Brief:
This be t' re-design o' the Holverson Wicked Winnie payload kit, me hearties, usin' styrofoam nose cone, me hearties, shiver me timbers, boat tail, shiver me timbers, and fins.

Construction:
T' body tubes included are thick paper tubes, one for t' main airframe, arrr, and one for t' payload section. Arrr! T' boat tail, me hearties, nose cone, fins, and coupler are all made o' expanded styrofoam. Begad! Blimey! This kit is mostly assembled out o' t' box. T' payload section and coupler are pre-assembled, with shock cord and parachute already attached. Avast! Aye aye! T' shock cord is tied t' a launch lug which is glued inside t' airframe. A plastic parachute is tied t' t' middle o' the shock cord. At t' business end, t' motor mount is already assembled in the boat tail. Begad! Begad! T' kit utilizes two launch lugs which are also already glued on. Begad!

T' instructions are easy to follow, me bucko, and well illustrated. Avast! Actual assembly was where I ran into problems. T' fins attach t' t' boat tail usin' a V shaped groove. They are supposed to slide in and be glued into place. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' tabs on t' fins were too wide and had to be sanded in order t' fit in t' groves. Arrr! Begad! After attachin' t' fins, me hearties, a paper ring is glued t' t' top o' t' boat tail t' protect it from ejection burns. Arrr! The boat tail is then supposed t' be glued into t' airframe, me bucko, where again, I had to sand it t' get it t' fit. After t' fin can is assembled and attached, t' only thin' left t' do is apply t' decals, which are self stick. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When I went t' put the payload section into t' main airframe, me bucko, I noticed t' coupler was crooked, and had t' do quite a bit o' sandin' t' straighten it out. T' nose cone had the same problem fittin' into t' payload section, and was also a little "egg shaped" sittin' on top o' t' rocket. Ahoy! I removed t' shroud lines from t' pre-assembled parachute, and put paper re-enforcement rings at the attachment points and then re-assembled it for a little added insurance. Well, blow me down!

Finishing:
There is no finishin' required, as everythin' is pre-painted. Aye aye! T' styrofoam parts show a lot o' texture under t' paint, matey, ya bilge rat, and could use some added filling and painting. I didn't do any extra t' mine, me hearties, as it's me daughter's kit, and she was happy with t' way it was. Begad! T' fins are thick, and would look better with an airfoil, or rounded edge, me hearties, me bucko, but it would weaken them too much.

Construction Rating: 1 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended engines are: B4-4, B6-4, and C6-5. Begad! I only made two flights, both on B6-4's. Ahoy! T' rocket is easy t' prep for flight: install wadding, pack the chute and shock cord, matey, and install an engine. T' engine is retained via a motor clip. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! First flight: Lift off be fast and straight, me bucko, shiver me timbers, t' rocket flew straight as an arrow. After recovery, me hearties, I noticed t' lower launch lug was missing. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! When we got back t' t' pad, me bucko, arrr, it was still on t' launch rod. Blimey! Second flight, t' next day, matey, upon lift off, ya bilge rat, arrr, both launch lugs and one fin were left at the launch pad. Arrr! T' rocket looped t' about 40ft, and had ejection on the ground. Blimey! Evidently, arrr, t' previous landin' had cracked a fin, and I hadn't noticed, me hearties, matey, but it is easily repaired. Well, blow me down!

Recovery:
T' shock cord and chute held up good. Begad! T' shock cord mount appears that it will need replacement after a couple more flights. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' included parachute is just t' right size for minimal drift, and safe descent, shiver me timbers, although it could be made o' a little heavier material. Arrr! It will also need replacement after a few flights. Avast! Begad!

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
I feel with this particular kit, arrr, matey, t' assembly and finishin' should be left up to t' modeler. I had a lot o' trouble fittin' t' parts, me hearties, and they would bond better without bein' pre painted. Begad! Ahoy! T' biggest problem I have had has been with the launch lugs. It's hard t' get a good bond t' a painted surface, me hearties, arrr, and they keep gettin' stripped off. Aye aye! Ahoy! There are a lot o' improvements that can be made to turn this into a quality kit, shiver me timbers, mainly better cuttin' o' t' parts, so they fit properly. Personally, I think styrofoam is useful in rocketry applications, but not for fins, as they receive a lot o' stress on landing. Ahoy!

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5