Brief:
T' Patriot is Quasar kit that's transitional. Well, blow me down! Avast! It has a high power body tube and nose cone but clusters three 24mm motors and has surface mount balsa fins. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I got t' kit from Apogee and they say it's one o' their best-sellin' Quasar products. Ahoy! It's a great lookin' kit.

Construction:
Parts: a 34" full length high-power body tube, me bucko, plastic nose cone, ya bilge rat, steel eye bolt, me bucko, me bucko, pre-cut balsa fins, me hearties, me bucko, thick illustration board style centerin' rings, 24mm clustered motor mount with steel clips, me bucko, and engine blocks. Begad! Self-adhesive decals: six sheets o' full-color decals. Aye aye! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Quasar uses thick plastic for their parachutes and include a swivel, t' shock cord is elastic, ya bilge rat, and they include reinforcement rings.

It arrived in a huge hang tag bag. T' first thin' t' build be t' motor mount. I scraped off some o' t' foil inside t' end o' t' tube t' glue t' thrust rings. Blimey! T' cluster centerin' rings on Quasars build without a hitch, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and other manufacturers could take lessons. No sanding, no loose parts, arrr, just a perfect fit.

T' surface mount balsa fins glue on easily. Blimey! EMRR fin tip #29: It's like makin' a slot only you lightly cut the top body tube layer, me bucko, then peel off that first layer. Begad! I prepared them for paint with one coat o' thinned Elmer's Wood Filler.

Finishing:
Two coats o' high-build automotive primer, sanded, shiver me timbers, me hearties, then used catalyzed automotive urethane for t' overall white. Then lightly sanded and added t' red rattle-can enamel Krylon t' t' fin can. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Paintin' enamel over smooth automotive paint results in a smoother, arrr, glossier enamel. Blimey! Blimey!

This kit comes with six sheets o' self-adhesive decals. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! They are good quality and give the finished kit a wonderful scale look. Avast, me proud beauty! Cons: instructions are nay quite at t' level o' t' best kit makers.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight on three C-11s was perfect. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Apogee's motor chart predicts 294 feet and that seems about right. Avast! T' steel clips make prep a snap. Blimey! Arrr! For a school demo on t' football field, you can't beat it. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' three motors create a lot of smoke and fire. Ya scallywag! Well, arrr, blow me down! I can't wait t' fly this on 3 F12 Blackjacks. Avast! It should be spectacular. Avast, me proud beauty! No cons.

Recovery:
T' parachute is plastic but thicker than typical low-power parachutes. Aye aye! It should last longer, me hearties, ya bilge rat, but it's also heavier. T' shock cord mount is paper tri-fold. It's functional, arrr, but most builders will want t' add Keelhaul®©™®. T' eye bolt on t' nose cone is huge and heavy-duty. Aye aye! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Extremely impressive lookin' rocket, quick build, best-in-show fit for cluster parts, me hearties, me bucko, high-quality foil lined motor tubes, shiver me timbers, lots o' different motor options, me bucko, clusters can be loud and smoky.

Cost. Aye aye! T' Quasar model is $47.99, arrr, while most 2.6" models this size usin' t' Madcow nose cone are $59 t' $69.

CONs: Balsa fins, tri-fold paper mount, cluster may be challengin' t' light.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5