Brief:
T' Liquidator is a single stage payload rocket with a unique payload section: t' payload section is designed to carry up t' four ounces o' any type o' liquid. Avast! Avast! My daughters want t' shoot a goldfish into space but I think we'll try some plain water in our initial flights.

Construction:
T' Liquidator comes in a hangin' bag with a three sided box t' protect t' rocket components. Avast, me proud beauty! T' components are as follows: Two black BT-60 body tubes (both 7.5" in length), a EB-1000 engine block, a BT-1000 white engine mount, matey, shiver me timbers, a plastic 12" parachute for t' rocket body, a 18' nylon parachute for t' payload section, ya bilge rat, two rubber band shock cords (a 30" cord for t' rocket body and a 18" cord for t' payload section), and t' payload section (which consists o' t' clear plastic payload section and a screw on top which also serves as t' nosecone o' t' rocket). Ahoy! The plastic parts are all royal blue and are as follows: two engine mount 'can' halves, four fins, a tube coupler, me hearties, a engine mount centerin' ring, me hearties, a launch lug that is fastened t' t' engine can, me bucko, and a cap t' attaches t' t' tub coupler to keep t' rocket body shock cord in place.

T' instructions for t' Estes Liquidator are typical Estes quality, clear and easy t' follow. Begad! T' engine mount is constructed and then mounted inside o' t' fin can. Avast, me proud beauty! One potential gotcha be t' engine block for this rocket is huge and must fit completely inside o' t' engine mount tube or t' assembly will nay fit properly in t' can halves. Blimey! I sanded t' block thoroughly so it slid easily inside t' engine mount tube before gluing. Since this block is so long, I think it would be a snap t' modify this rocket t' fit a larger E size engine. By cuttin' off an inch o' t' block tube and then securin' t' block inside t' mount tube would allow t' E t' fit properly. Ahoy! Since an innocent fish's life may hang in t' balance, arrr, matey, I assembled t' rocket for just a D size motor.

T' rest o' t' assembly is typical E2X: mount t' can assembly into one o' t' body tubes and then attach t' fins and t' bottom launch lug. Aye aye! Read t' instructions carefully on this step. T' launch lug is designed to fit just one way but could be mounted incorrectly if you don't look at t' instruction illustration. Aye aye! Once t' bottom half is assembled, matey, t' two body tubes are joined usin' a plastic tube coupler. T' tube coupler has a launch lug attached and it must be aligned with t' bottom launch lug before gluing.

T' tube coupler has one trait that I have never seen before in an Estes kit--the parachute shock cord for the rocket body is attached t' t' tube coupler via a small tube on t' inside o' t' coupler. Once t' shock cord is attached, matey, a small plastic cap is glued t' t' bottom o' t' small tube t' keep t' shock cord from fallin' back into the rocket body. Well, me hearties, blow me down! I used a very small amount o' glue t' attach this cap since it would have t' be removed in case the shock cord were t' ever need replacing.

Once t' body tubes are assembled, t' payload section is fitted t' t' top t' complete t' assembly.

PROs: Very easy t' assembly for t' most part. Parts are o' high quality. Avast!

CONs: Engine block has t' be sanded thoroughly t' fit properly. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Shock cord may be difficult t' replace.

Finishing:
Since this is an E2X kit, arrr, no paintin' is required, ya bilge rat, There are two stick on decals that attach t' each o' t' body tubes. Since I really hate stick on decals, I took care in placin' t' stickers t' t' rocket. Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' rocket looks very sharp and t' blue and black color scheme looks great. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty!

PROs: No painting, rocket looks great.

CONs: Stick on decals.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Readyin' t' rocket for flight has two options for parachute use. Well, blow me down! If you are goin' with a non-payload flight, shiver me timbers, me bucko, Estes recommends usin' just t' 12" plastic parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! Attached t' rocket body shock cord t' t' payload section and then attach t' parachute t' t' shock cord midway betwixt t' nosecone and t' rocket body. Arrr! Aye aye! If you are goin' t' have a liquid in t' payload section, me bucko, t' 12" parachute should be attached t' t' end o' t' rocket body shock cord and the 18" nylon parachute attached t' t' payload section usin' t' second shock cord. Avast, me proud beauty! Since I was goin' t' fly with a payload, shiver me timbers, I used t' second parachute option.

T' payload section holds four liquid ounces and for t' initial flights, ya bilge rat, arrr, bottled water be used. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' nose cone screwed tightly t' t' payload section and no leakage occurred. Once loaded with liquid this bird is heavy! T' rocket weighs 5.7 ounces empty and t' water adds another 4.2 ounces o' weight brin' t' total t' near ten ounces.

For t' first flights I used D12-5 engines on all three flights. Ahoy! T' engines are secured with one o' t' twist-on end caps Estes uses with many o' their E2X kits. Dog barf was used for protectin' t' parachutes. Aye aye! Flight day was sunny and thar was very little wind.

T' rocket lifted slowly from t' pad, arrow straight flight t' about four hundred feet. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! At apogee t' rocket tipped downward very smartly due t' t' weight. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Rocket be pointed downwards when t' parachutes deployed. T' payload section and its nylon parachute cleared t' rocket body cleanly and both t' rocket body and payload parachutes opened fully. Aye aye! Blimey! Both sections landed around a hundred feet from t' pad.

A D12-3 motor may be a better fit for this rocket than t' D12-5, eliminatin' some o' that delay as t' rocket falls straight down t' t' earth. Ahoy! Even with t' longer delay, shiver me timbers, t' rocket had enough time for t' parachutes t' deploy and recover cleanly.

T' next two flights were mirrors o' t' first: straight up and clean deployments, landin' fairly close t' the pad.

Recovery:
Both sections landed with no damage. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' nylon parachute held t' payload section up nicely with soft landings. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! The payload did nay leak a drop. Ahoy! Blimey! Rocket body be recovered with no damage t' t' body or t' parachute.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Estes Liquidator does what it claims t' do. Avast, me proud beauty! It lifts four ounces o' water into 'space' and allows for a great recovery. While this rocket will never break any altitude records for flight, it does fly straight and true on its recommended motors. Begad! T' payload section is designed nicely, me bucko, me bucko, holdin' its liquid cargo intact through both flight and recovery.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5