Brief:

Oversized basic rocket, 24" parachute

Construction:
Three balsa fins, slots in t' aft body tube section t' help align them, arrr, 36 inches o' tube and a plastic nose cone. Well, blow me down! Uses t' standard paper shock cord mount.

This was me first BETA series rocket, shiver me timbers, and everythin' went together pretty easily. T' only tools needed are white or yellow glue, sandpaper, a pencil, me hearties, and a ruler. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' two tube couplers are supposed t' go in with 3/4 inch in each tube. Aye aye! T' rearward one, however, stuck in t' aft tube with only 1/4 o' an inch showing. Blimey! Begad! I need t' be a little more careful with those things. Ahoy! I also had a little trouble drawin' t' alignment line for t' launch lugs. Otherwise, me hearties, matey, t' directions were clear and easy t' follow.

Finishing:
T' rocket is a simple introduction t' spray painting, me hearties, arrr, with only one color over t' whole thing. Aye aye! It is in this section that t' Prowler's one gimmick shows up -- t' decals glow in t' dark. Avast, me proud beauty! For me first attempt t' spray paint a rocket, arrr, t' finish was excellent. T' stylin' is better than on a lot o' other Estes kits.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' motors recommended in t' instructions are B4-2, shiver me timbers, B6-2, C5-3, and C6-3. I didn't have a C5-3, ya bilge rat, but I substituted a C6-5. Begad! Liftoff is loud and slow, me bucko, matey, as is t' be expected for a 4-ounce rocket with C power. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Estes quote o' 360 feet on a C seems about right.

Recovery:
T' shock cord is attached with t' standard folded-paper mount. Ahoy! It seems rugged enough, but recovery might be easier with t' Estes logo cut out o' t' middle o' t' parachute. Ejection on t' B's, particularly t' B6-2, was noticeably early. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I was thinkin' o' tryin' it on a B6-4. Avast! Ya scallywag! T' C6-3 was about right; t' 5 be so late that it might nay have worked if we weren't launchin' down a hill. A few tiny holes appeared in t' parachute, matey, me hearties, but I saw no shock cord damage.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
A great demonstration rocket, me bucko, big, me bucko, spectacular, me hearties, and low-flying. Blimey! No problem except that t' parachute needs a spill hole, and occasionally smoke was seen comin' from t' grass below t' pad. Ya scallywag! This is goin' t' be a frequent flyer!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5