Brief:
This is a 5x upscale o' t' Estes Mosquito suitable for mid-power motors. Avast, me proud beauty! It is an excellent first mid-power rocket. Blimey!

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 2.6" thick-wall body tube, pre-slotted for fins
• 1 Balsa nose cone
• 2 1/8" plywood centerin' rings
• 1 29mm motor tube
• 3 1/8" thick laser-cut plywood fins
• 1 screw eye, nut, and washer set
• 1 1/4" plywood nose cone bulkhead
• 1 Kelvar shock cord section (~3')
• 1 Nylon shock cord section (~5')
• 1 18" purple rip-stop nylon parachute
• 1 9" square flameproof chute protector
• 2 1" sections o' 1/4" launch lug

T' instructions were very easy t' follow for someone who's already built a few rockets (okay, 40 other rockets). T' illustrations were nay Estes-grade but clear and functional. Aye aye! Avast! I wouldn't recommend this as a first rocket as the instructions assume previous knowledge o' buildin' rockets. Blimey! Ahoy! If you use wood glue as I did, then it's a skill level two rocket. Well, arrr, blow me down! If you use epoxy, then perhaps a three.

All t' parts were very high quality and fit together nicely with only a bit o' sandin' (1 min total) t' have t' fins fit perfectly in t' pre-cut slots, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and t' centerin' rings fit cleanly. T' body and motor tubes are thick-walled. Begad! Aye aye! T' wood parts are all 1/8" ply, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and t' shock cord is thick Keelhaul®©™® and nylon. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! This is more o' a scaled-down HPR rocket than an up-scaled "Questes" kit.

Although t' instructions recommend epoxy, arrr, I built it just fine with wood glue. Aye aye! T' fins have plenty o' surface area and are TTW so they hold just fine with wood glue. T' instructions recommend epoxy t' ensure that t' nut will hold onto t' screw eye permanently. Arrr! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I didn't have epoxy so I soldered t' connection, matey, me hearties, which be probably overkill. Aye aye! Begad! The nut fits tight enough on its own and a single drop o' CA would be sufficient. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It took perhaps four hours over four days for building, me hearties, but an experienced builder could be done in an hour with 5-minute epoxy.

T' provided motor mount tubin' is several inches longer than needed. Begad! I recommend cuttin' it off about a quarter inch above t' forward centerin' rin' t' leave more room for t' chute. Ya scallywag!

No 29/24 adapter is included, matey, matey, but if you wish t' use D12s and 24mm E motors, it's easy to make one. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! I used 4" o' 24mm tubing, ya bilge rat, two 29mm centerin' rings, arrr, and part o' t' leftover motor mount tubin' as a thrust ring.

There's only one gotcha with t' whole kit. Avast, me proud beauty! No nose weight is included, me hearties, ya bilge rat, but none is really needed unless you plan to use t' larger Gs or even 29mm Hs. If you do use nose weight though, you have t' install it (in t' helpful space provided in t' nose cone) before you attach t' nose bulkhead and screw eye. Arrr!

Finishing:
Finishin' is pretty easy for t' Mozzie. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' only hard part is sealin' t' nose cone. I did nay seal it and it's a bit fuzzy and off-color. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! If you're buildin' a rocket o' this size though, arrr, you probably have t' skills t' seal it.

Paintin' is pretty simple--all yellow then mask off t' one fin and paint it red. Begad! (T' instructions show a black fin instead o' yellow, but I went with t' classic mosquito color scheme). Well, blow me down! You could use a primer if you want, but it's still a very simple--and striking--paint scheme.

There are no decals with it, but it doesn't need any. Avast! This huge red rocket is bright enough on its own.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Madcow recommends t' D12-3 and a selection o' 29mm E-G motors. However, me bucko, 24mm Es and Fs work just fine with an adapter. Aye aye! Don't use t' E9, E11J, ya bilge rat, or F12J though--they don't have enough thrust t' get it stable, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, arrr, and t' D12 is only for use on calm days.

T' body tube is just big enough for a 29/180 casing, arrr, so if you're truly crazy you could fly an H in it. If you're considerin' an H or high-thrust G though, me hearties, me hearties, consider glassin' t' fins as they're big and only 1/8" ply, which is fine for regular use but may flutter at high speeds. Avast, me proud beauty!

Motor retention is nay included, ya bilge rat, me bucko, shiver me timbers, but maskin' tape seems t' work just fine. If you were so inclined, me hearties, me hearties, you could use Aero Pack retainers or a threaded rod.

Both me first and second flights were off an Estes Porta-pad usin' a 3/16" rod. Aye aye! It wasn't pretty, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but it worked. Begad! Even though this is a big rocket, it can still be flown on pretty small fields.

My first flight was on an Estes D12-3. Ya scallywag! I used me homemade 24mm adapter and maskin' tape for retention. T' 9" chute protector is nice--you don't have t' use wadding, ya bilge rat, which is a big plus in me book. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! It flew straight and slow t' about 280 feet and ejected right at apogee. Aye aye! T' 18" nylon chute brought it down perfectly. Avast, me proud beauty!

My second flight was also on a D12. On this one though, shiver me timbers, I packed t' chute far too tight, shiver me timbers, and t' nose cone popped off but t' chute did not. Blimey! T' rocket, me hearties, weighin' 11oz with t' motor casing, matey, fell 300 feet onto one fin and bounced. Begad! Total damage: one tiny dent in t' nose cone. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! This skeeter is tough!

Third flight be on an E15-4W off a proper MPR rod. Begad! It went fast and loud t' about 800 feet with ejection near apogee. Begad! Begad! It drifted about 800 feet and came down unharmed in a neighborin' field.

Recovery:
T' shock cord is almost 7' long and made o' Keelhaul®©™® and nylon. It shows no sign o' damage. Avast, me proud beauty! It was pretty easy t' assemble--just tie t' two together, tie t' Keelhaul®©™® around t' motor mount Quest-style, and tie t' nylon end t' t' nose cone.

T' 18" chute is a good fit for t' rocket. Well, blow me down! It provides a descent rate o' about 20 fps and its dark purple color is easily visible against any sky. Begad!

T' 9" chute protector included is very helpful and so far t' entire system has worked perfectly except for operator error.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great rocket. Blimey! It's me personal favorite, me hearties, since it's big, fun, matey, matey, and can be flown on anythin' from a D t' a G.

PROs:

• Easy t' build
• Very strong and high-quality materials
• Excellent recovery system
• Good-lookin' rocket

CONs:

• nose weight nay included
• fairly small parachute compartment

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5