Brief:

Oversized basic rocket, me hearties, 24" parachute

Construction:
Three balsa fins, me hearties, ya bilge rat, slots in t' aft body tube section t' help align them, me hearties, 36 inches o' tube and a plastic nose cone. Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Uses t' standard paper shock cord mount.

This was me first BETA series rocket, me bucko, and everythin' went together pretty easily. Begad! T' only tools needed are white or yellow glue, sandpaper, a pencil, ya bilge rat, and a ruler. T' two tube couplers are supposed t' go in with 3/4 inch in each tube. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rearward one, me bucko, however, stuck in t' aft tube with only 1/4 o' an inch showing. Avast! I need t' be a little more careful with those things. I also had a little trouble drawin' t' alignment line for t' launch lugs. Otherwise, t' directions were clear and easy t' follow.

Finishing:
T' rocket is a simple introduction t' spray painting, arrr, ya bilge rat, with only one color over t' whole thing. It is in this section that t' Prowler's one gimmick shows up -- t' decals glow in t' dark. Begad! For me first attempt t' spray paint a rocket, t' finish was excellent. Well, blow me down! T' stylin' is better than on a lot o' other Estes kits.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' motors recommended in t' instructions are B4-2, B6-2, C5-3, and C6-3. Begad! Aye aye! I didn't have a C5-3, but I substituted a C6-5. Liftoff is loud and slow, as is t' be expected for a 4-ounce rocket with C power. Ya scallywag! T' Estes quote o' 360 feet on a C seems about right.

Recovery:
T' shock cord is attached with t' standard folded-paper mount. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It seems rugged enough, but recovery might be easier with t' Estes logo cut out o' t' middle o' t' parachute. Ejection on t' B's, me hearties, arrr, particularly t' B6-2, ya bilge rat, was noticeably early. Aye aye! Avast! I be thinkin' o' tryin' it on a B6-4. T' C6-3 be about right; t' 5 was so late that it might nay have worked if we weren't launchin' down a hill. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! A few tiny holes appeared in t' parachute, but I saw no shock cord damage.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
A great demonstration rocket, matey, big, shiver me timbers, spectacular, and low-flying. No problem except that t' parachute needs a spill hole, and occasionally smoke was seen comin' from t' grass below t' pad. Blimey! Begad! This is goin' t' be a frequent flyer!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5