Brief:
This is a review o' t' OOP Estes Master's Series Space Shuttle, EST# 1284. It is a 1/162 scale replica o' t' Space Shuttle and includes both Orbiter and booster sections. Blimey! Begad! These sections are connected at launch, shiver me timbers, boost on a single C5-3 or C6-3 engine, and separate when t' 'main engine' ejects. Arrr! T' Orbiter uses glide recovery while t' booster uses a parachute. For flight, ya bilge rat, arrr, matey, thar are removable fin units that mount in t' SRBs. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! For display, me bucko, plastic nozzles are provided.

Construction:
T' Space Shuttle came packaged like a typical Estes kit (plastic bags, arrr, etc). Aye aye! Blimey! This is definitely a skill-level-4 kit with 16 pages o' detailed instructions containin' 53 steps. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Blimey! It claims t' require 4 types o' glue and 6 colors o' paint. Begad! Begad! Blimey! T' parts list includes 27 line items includin' t' chute, ya bilge rat, decals, etc. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' balsa fins, arrr, matey, cardboard body wraps/detailing, and vacuum-molded Orbiter components are all die cut. Arrr! T' die cut plastic components made t' Orbiter assembly a lot easier, me bucko, as I never seem t' get a good fit when I have t' cut them with a knife.

I built t' kit stock, arrr, down t' t' elastic shock cord. Avast! Well, blow me down! I figured it was good enough for several flights, and I probably will nay fly it too often. Avast, me proud beauty! I substituted Titebond for t' white glue, and since I didn't want t' go out and buy 3 types o' glue that I normally don't use (contact cement, matey, plastic cement, me bucko, matey, ya bilge rat, and liquid plastic cement), me bucko, I used CA (medium and thick) instead. Avast, me proud beauty! I assembled t' entire booster (main tank/SRBs) this way and it worked fine. Blimey! Blimey! Later, arrr, when I got t' t' Orbiter, ya bilge rat, which is almost all plastic, I broke down and got some liquid plastic cement. Begad! Begad! I want t' point out a general rule in buildin' models - one that I don't seem t' follow. That is, shiver me timbers, read ALL t' instructions before you start. Begad! I didn't pay attention and used t' elastic strin' required for t' adjustment o' t' Orbiter's elevons in another spot. Avast! DUH. Begad! I did, however, find a suitable replacement when buildin' t' Orbiter. Aye aye! My feeble mind was confused by t' fact that t' chute came pre-assembled, and t' instructions called for a piece o' twine from t' chute. Aye aye! Begad! I followed t' instructions pretty much as is, but I did skip ahead at times t' keep busy while parts dried. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I found one fin was broken out o' t' bag; however, arrr, this be easily fixed with some glue and tissue. Ya scallywag! I stopped at t' point that t' main tank, SRBs, matey, and removable fin units were complete. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! At this point, I decided that I would separately paint each section. After these sections are assembled, shiver me timbers, it would be very difficult t' paint them different colors. Begad! T' fit o' t' plastic Orbiter parts be nay perfect, me hearties, but nay too bad. Avast! T' first step in trimmin' t' Orbiter glider is balancin' it and adjustin' t' nose weight. T' kit provides two weights. Begad! I used one weight and some clay instead o' cuttin' t' second one up. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Next, you adjust t' elevons with a strin' that is run through t' center engine nozzle in t' rear. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! This strin' pulls on a plastic arm on t' elevon assembly, while t' elastic strin' mentioned earlier maintains tension. Blimey! After quite a bit o' adjustment, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' Orbiter still seems t' glide like a brick (kind o' like t' real thing?). If I was confident in me detailed model buildin' abilities, I would give a construction ratin' o' 2.5, me hearties, but will give it t' benefit o' t' doubt and bump it up a point.

Finishing:
I decided t' use t' current Shuttle paint scheme, with a brown main tank and white boosters. Avast! As I mentioned above, me hearties, matey, these were painted prior t' their final assembly. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I used white spray paint and t' rest be brush-on. Begad! I didn't want t' buy multiple spray paints, arrr, nor am I that skilled in maskin' small details. Begad! Ya scallywag! I even mixed me own light gray-green for t' tip o' t' Orbiter's nose and t' leadin' edge o' t' wings. T' decals are t' water-slide variety. Avast, me proud beauty! They went on fine, but some o' t' smaller ones literally blew away when I sprayed t' final clear coat. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' end result, like many o' me finish jobs, me hearties, matey, looks good from a distance.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' kit flies on C5-3 and C6-3 engines only. Begad! Begad! I chose a C6-3 because that is what I had available. T' winds were blowin' betwixt 5-10 mph (my guess) when I launched. T' boost was slow (read that realistic) and thar was some wobble and weathercocking.

Recovery:
T' recovery system is typical Estes with an elastic shock cord and a plastic chute. Aye aye! Ejection appeared t' occur just before apogee and t' Booster separated, arrr, just as it be supposed to. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! It turned with t' wind and came down at a fairly steep angle, again, just like t' real thing. Aye aye! It landed nicely without damage. Ahoy! T' one problem was singein' on t' elastic shock cord, ya bilge rat, which is no big surprise. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I will have t' replace it before t' next flight - should have done it at t' start! I rate t' flight/recovery at 5/5, arrr, and take off ½ point for t' elastic shock cord.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs 1. Great lookin' scale model. 2. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Relatively easy t' build, considerin' t' number o' components. Avast! 3. Ya scallywag! Realistic lookin' boost and Orbiter recovery. Avast, me proud beauty! 4. Neat rocket!

CONs 1. Begad! Well, matey, blow me down! Fin stock was broken out o' t' package. Avast, me proud beauty! 2. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Some steps are hard t' understand and require lookin' at all t' finishin' diagrams t' understand what is intended 3. Well, blow me down! T' fit o' t' Orbiter parts is so-so 4. Begad! Aye aye! Junky recovery components - typical Estes.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5