause problems at some point and don't trust it.

Finishing:
T' finishin' on t' instructions consists simply o' applyin' t' peel off stickers. Begad! Aye aye! Before puttin' them on, arrr, I be a little bummed out because t' rocket looked too plain. Begad! T' stickers changed all that. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! They really complement it well.

I have two comments about t' stickers though. Blimey! Blimey! First, me hearties, they are peel 'n' stick so they are really thick. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! This will invariably cause them t' come off at some point. Aye aye! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Second, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' trouble with t' sticker thickness is exacerbated by the stickiness factor on these stickers. It is minimal. Since I hope t' keep this rocket for a while, (I have that hope for all o' me rockets but one) I decided t' try I tip I had read about.

I had read that Future floor polish really protects and holds things down. Imagine me wife's surprise when I asked her t' get some for me next time she went t' t' store. Avast! She is Korean, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, however, matey, and that involves several side issues:

1. Why is a grown man playin' with rockets?
2. Why is a grown member o' t' clergy in mostly good standin' playin' with rockets?
3. T' language issue meant that I finally decided t' procure it myself. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! (This is a comment on pronunciation: apparently t' sounds needed t' convey future are difficult for t' Han language.)

When I finally got around t' tryin' it, I noticed that t' label said "Pledge with Future Shine". Avast! Well, me hearties, blow me down! That didn't sound right. Arrr! On closer examination, arrr, me hearties, the label said that it was all acrylic and t' "Future" had t' same little electron orbital logo I remembered from t' original tip so I went ahead. Avast! Arrr!

I applied t' stuff with a sponge brush. Aye aye! Ahoy! It went on easily but dripped a lot. After drying, me bucko, me hearties, it be nice and shiny, ya bilge rat, but I am nay sure that it conveyed any protective or sealant qualities. Well, blow me down! I need t' find out if I used t' right stuff or if it was just a change in marketin' strategy.

PROs: looks good, and fast and easy t' build.

CONs: I worry about t' stickers comin' up.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended Motors: B6-4, matey, C6-3, shiver me timbers, C6-5

I only got t' launch this one once because it be at a club launch and I wound up servin' as RSO. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! It was also t' busiest launch me club has ever had. That's great but hard on me flying!

I used a B4-4. As it turned out, matey, matey, that launched t' bird just fine. Ya scallywag! It flew up straight and deployed at apogee. Ahoy! It recovered under a nylon 9" chute just fine. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! It may have been a bit fast but thar were no problems.

PROs: flies well and true

CONs: none

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I think this is a very fine beginner's kit. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! It's easy and looks good. Ahoy! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! It also looks somewhat more complex that a 3NFC rocket. Begad! It would seem t' be reliable and can get more young folk into t' hobby.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5