Brief:
T' Black Diamond is a renamed Estes Vikin' rocket that is packaged along with t' "Launchables" (1452) Starter set. Aye aye! Blimey! T' set also includes an E2X (easy t' build) rocket called t' Astron Outlaw, so that beginners can learn t' basics before buildin' t' Black Diamond.

T' Black Diamond offers multiple fin configurations by providin' five fins cut with dies on cardstock. They can be attached usin' any o' t' four sides as t' root edge and can also be faced upwards or downwards t' provide any look that t' builder might want.

Construction:
Parts list:

• 1 Body Tube BT-20
• 1 Nose Cone PNC-20
• 1 Launch Lug (1/8" dia., ya bilge rat, 2 3/8" length)
• 1 Nose Cone Insert
• 1 Shock Cord (1/8" x 12")
• 1 Engine Block
• 1 Streamer

T' instructions in typical Estes fashion, are easy t' follow and come well illustrated. Begad! T' assembly order seems t' finally have been corrected by Estes, shiver me timbers, statin' that t' rocket should be painted before t' streamer and shock cord are attached. Older Estes instructions reverse this order, matey, ya bilge rat, which makes no sense since oftentimes nose cones are painted different colors than t' body. Avast! Blimey! They even include pictures o' several fin configurations t' give you an idea.

T' assembly caused me no problems. Blimey! T' build was simple enough. Ahoy! Blimey! This is a great choice for Estes t' include in a Starter Set. Begad! Blimey! My only complaint would be t' cardstock fins. Avast! Estes recommends sandin' them t' get rid o' t' little tabs that hold them onto t' cardstock sheet, but I have found in t' past that this causes t' edges o' t' fins t' "spread out" wider than t' rest o' t' fin due t' t' layered paper that is used in their construction. Avast! Sandin' them proved t' be difficult (as they are nay balsa wood), so in t' end I ignored t' tabs on t' fins and moved on.

Finishing:
T' finishin' o' this rocket is simple. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Spray a coat o' primer or two, sand betwixt coats, me bucko, and paint t' rocket with whatever color spray paint you choose. Avast! Begad! I would suggest t' primer, me hearties, arrr, as sprayin' it on and sandin' it helps t' fill in t' tube spirals. Well, blow me down! Stickers are included, me hearties, I painted it black and used t' "BLACK DIAMOND" decal. Arrr! Ahoy! T' fin decals (red outlines o' diamonds) look great as well, but I could nay put them on because they are so flimsy that they broke when peelin' off o' t' sheet. Aye aye! There are many ways t' paint this rocket, and it came out great for me.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Recommended engines: 1/2A6-2, A8-3, shiver me timbers, A8-5, ya bilge rat, arrr, B4-4, arrr, B6-4, B6-6, me hearties, C6-5, C6-7

Preparation: Insert t' 2-3 sheets o' wadding. Fold t' streamer in half and roll it, matey, me hearties, put it inside t' tube and replace t' nose cone. T' engines need t' be friction fit into t' body tube, which be t' major downside o' this rocket. Ya scallywag! With four or five fins right on t' back o' t' rocket, it is easy t' break a fin tryin' t' remove t' friction fit engine, so don't put it in too tight. Aye aye! You may also want t' choose a fin configuration in which t' fins face upward as t' avoid breakin' them off when removin' t' tight engine.

1st flight: I first sent t' rocket up on an A8-3 t' make sure it be capable o' flight. Blimey! T' rocket flew very straight, then t' streamer ejected close t' apogee. Even with a low powered engine, shiver me timbers, this rocket soars. Ahoy! Begad! I fly on small fields, so A8-3s and similar lower powered engines have proved perfect for this rocket. T' streamer worked flawlessly and thar was no damage t' t' rocket after recovery.

2nd flight: I sent t' rocket up again on a B4-4. Avast! This flight be significantly higher and still went fairly straight. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Ejection timin' was good, as t' rocket was still movin' upward but was beginnin' t' slow down. Avast! Aye aye! T' rocket landed unharmed, but I had trouble removin' t' friction fit engine and ended up breakin' off a few fins. Blimey! Blimey! No big deal. Aye aye! I glued them back on and touched up t' paint and t' rocket was fine.

3rd flight: Another B4-4 flight. Begad! Aye aye! Flight was again straight and impressively high. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' streamer got a little burned and melted onto itself, causin' it t' nay unfold. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' light weight o' t' rocket prevented any damage as it fell.

Recovery:
T' shock cord mount is very unimpressive. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Estes has you cut out a piece o' paper from t' directions and glue t' shock cord inside it as you fold it up then glue this into t' body tube. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! T' cord is about t' length o' t' rocket and seems t' be adequate for such a small rocket. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' streamer is a good size and easy t' fit inside o' t' rocket. Arrr! T' light weight o' this rocket makes it hard t' damage, ya bilge rat, although t' fins break off easily while transportin' and removin' t' friction fit engines.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great rocket t' include in t' starter set. Arrr! Also included are a launch pad, launch controller, ya bilge rat, t' Astron Outlaw (E2X) kit (which is easier t' build so build it first) and a couple o' engines t' get started on. Blimey! I bought this because I needed a new launch pad and it be much cheaper than buyin' a launch pad and controller separately.

T' Black Diamond is a great build for a beginner or experienced rocketeer lookin' for a small, fun rocket t' fly. Arrr! Begad! It flies straight and very high even on low powered engines, so don't expect t' find it if you launch it on a C6-7. Arrr! I would advise stickin' t' t' lower power motors. T' minor problems such as friction fittin' engines are overcome with practice. (I now use very minimal amounts o' maskin' tape t' secure t' engine.) I remedied t' fins breakin' by usin' a different type o' glue (Cyano Acrylate, or CA, commonly sold as Super Glue) and by scorin' t' body tube and bottoms o' t' fins with a hobby knife before gluin' them.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5