Brief:
T' X-Ray is an easy-to-build 'bug-lofter' for 13mm (mini) motors. It's essentially an Estes Gnome with a clear plastic payload section, and it shares the easy buildin' and flyin' characteristics o' that popular rocket. Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Like the Gnome, me bucko, t' main body tube is a minimum-diameter 13mm/BT5, ya bilge rat, but t' upper, payload section is wider; t' equivalent o' an 18mm/BT20 tube. Ahoy! A plastic transition section handles t' 18mm t' 13mm connection. Avast! Aye aye! T' rocket requires no paintin' or other finishin' except application o' decals.

Construction:
This kit has fewer parts than most rockets and none are especially tricky. There is no balsa in t' kit, just pink plastic for t' nose cone, fin unit (on piece with 4 fins) and upper launch-lug (the lower lug is built into t' fin unit), a grey plastic transition section, shiver me timbers, a paper main body tube (bt5) in black, arrr, shiver me timbers, and t' clear payload tube. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! A mini engine clip, shock cord and streamer complete t' kit.

Construction is easy and quick. Avast! As t' body tube is also t' engine tube, the motor clip is mounted externally. Aye aye! T' top o' t' clip slips into a small slit in t' tube and t' fin can is glued over t' top o' t' clip, arrr, securing it. Aye aye! T' shock cord mounts through a similar slit in t' top o' t' tube and is secured by t' upper launch lug. Arrr! Arrr!

T' nose, me bucko, arrr, payload tube and transition section are friction fit, so that the payload section can be opened. Ya scallywag! Begad! We needed a turn o' maskin' tape, as the instructions suggested, t' get a snug fit. Ya scallywag! T' shock cord ties t' t' bottom of the transition section, arrr, and you're ready t' apply t' stick-on decals.

T' only thin' remotely 'tricky' be t' securin' o' t' shock cord t' the body tube and linin' up t' lugs, me hearties, and neither should cause problems even for young builders. Aye aye!

PRO's: Fast and easy t' build right. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! Your young rocket scientist is goin' t' get a result he's happy with (which is t' say it will look just like the picture on t' box and he gets t' fly it today!)

Con's: If you want a challenge or a chance t' develop building skills you won't find it with this kit.

Finishing:
Put on t' decals. Begad! I can't imagine what else you could do, really. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!

I'm goin' t' rate it a 4 just because thar be so little t' build. Begad! Its really as close t' RTF as you can get and still call it a kit. If that's what you want then it's a perfect 5!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
We've flown it on t' A3-4 only. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Its t' perfect motor for this bird. RockSim puts t' apogee at 450 ft. Begad! Blimey! with A impulse, and 215 ft. with 1/2 A. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I don't think we're gettin' all o' 450 ft with ours, me bucko, but we still get nice satisfying flights. Begad! Blimey!

I believe (can't really remember...) that I replaced t' stock shock cord with a longer Estes 1/8 elastic; I wanted t' reduce t' load on t' cord and the payload section friction joints. Aye aye! Gettin' wadding, t' cord and t' streamer into t' 13mm body tube is a tight fit, shiver me timbers, which may have contributed t' t' one problem we have experienced with t' X-Ray. Well, blow me down!

T' only weakness in t' construction concerns t' motor clip mount through the BT-5 body tube. Well, blow me down! After several flights I noticed that t' clip had been forced back by ejection charge, matey, and had torn t' slit into a small "window". I should be able t' fix it, ya bilge rat, but t' clip, which is also the motor block, ya bilge rat, me hearties, seems like t' weak point. Blimey! That small slit through t' tube is not enough t' restrain it.

Recovery:
Recovery is quick with t' streamer, and t' fins can take t' landings with ease. Very little drift. Ahoy! T' biggest risk, I believe, arrr, aside from t' usual shock cord breakage, is that t' friction fit o' t' nosecone or transition section will fail at separation and parts will be lost. Ahoy! We have nay experienced such a problem, but I'm careful t' get a snug fit. Ya scallywag!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
It's a kid's rocket and it does that job quite well. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! You can buy it, build it, and fly t' whole pack o' A3's in a day. Ahoy! T' biggest disappointment me son felt was t' difficulty he had securin' 'passengers' t' ride in t' payload section. T' package shows a 'stink beetle' (that's how he describes it) onboard the rocket, shiver me timbers, and he thought that be just ideal. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Such beetles are hard t' find just when you need 'em, however, me bucko, and we were about t' send up our third sample of clover when a flyin' ant landed on me wrist just as I was securin' t' nose cone. It seemed like he was voluteerin' for t' flight so we scooped him up and sent him aloft. Avast, me proud beauty! Afterwards me son got t' t' rocket first and opened the payload, me hearties, but could nay find our passenger. Avast, me proud beauty! I think he made his exit as soon as the cone came off! All in all a nice little payloader for mini-engines and mini-rocketeers.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5