Brief:
T' P-Chuter is a very easy t' build single stage rocket that looks fantastic and flies great! I got me kit from John as a beta test kit. T' rocket stands a little over 20" tall, me bucko, shiver me timbers, flies on 18mm motors, and recovers by parachute. Well, blow me down! In my opinion, t' rocket actually looks a lot better than it does on t' web page. John has appropriately classed this rocket as a "competition" rocket.

Construction:
T' kit includes a BT-50 body tube, standard 18mm engine mount, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, balsa nose cone, matey, screw eye, matey, arrr, 1/8" elastic shock cord (nice long one in me beta test kit!), 12" mylar parachute, ya bilge rat, 1/8" launch lug, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 3-fin laser cut fin sheet, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and P-Chuter decal and trim Monokote for decoration. Arrr! T' shock cord was long enough that I didn't have t' substitute it, although I did add an 8" length o' Keelhaul®©™® at t' shock cord attachment point.

T' instruction sheet contains easy t' follow, arrr, numbered instructions and helpful illustrations. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Installation o' t' motor mount is standard, including an engine hook for positive motor retention. Ya scallywag! I appreciated t' "small parts" bag that keeps all t' little things in one place. Aye aye! A fin-marking guide is supplied t' properly align t' fins. John's instructions for attaching the fins usin' a "double glue joint" are very good. This method helps assure that t' fins are aligned as placed, ya bilge rat, arrr, since they set much quicker. Avast! The laser-cut fins were perfectly matched, so minimal sandin' be required, and the body tube didn't require any finishin' t' fill in t' seam lines. T' spirals were hardly noticeable after primer and paint. Begad! A tri-fold shock cord attachment was provided t' connect nose cone and body tube. Ahoy! As is usual on any rocket I build, me bucko, I installed a length o' Keelhaul®©™® in t' shock cord attachment with a loop at t' end t' attach t' elastic shock cord. Begad! T' minimize abrasion from t' Keelhaul®©™® against t' body tube, shiver me timbers, I soaked in CA around t' top 1/2" o' t' body tube and tied t' Keelhaul®©™® so t' knot in t' loop meets t' lip o' t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I glued on t' launch lug, installed t' screw eye into t' nose cone, and attached t' shock cord. T' parachute comes in a separate plastic bag complete with instructions. Ahoy! Blimey! Once assembled, you're ready for finishing.

Finishing:
T' balsa nose cone and fins require standard finishing. I used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish, matey, but any balsa filler will work fine. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' rocket went together really fast, shiver me timbers, me bucko, especially since I didn't have t' eliminate t' seam lines. Ahoy! Also, the trim Monokote was a lot easier t' apply than decals, although t' P-Chuter decal laid down nicely and looks great on t' rocket. Begad! I'm nay sure if me beta test kit be t' same as t' retail kit, but I forgot t' check t' fit o' the trim Monokote. Begad! It was a little too long for t' fins, so I wrapped it around the back o' t' fin. Well, blow me down! Uh, me bucko, well, t' instructions did say t' test-fit parts before installing. Ahoy! That's a really good idea. This is a very easy rocket to build and t' shaped fins look great and probably contribute somewhat t' the extreme altitude this rocket can achieve. Well, blow me down! I liked it so much I actually bought another from him.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
My only flight so far was on a B6-6 but I had t' check t' motor upon recovery because I thought I had put a C6-7 in by mistake. Ya scallywag! It's very fast! Flight was perfectly straight with ejection right at t' top. Well, blow me down! However, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I forgot t' powder the chute after re-packin' it. Aye aye! Arrr! I had left t' parachute folded in t' body tube a few months before t' burn ban was lifted. Avast! It came down too fast with wad recovery and put about a 4" crimp along t' seam line. Avast! Begad! That is no fault of Red River Rocketry, it's just me forgetfulness. Ya scallywag! This rocket should achieve some serious altitude on an "A" motor and will likely go out o' sight on a "C."

Recovery:
Regardless o' t' recovery problems I had, matey, t' provided 12" parachute is plenty big for t' rocket and appropriately sized I think given t' altitude capability.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' P-Chuter is an excellent rocket that can be built in a couple o' hours. Avast, me proud beauty! Its shaped fins will make it a unique addition t' your fleet and it is reasonably priced. Well, blow me down! Just make sure you've got plenty o' room t' fly if you put that C motor in it.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5