Brief:

Oversized basic rocket, 24" parachute

Construction:
Three balsa fins, shiver me timbers, slots in t' aft body tube section t' help align them, 36 inches o' tube and a plastic nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Uses t' standard paper shock cord mount.

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

Finishing:
T' rocket is a simple introduction t' spray painting, with only one color over t' whole thing. Arrr! Blimey! It is in this section that t' Prowler's one gimmick shows up -- t' decals glow in t' dark. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! For me first attempt t' spray paint a rocket, t' finish be excellent. 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. I didn't have a C5-3, me hearties, but I substituted a C6-5. Blimey! Liftoff is loud and slow, me hearties, as is t' be expected for a 4-ounce rocket with C power. T' Estes quote o' 360 feet on a C seems about right.

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5