Brief:
Minimum diameter rocket with a sleek, compact design. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Uses a parachute for recovery. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Flights t' 2,000 feet are possible with this kit.

Modifications:
Replaced Parachute with a Custom Streamer.

Construction:
T' kit came packaged in a plastic bag with t' usual header card. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' kit included t' body tube which doubles as t' motor mount, retention hook and sleeve, me hearties, thrust ring, me hearties, spacer tube, die-cut balsa fins, me hearties, launch lug, ya bilge rat, arrr, shock cord, matey, nose cone and insert, pre-assembled 12 inch parachute and a single name decal. Begad! Blimey! Estes is obviously goin' cheap on decals.

T' instructions were typical Estes material with great illustrations and text that was very simple t' understand and included t' shock cord mount and tube markin' guide.

Even a beginner should have no problem assemblin' this kit.

T' construction started by gluin' t' insert into t' nose cone as this cone is a two-piece

unit.

I then marked t' spacer tube at t' location shown in t' instructions t' insert t' thrust rin' into t' body tube. Aye aye! Now t' thrust rin' is glued into place.

I cut out t' guide from t' instructions and marked t' lines for t' fins and launch lug. Well, blow me down! I highly reccommend that you slightly scuff t' surface o' t' body tube with 400 grit sandpaper t' give t' glue some more "bite".

I now cut t' slot in t' body tube for insertion o' t' motor hook and then glued t' sleeve in place t' secure it. I really don't like t' way this looks.

I attached t' fins one at a time allowin' a few minutes o' dryin' time betwixt each. I then applied some fillets for added strength. Arrr! Well, blow me down! I attached t' launch lug next.

I now assembled t' shock cord mount waited for it t' dry and then attached it.

I threw t' parachute into me parts box as I had no intention o' usin' it. This kit is far too light and flies too high for a parachute. Arrr! I replaced it with a streamer that I cut out from an old plastic table cloth.

PROS: Quick and easy construction

CONS: None, me hearties, ya bilge rat, that is if you don't mind t' externally mounted motor hook and sleeve.

Finishing:
I started by sprayin' t' model with Ace brand white primer and sanded betwixt coats.

I really liked t' stock scheme but without decals, I would find it nearly impossible t' duplicate it.

I sprayed on some Testor's gloss orange for me fin stripes. Aye aye! I then masked that off and then sprayed t' body with Testor's grape pearl. I then topped off t' model with a black nose cone. Avast! I then applied t' name decal.

I then tied on me homemade streamer t' finish t' model.

PROS: Easy t' finish.

CONS: More decals would have been nice.

Construction Rating: 3

Flight:
T' recommended motors for this rocket are t' 1/2A6-2, A8-3, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, A8-5, B4-4, B6-4, B6-6, shiver me timbers, me bucko, C6-5, arrr, C6-7.

Th

is rocket does require recovery waddin' and should be carefully packed. Aye aye! T' hook holds t' motor in place durin' flight. Avast! I suppose that t' motors could also be friction fitted.

For me first flight, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I used an A8-3, WOW!!! Even with this little motor, arrr, t' rocket zipped off t' pad t' about 350-400 feet. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Nay bad for an A.

For me second flight, matey, I used another A8-3. Ahoy! Even though I had t' cut off a 1/2 inch section o' t' body tube, matey, t' rocket still flew great and probably went higher than t' first flight.

PROS: Flies great, even on small motors.

CONS: Can be hard t' track, especially if you use t' larger motors.

Recovery:
It's time t' explain why I had t' cut off a 1/2 inch section o' body tube.

On t' first launch, ya bilge rat, I heard a clink and I knew that that be nay a good sound. Ahoy! Blimey! After I recovered t' rocket, I noticed t' severe dent in t' top o' t' body tube.

On t' second flight t' rocket received another small dent. Arrr! This is another kit that suffers from a too-short shock cord.

With a streamer however, ya bilge rat, t' rocket comes down fast enough t' be recovered fairly close but slow enough t' survive. Arrr! If you build this kit, shiver me timbers, matey, please consider this option.

PROS: Recovers nicely with a streamer.

CONS: TOO SHORT SHOCK CORD!!! Come on Estes!!!

Flight Rating: 3

Summary:
I really liked this kit. Begad! However, it does suffer from some o' Estes trademarks such as a shock cord that is too short and I can't imagine what they were thinkin' when they chose a parachute for this kit. Also more decals please!

For about $7.69, this kit is worth t' loot if you lengthen t' shock cord which is what I'll do if I build another. Aye aye! Also ditch t' parachute and consider a streamer.

Also, this kit taught me t' take a picture o' your rocket before t' first flight because it might nay look t' same afterwards.

Overall Rating: 4