Brief:
T' Gamma-Ray is a small sport rocket with a translucent red payload section.

Construction:
T' Gamma-Ray is packaged in t' standard clear plastic bag with a nice kit card with a color photograph o' t' completed rocket. Arrr! All o' t' parts were in t' kit and were in good shape. T' kit includes a motor mount tube, motor retainer clip, shiver me timbers, body tube that is slightly larger than t' motor mount tube, plastic payload section, plastic adaptor, arrr, matey, ya bilge rat, plastic nose cone, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, matey, fin material, parachute, arrr, arrr, shock cord, ya bilge rat, arrr, ya bilge rat, and self-adhesive decal sheet.

T' instructions are printed on a sheet o' 11 x 17 inch paper that is folded in half and a single sheet o' 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper for t' launch instructions. Arrr! Begad! T' instructions are in a logical order and have an illustration with each step. Well, blow me down! Arrr! There is a wrap around fin location template and a scale printed on t' instructions.

T' build o' t' model is straight forward. You start with t' assembly o' t' motor mount and fins, followed by t' assembly o' t' payload section. Arrr! Care should be taken in t' alignment o' t' launch lug and t' placement o' t' engine hook betwixt t' fins. Ya scallywag! T' payload adaptor, which is made o' plastic, has a couple o' shortcomings. Blimey! Ya scallywag! First t' shoulders are very short, which does nay make it easy t' have t' payload section remain straight in t' body tube. Arrr! T' second item is that thar be a hole in t' adaptor that will allow t' ejection gasses t' pass into t' payload section. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! I fixed this issue by epoxyin' a small piece o' balsa wood into t' bottom o' t' adaptor t' eliminate this issue. Begad! There are no special tools need in t' construction o' this rocket.

Finishing:
T' instructions direct you t' finish t' booster section before you attach t' payload section. Arrr! This is logical since t' payload section is completely plastic and does nay require painting. Avast, me proud beauty! After t' booster section is painted, ya bilge rat, decals are applied, me hearties, matey, and a clear coat t' cover t' whole thing, matey, t' payload section be attached, completin' t' assembly o' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! I painted me rocket with Krylon red, which closely matches t' cover art o' t' model. T' result was a sharp lookin' rocket.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors for this rocket are t' Quest A6-4, B6-4, matey, and C6-5. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! T' preparation o' t' rocket is easy with t' motor clip, install t' motor, matey, ya bilge rat, wadding, and parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! I also taped t' nose cone t' t' payload section and taped t' payload section t' t' adaptor t' make sure that all o' t' pieces would come back together. T' shock cord be t' typical Keelhaul®©™®/elastic Quest design that I have found t' work very well. Begad! Blimey! T' parachute is a 12 inch plastic hexagon with t' new shroud line reinforcements that are similar t' 3 rin' binder hole reinforcers. Begad! Blimey! They are much better than t' older style large plastic "grippers" that were previously issued with t' Quest kits. Begad! Blimey! These new smaller reinforcers allow t' parachute t' be packed more easily into t' small body tube.

T' first flight was on an Estes A8-3. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! T' flight was about as perfect as you can get. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! Ejection was close t' apogee and t' descent rate with t' supplied parachute was just about perfect. Ya scallywag! Blimey! If a payload were t' be used with this rocket, shiver me timbers, a shorter delay and a larger parachute should be used.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall this is a great little rocket. T' retail price o' this rocket is $8.50 which is a good value in itself, shiver me timbers, however, ya bilge rat, I bought this one at one o' t' famous Hobby Lobby half price sales, so it cost me only $4.25--an excellent value. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I would like t' see a longer shoulder and a solid bulkhead in t' payload adaptor, shiver me timbers, however with care this should nay be a major issue.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5