Brief:
T' Stinger is an easy t' build, me hearties, matey, entry level rocket that actually requires some simple building. Ya scallywag! T' design is simple, as are construction, prep, arrr, me bucko, flight, arrr, and recovery. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' result is a nice lookin' but simple rocket that performs well.

Construction:
T' package be beautiful as is t' be expected from Squirrel Works. Avast! Aye aye! When opened, me bucko, all components were present and consisted o' t' following:

• Balsa Nose Cone
• Engine Mount Tube
• 1/8" Launch Lug
• Elastic Shock Cord
• Engine Hook
• Streamer
• Engine Block
• Screw Eye
• 2 Adapter Rings (Engine Tube t' Body Tube)
• Body Tube
• Balsa Fin Sheet
• Tape Strip
• Decal Sheet
• Instruction Sheet

All components seemed t' be o' good quality, arrr, but thar was no Keelhaul®©™®. I have learned from bitter experience now that if I do nay add any, t' life o' t' rocket will be short.

T' instructions were printed on both sides o' a single, me hearties, legal sized sheet and presented in tri-fold fashion. They were easy t' follow and adequately illustrated.

Construction began with t' buildin' o' t' motor mount. Ahoy! Blimey! An engine block is glued into one end. Avast, me proud beauty! T' provided engine block be a very loose fit. Begad! I gave it a few extra applications o' glue t' make sure it stays put. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! After gluing in t' engine block, a slit was made t' accommodate t' engine hook. Well, blow me down! It is held in place with a piece o' maskin' take and t' adapter rings are glued in place one half inch from either end. Blimey! Blimey! In contrast t' t' engine block which was very loose, t' adapter rings were very tight and needed significant sandin' t' fit around t' engine tube. Ahoy! At this stage, I tied a 14" length o' Keelhaul®©™® around t' engine tube and threaded it through one o' t' adapter tubes. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' entire engine assembly is then glued in place in t' body tube in t' standard fashion.

T' fins were easily removed from t' laser cut balsa sheet and t' quality o' t' laser cuttin' was first rate. T' instructions said t' round t' leadin' and trailin' edges but indicated that that t' outer edges should be left square. Avast, me proud beauty! I guess that fits well with t' visual design o' this rocket. T' first 2 fins sanded easily but t' third one snapped as I be tryin' t' round t' leadin' edge. Blimey! Arrr! I repaired t' damaged with some CA and t' result was visually indistinguishable from t' other two.

T' instruction provide a wraparound markin' guide for t' fins. Blimey! I did nay use it. Instead, I used an Art Rose jig which defaults t' a 3FNC configuration. Begad! So it was then that I popped t' body onto t' jig and then proceeded to affix t' fins with CA. Well, blow me down! After a few minutes, arrr, I filleted t' joints with carpenter's glue and affixed t' launch lug.

T' remainin' assembly steps were short. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I screwed an eye into t' balsa nose cone, ya bilge rat, tied t' provided elastic shock cord t' me previously installed Keelhaul®©™® and tied t' elastic t' t' nose cone. Ahoy! Ahoy! I prefer t' put t' recovery device (mylar streamer) in place when at t' field ready t' fly.

PROs: Good instructions. Arrr! Logical construction order.

CONs: Very loose engine block. Well, blow me down! Very tight adapter rings. Aye aye! No Keelhaul®©™®.

Finishing:
Preppin' t' Stinger for finishin' was easy. Begad! Blimey! A single coat o' Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish did t' trick for both t' nose cone and t' fins. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' spirals on t' body tube were tight enough that I didn't bother with them. Ahoy! Blimey! A coat o' white Krylon spray paint was used as a primer and then t' entire rocket was sprayed yellow. Begad! Blimey! I applied 2 coats o' t' yellow and then masked t' upper body above t' launch lug and t' fin opposite t' launch lug for paintin' black. Two coats of black were applied and t' maskin' be removed. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! I be disappointed. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! I knew it was a simple scheme but this just didn't look very good t' me. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! It was too plain. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! That changed with t' addition o' t' decals.

Each side o' t' yellow fin got a decal o' a bee. Well, blow me down! That helped a little bit but it was t' rin' decal that really made all t' difference t' me. Aye aye! T' rin' decal consists o' several parallel black lines o' diminishin' thickness that wrap around t' body tube circumferentially. They blend well with t' black body below and make t' model look sharp. All that be left was t' apply t' decal sayin' "Stinger" on t' upper body. Avast, me proud beauty! This simple rocket was now lookin' good and needed only some clear coat t' complete it.

PROs: Very simple. Looks Good with simple paint scheme.

CONs: none.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Recommended Motors: 1/2A6-2, shiver me timbers, matey, A6-4, A8-5, arrr, ya bilge rat, B6-6, C6-7

I started off small with an Estes 1/2A6-2. Begad! Blimey! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' motor was a little snug but thar were no real problems. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! In place of wadding, me bucko, I used some dog barf and inserted t' rolled up streamer. Blimey! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I set t' rocket on t' pad, hooked her up and fired her off.

As t' be expected, shiver me timbers, I achieved no phenomenal altitude with a 1/2A, but t' rocket boost straight. Aye aye! Ejection took place at apogee and t' rocket started down under t' streamer. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Everythin' looked fine until I realized that it was goin' t' land on t' hood o' me Excursion. Arrr! It bounced nicely and t' snappin' o' t' fins really helps t' absorb the energy o' impact. Aye aye! Needless t' say, ya bilge rat, arrr, shiver me timbers, that be t' last flight for this rocket on this day but it will fly again.

Recovery:
T' automobile collision avoidance radar did nay work properly. Begad! Ahoy! Other than that, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, everythin' seemed t' work fine.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Easy, me hearties, sporty, matey, and good looking.

CONs: Does nay handle impacts with large SUVs well.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5