Brief:
This is a new Estes Kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It is a single stage kit and recovery is by parachute and also a white streamer meant t' look like toilet paper. Begad! Blimey! (I don't make this stuff up...)

Construction:
T' body itself is styrofoam and comes in two sections. T' roof o' t' rocket is made o' hard plastic. It also has four clear plastic fins that attach t' the bottom o' t' kit in order t' make it stable for flight. Avast! Arrr! Clay nose cone weight is also provided. Blimey!

T' build only takes about an hour or so. T' instructions were typical Estes high quality with one potential "gotcha". Arrr! Blimey! T' kit comes with two heat shields, me hearties, one for t' roof and one for t' bottom o' t' model. Begad! In the instructions you are told t' attach t' top and bottom heat shields before the fins are attached. Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey! If you do this on t' bottom o' t' kit, me hearties, me hearties, me bucko, you would have to cut through t' shield t' insert t' fins easily in me opinion. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! It's best to attach t' bottom shield before gluin' t' fins in.

Finishing:
A PRO regardin' finishin' would be that it's fairly straightforward.

CONs are as mentioned above that t' heat shield attachment needin' t' be done before fin placement. Also paintin' is a potential issue. Ahoy! T' kit tells you only t' use styrofoam safe paint on t' body, which I couldn't find, arrr, so I actually used Testor's model paint on t' body. I used regular white spray paint for t' roof and t' fins I left clear.

I mixed Testor's blue and white paint t' come close t' t' package paint scheme and I think I nailed it pretty good. Blimey! I painted three coats on and it really looks great. I normally don't like t' use brush on paint on models because I can never get t' finish right, however, shiver me timbers, on t' styrofoam, arrr, it went on without a brush mark. Decals are stick on, nay water slide, me hearties, and they worked great for this kit.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Prep is fairly easy, aside from havin' t' cram t' 12 inch chute into t' small tube inside t' body o' t' rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! There just isn't much space t' put the chute into along with a couple sheets o' recovery wadding. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! T' chute basically sits right on top o' t' engine and it's a very tight fit.

There be a prevailin' wind o' 18-20 miles per hour. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! We were right near the coast in Rhode Island and I was nay crazy about launchin' t' rocket under those conditions, arrr, but me son had his heart set on seein' it fly. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I decided to forgo t' recommended B6-2 engine and move t' a C. I didn't have any C6-3s with me so it be flown on a C6-5.

T' rocket flew fairly straight under t' circumstances. It didn't fly very high though, maybe 150 feet or so. Avast, me proud beauty! It really had t' fight for altitude being shaped like an outhouse, ya bilge rat, along with battlin' t' heavy wind comin' off o' the ocean. Ya scallywag! T' 5 second delay be too long. I suspect on a day without wind that a C6-3 would be a great flight. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Ejection on this flight was only about 60 feet above ground and since t' chute is so tightly compressed into t' compartment, it didn't open in time. Blimey! Begad! It acted like a streamer and t' rocket came down too quickly. Begad! Ya scallywag! However, since we launched in a avast field thar be no damage. Avast! If it had been a regular field or pavement, matey, t' clear fins would have snapped for sure and probably t' foam body would have been damaged.

Recovery:
Amazingly, me bucko, t' chute itself was nay burned even though it sat right on top of the engine. Arrr! It looked great post-flight. There was some slight scorchin' t' the underside heat shield that prevents t' foam body from bein' burned during takeoff, however, t' rocket itself is in excellent shape. I am lookin' forward to launchin' this rocket in a no winds from a regular field usin' a C6-3. Ya scallywag! I will nay be usin' a B engine on this rocket since it just doesn't fly that high. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! T' chute needs time t' unfold and grab air and I doubt a B engine will give it that time. Ahoy! Ahoy! Either way, shiver me timbers, I am nay goin' t' chance it. Arrr! Arrr! This is a great lookin' conversation piece rocket that actual flies and it's nay goin' t' get away from anyone on a C6-3 engine.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I really like t' kit because it is unique and a real conversation piece, shiver me timbers, at least with people who have a good sense o' humor. Ahoy! Also, t' sayin' on t' front of t' package "Fly t' crap out o' it" gave me a good laugh also.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5