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

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

I built t' kit stock, down t' t' elastic shock cord. Begad! Ahoy! I figured it was good enough for several flights, matey, and I probably will nay fly it too often. Begad! Begad! I substituted Titebond for t' white glue, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and since I didn't want t' go out and buy 3 types o' glue that I normally don't use (contact cement, plastic cement, and liquid plastic cement), me hearties, I used CA (medium and thick) instead. Avast! I assembled t' entire booster (main tank/SRBs) this way and it worked fine. Ya scallywag! Begad! Later, when I got t' t' Orbiter, ya bilge rat, which is almost all plastic, I broke down and got some liquid plastic cement. Arrr! Begad! I want t' point out a general rule in buildin' models - one that I don't seem t' follow. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! That is, read ALL t' instructions before you start. I didn't pay attention and used t' elastic strin' required for t' adjustment o' t' Orbiter's elevons in another spot. Avast! Ahoy! DUH. I did, however, find a suitable replacement when buildin' t' Orbiter. Ya scallywag! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! I followed t' instructions pretty much as is, but I did skip ahead at times t' keep busy while parts dried. Begad! Ya scallywag! I found one fin was broken out o' t' bag; however, this be easily fixed with some glue and tissue. Avast, me proud beauty! I stopped at t' point that t' main tank, SRBs, and removable fin units were complete. Aye aye! At this point, I decided that I would separately paint each section. After these sections are assembled, ya bilge rat, it would be very difficult t' paint them different colors. Arrr! T' fit o' t' plastic Orbiter parts be nay perfect, but nay too bad. T' first step in trimmin' t' Orbiter glider is balancin' it and adjustin' t' nose weight. T' kit provides two weights. Aye aye! I used one weight and some clay instead o' cuttin' t' second one up. Next, you adjust t' elevons with a strin' that is run through t' center engine nozzle in t' rear. Begad! This strin' pulls on a plastic arm on t' elevon assembly, shiver me timbers, arrr, while t' elastic strin' mentioned earlier maintains tension. After quite a bit o' adjustment, arrr, t' Orbiter still seems t' glide like a brick (kind o' like t' real thing?). Well, blow me down! If I was confident in me detailed model buildin' abilities, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I would give a construction ratin' o' 2.5, 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, me bucko, with a brown main tank and white boosters. As I mentioned above, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, these were painted prior t' their final assembly. Well, blow me down! I used white spray paint and t' rest was brush-on. Begad! I didn't want t' buy multiple spray paints, nor am I that skilled in maskin' small details. I even mixed me own light gray-green for t' tip o' t' Orbiter's nose and t' leadin' edge o' t' wings. Arrr! T' decals are t' water-slide variety. Begad! They went on fine, me bucko, but some o' t' smaller ones literally blew away when I sprayed t' final clear coat. Avast! T' end result, like many o' me finish jobs, matey, looks good from a distance.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

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

Recovery:
T' recovery system is typical Estes with an elastic shock cord and a plastic chute. Ejection appeared t' occur just before apogee and t' Booster separated, matey, me bucko, just as it was supposed to. It turned with t' wind and came down at a fairly steep angle, shiver me timbers, arrr, again, just like t' real thing. Aye aye! It landed nicely without damage. Avast! T' one problem was singein' on t' elastic shock cord, ya bilge rat, which is no big surprise. Blimey! Blimey! 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, and take off ½ point for t' elastic shock cord.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs 1. Great lookin' scale model. Well, blow me down! 2. Blimey! Relatively easy t' build, shiver me timbers, considerin' t' number o' components. Avast, me proud beauty! 3. Realistic lookin' boost and Orbiter recovery. Avast! Ahoy! 4. Avast! Neat rocket!

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5