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

Construction:
T' Space Shuttle came packaged like a typical Estes kit (plastic bags, etc). Aye aye! Blimey! This is definitely a skill-level-4 kit with 16 pages o' detailed instructions containin' 53 steps. Well, blow me down! It claims t' require 4 types o' glue and 6 colors o' paint. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' parts list includes 27 line items includin' t' chute, decals, arrr, etc. Begad! Blimey! T' balsa fins, cardboard body wraps/detailing, and vacuum-molded Orbiter components are all die cut. Ahoy! 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, me bucko, down t' t' elastic shock cord. Begad! I figured it be good enough for several flights, and I probably will nay fly it too often. I substituted Titebond for t' white glue, ya bilge rat, 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, shiver me timbers, and liquid plastic cement), ya bilge rat, matey, I used CA (medium and thick) instead. I assembled t' entire booster (main tank/SRBs) this way and it worked fine. Arrr! Later, matey, when I got t' t' Orbiter, ya bilge rat, matey, which is almost all plastic, I broke down and got some liquid plastic cement. Ya scallywag! I want t' point out a general rule in buildin' models - one that I don't seem t' follow. Well, blow me down! That is, shiver me timbers, read ALL t' instructions before you start. Ya scallywag! I didn't pay attention and used t' elastic strin' required for t' adjustment o' t' Orbiter's elevons in another spot. DUH. Ahoy! I did, me hearties, however, shiver me timbers, find a suitable replacement when buildin' t' Orbiter. Ya scallywag! My feeble mind be confused by t' fact that t' chute came pre-assembled, and t' instructions called for a piece o' twine from t' chute. Begad! I followed t' instructions pretty much as is, shiver me timbers, but I did skip ahead at times t' keep busy while parts dried. I found one fin be broken out o' t' bag; however, matey, this be easily fixed with some glue and tissue. I stopped at t' point that t' main tank, shiver me timbers, arrr, SRBs, me bucko, and removable fin units were complete. Arrr! Ahoy! At this point, I decided that I would separately paint each section. Avast, me proud beauty! After these sections are assembled, shiver me timbers, me bucko, 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. Begad! T' first step in trimmin' t' Orbiter glider is balancin' it and adjustin' t' nose weight. Avast, me proud beauty! T' kit provides two weights. Begad! Blimey! 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! Blimey! This strin' pulls on a plastic arm on t' elevon assembly, me bucko, while t' elastic strin' mentioned earlier maintains tension. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! After quite a bit o' adjustment, 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, me bucko, 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, shiver me timbers, with a brown main tank and white boosters. Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! As I mentioned above, arrr, these were painted prior t' their final assembly. I used white spray paint and t' rest was brush-on. I didn't want t' buy multiple spray paints, nor am I that skilled in maskin' small details. Aye aye! Blimey! I even mixed me own light gray-green for t' tip o' t' Orbiter's nose and t' leadin' edge o' t' wings. Blimey! Blimey! T' decals are t' water-slide variety. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! They went on fine, matey, me bucko, me hearties, but some o' t' smaller ones literally blew away when I sprayed t' final clear coat. Ahoy! Blimey! T' end result, like many o' me finish jobs, arrr, looks good from a distance.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' kit flies on C5-3 and C6-3 engines only. Ya scallywag! I chose a C6-3 because that is what I had available. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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. Ejection appeared t' occur just before apogee and t' Booster separated, just as it was supposed to. 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. Arrr! T' one problem was singein' on t' elastic shock cord, which is no big surprise. 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, me bucko, and take off ½ point for t' elastic shock cord.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs 1. Aye aye! Great lookin' scale model. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! 2. Ahoy! Relatively easy t' build, me bucko, ya bilge rat, considerin' t' number o' components. Blimey! 3. Ahoy! Realistic lookin' boost and Orbiter recovery. Well, blow me down! 4. Neat rocket!

CONs 1. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Fin stock be broken out o' t' package. Well, blow me down! Blimey! 2. Some steps are hard t' understand and require lookin' at all t' finishin' diagrams t' understand what is intended 3. Ahoy! Blimey! T' fit o' t' Orbiter parts is so-so 4. Junky recovery components - typical Estes.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5