Brief:
An OOP rocket o' t' space shuttle. Estes have released a few other space shuttles that have been gliders. Ya scallywag! This older one is just t' shuttle itself and recovers by a parachute. Begad! I got two o' these older rockets from a rocketeer that be givin' up t' hobby. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Both kits had been opened and had bits missing, shiver me timbers, me hearties, however these were easily replaced. This review is for Estes kit number 1424, which seems t' be identical t' kit 1385. T' difference betwixt t' kits is what came with t' rocket.

Construction:
T' kit consists of:

• Body tube, BT 60 K - 7 inch
• 2 balsa fin sheets
• Plastic launch lug
• nose cone and pods
• engine Mount tube
• Engine hook
• Die cut rings
• Die cut Card
• Shock cord
• Clay Weight
• Decal sheet
• Pattern sheet
• Shroud lines
• Tape disks
• 18-inch parachute

To build t' kit I used:

• CA gel glue
• White wood glue
• Sand paper
• Primer
• White spray paint
• Black paint

T' first thin' I had t' do be cut out a section o' balsa win' that be missing. Blimey! Havin' done this, arrr, I then checked t' make sure all o' t' parts were there. Ahoy! Arrr! Next was t' swap parts for newer or better parts. Blimey! T' die cut rings were upgraded, t' parachute swapped for a handmade rip stop nylon one, ya bilge rat, t' shock cord changed for a length o' Keelhaul®©™ thread and a longer length o' elastic cord, arrr, t' clay weight had gone hard and brittle so that was swapped.

T' instructions are o' t' typical Estes style, and t' build is relatively straightforward. T' win' is made up o' 8 pieces o' balsa that need t' be glued together. Begad! In me kit t' previous owner had already started this – badly. Aye aye! There be a lot o' fillin' and sandin' t' be done. Begad! One gotcha here is t' cut out t' flaps that are done in step 17 after step 4 – it makes t' job easier.

There are a few sheets o' card that are used in t' build which go on easily this is nay true o' t' plastic OMS pods that have t' be cut out and then glued into place. Avast, me proud beauty! Heavy fillets o' white glue were needed t' give a good finish.

T' flaps that are added are thar t' give a straight boost.

Finishing:
T' balsa in t' kit was a varyin' quality and required three coats o' sandin' sealer and several layers o' primer, with sandin' betwixt coats, t' body tube had deep spirals in it. Aye aye! T' rocket be coated with white spray paint and then had t' black paint applied by brush. I'm nay good at paintin' and I took some liberties with t' design. Begad! Ahoy! Despite t' decals bein' old and o' t' water slide variety, me bucko, arrr, some went on okay, but unfortunately some disintegrated when they came off t' backin' paper. Avast, me proud beauty! In hindsight I should have clear coated them before tryin' t' apply them.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
Recommended motors are: A8-3, B4-4, B6-4, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, arrr, B8-5, matey, C6-5.

T' first, me hearties, me bucko, and last flight was on a B6-4, matey, ya bilge rat, after a climb o' about 10 foot it arched and flow horizontal until crashin' into t' ground under full thrust. Arrr! T' motor mount be badly damaged. I be able t' reset t' mount, me bucko, me bucko, but in doin' so damaged t' body tube.

T' motor had failed t' set off its ejection charge, and when I looked at t' launch photo, matey, matey, ya bilge rat, t' thrust jet seems t' be angled a few degrees off. T' motor be probably t' cause o' t' arching.

After repairin' t' shuttle, matey, ya bilge rat, she had a few more flights.

Stickin' with C6-3s she performed better, ya bilge rat, but each flight was far from perfect, me bucko, ya bilge rat, she shimmers on t' boost, arrr, shiver me timbers, and always arches slightly. A delay o' 5 seconds is too long given her arched flights, I would nay fly her on an A motor either.

Recovery:
With one bad flight I am tempted t' tank t' review points, arrr, but other rocketeers have flown this model without problems. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! My first flight was due t' a bad motor.

Recovery is fine on t' parachute size provided

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
She's a nice lookin' model, but nay a great flyer, matey, I have another one in me build pile but I doubt if I'll put that one t' t' top o' t' build list.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5