Brief:
New 2003 release kit from Estes that releases three streamer recovery cluster bombs at apogee. Avast, me proud beauty! It flies on 18mm B and C motors t' 475 feet. Well, blow me down! It is classified as a skill level 2 kit and rightfully so. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! This is somewhat o' a complex kit. Aye aye! Ahoy!

Construction:
I picked this kit up at me local hobby shop for $7.99, a great deal for what you get.

T' kit came packaged in an Estes trademark plastic bag with a header card showin' t' finished rocket. Aye aye! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' kit included t' BT-55 sized upper and lower body tubes, arrr, internal body tube, piston body tube, me bucko, 3 small centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, 2 large centerin' rings, nose cone, mylar retainin' ring, shiver me timbers, split centerin' ring, launch lug, wooden dowel, motor retention hook, shock cord, ya bilge rat, 2 bomb retention caps, arrr, shiver me timbers, 3 molded plastic bombs, die cut balsa fins, me bucko, centerin' rings, 3 streamers, pre-assembled 18 inch plastic parachute and decals.

T' instructions were t' typical Estes material with great illustrations and lots o' easy t' understand text. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Also included was t' shock cord mount, piston vent hole cut out guide and t' two tube markin' guides. The instructions really took all t' guesswork o' assemblin' this somewhat complex kit.

For all construction, ya bilge rat, I used Pica Gluit. Well, blow me down! This stuff works fabulous on these kits. Begad! Blimey! T' construction begins with gluin' t' two piece fins together on waxed paper. Avast! Blimey! This works great, me hearties, t' glue won't stick t' t' wax paper and you won't have glue all over your work area.

Next, me bucko, matey, you cut out t' piston vent hole markin' guide from t' instructions, cut out t' locations shown and tape it around t' piston body tube, then, ya bilge rat, me hearties, you mark t' lines onto t' piston tube. Well, blow me down! You now carefully cut out t' vent holes, do nay rush this, then you remove t' guide. You then install t' split centerin' rin' into t' piston tube with t' notch in t' middle o' t' line that you marked earlier. Ahoy! I then attached one o' t' large centerin' rings at the mark on t' tube, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, you then attach t' last large rin' on t' end o' the piston tube opposite o' t' vent holes.

T' finish t' piston, ya bilge rat, matey, you punch out t' bulkhead from t' card containing the centerin' rings and glue it t' one o' t' small centerin' rings but the bulkhead is nay installed at this time.

I now cut out t' internal tube markin' guide and marked all t' lines required. Well, blow me down! Avast! You then attach one small centerin' rin' at 1 1/4 inch from one end of t' core tube, I then attached one more rin' flush with t' end o' t' tube. After t' glue dried, I attached t' wooden dowel on t' launch lug line marked on t' tube. Well, blow me down! Begad! You now slide t' piston assembly over t' centerin' rings, matey, ya bilge rat, make sure it slides back and forth freely, you now permanently attach t' bulkhead assembly into t' top o' t' piston.

I attached t' un-notched centerin' rin' at this time and then mounted the motor retention hook and then t' mylar retention rin' t' secure it. Well, blow me down! I then attached t' last centerin' ring. Avast! You now glue t' launch lug on t' balsa standoff, shiver me timbers, me hearties, arrr, wait for t' glue t' dry, then attach it on t' launch lug line on the core tube.

T' instructions then call for t' assembly betwixt t' aft centerin' ring and t' bottom o' t' piston in t' retracted position t' be painted gloss black at this time. Arrr! I sprayed on a coat o' primer and then about three light coats o' gloss black.

You assemble t' lower body by cuttin' out t' lower tube markin' guide and markin' all t' required lines. Blimey! You now cut out t' bottom disks o' t' bomb retainin' caps. Aye aye! Begad! This took quite an effort and about two exacto knife blades. You apply a thin rin' o' plastic cement t' t' top o' t' lower body tube, slide t' retention cap from t' aft o' t' tube and mount it with its inside edges flush with t' front o' t' tube.

I now attached t' fins, one at a time t' t' lower body assembly to complete it.

T' upper body is assembled in t' same manner.

I now applied fillets t' t' fins, t' instructions also had you apply fillets t' t' launch lug/standoff assembly, I applied them before I painted the tube assembly. After all, who wants t' apply glue fillets onto paint?

I assembled t' shock cord mount, me bucko, waited for it t' dry, then mounted it into t' upper body assembly. Well, blow me down!

T' instructions now tell you t' attach t' body sections at this time but I found it a lot easier t' paint them individually and then attach them.

PROS: Nice instructions, matey, nice parts fit.

CONS: Somewhat challengin' construction, nothin' major though.

Finishing:
To finish t' rocket, I sprayed on a coat o' Ace brand white primer, sanded, then applied another coat. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I then sprayed both sections with Ace brand Navy spray enamel. Ahoy! Arrr! One thin' I've noticed about this paint is that it goes on as a light blue/green and then darkens t' navy as it dries.

I also painted t' bombs yellow, I then brushed on t' details with Testor's bottle paints. Ya scallywag! I then attached t' streamers, me hearties, one t' each bomb.

After t' navy dried, matey, shiver me timbers, I masked it off and painted t' bomb retainin' caps gloss black, I then painted t' nose cone black at this time.

I then mounted t' core assembly into t' lower body assembly. When the glue dried, ya bilge rat, I then attached t' upper assembly.

I then attached t' peel 'n' stick decals. Ahoy! I then sprayed on Ace brand Clear enamel t' protect t' decals. Begad! Blimey! I then attached t' parachute t' complete the assembly.

PROS: Easy t' paint, me hearties, if it is done t' way I did it.

CONS: Somewhat challengin' t' paint if t' instructions are followed.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors for this kit be t' B4-2, arrr, B4-4, B6-2, matey, B6-4, me hearties, C6-3, matey, C6-5. This kit is somewhat heavy for it's size.

T' rocket is prepped by slidin' t' piston assembly forward, rollin' up the streamers and insertin' t' bombs into t' lower retainin' cap. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! You then slide t' assembly down over t' bombs.

You now insert some waddin' into t' upper body tube, I used about 5 sheets. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! You then load and insert t' motor into t' mount and it is retained by the motor hook.

My first and second flights were on t' B6-4. Blimey! This gave a nice slow lift-off and boost t' about 110 feet but t' 4 second delay is too long and I thought for sure that I had a lawn dart on t' second flight. If you insist on usin' t' B motors, me bucko, use t' B4-2 or B6-2. Begad!

My third and fourth flights were on t' C6-3. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Great flights. Ahoy! Nice boost to about 300 feet opposed t' t' 475 feet on t' package. Also, arrr, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' 3 second delay is perfect. I'm sure that t' C6-5 would work also. Ahoy! I'll bet that this thing would rock on an Aerotech D.

PROS: Nice and fun flyer.

CONS: Don't use t' 4 second delay motors.

Recovery:
At apogee or whenever t' ejection charge fires, it pushes t' upper assembly forward releasin' t' bombs and deployin' t' parachute from t' upper body tube. This appeared t' work ok but make sure your assembly slides freely every time or you'll have a lawn dart at some point. Begad! Avast!

T' 18 inch parachute be t' right size for this rocket and brought the rocket down landin' unharmed every time. Begad! Arrr! However, t' shock cord is too short. I noticed some rebound damage. Aye aye! Also, shiver me timbers, matey, I noticed some paint blisterin' from the vent holes but it has nay progressed so I'm nay sure what happened there.

Just remember that t' ejection charge has t' perform two jobs and it has to do them both at t' same time t' insure a safe recovery.

PROS: Correct parachute size, bombs are fun t' watch.

CONS: Shock cord length. Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
I really liked this rocket. Arrr! It was really enjoyable t' build but I only recommend this kit if you've built a few kits already. Blimey! A newcomer could run into trouble easily with this one.

For about $7.99, this rocket be a great deal and I'll build another if anythin' happens t' this one but I'll definitely lengthen t' shock cord and possibly add some epoxy where t' piston vent holes surround t' body tube to hopefully prevent blisterin' and possibly eventual blow through.

Also, ya bilge rat, t' bombs are great t' watch but brin' spotters. Ya scallywag! If you enjoyed this review and have built a few kits, go t' your hobby shop or craft store and pick it up. Who knows how long this kit will be available before Estes decides to "pull t' plug" on it.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5