Brief:
This is a clone o' Model Rocket Newsletter plan o' t' month called t' "Top Secret". Well, blow me down! Single-stage combination wing/fin and tube stabilization.

Construction:
Contents: 1 BT-20 body tube, 2 BT-5 "engine tubes", balsa nose cone, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, fishin' swivel, arrr, screw eye, me hearties, shiver me timbers, 6" parachute and thread shrouds, arrr, shiver me timbers, 17" long (before installation) 1/8" elastic shock cord, me bucko, engine block, no engine mount or motor hook (minimum diameter tube for 18mm), me hearties, cardstock set for fin alignment, me bucko, shock cord mounting, me hearties, and canopy, 1/8" launch lug, laser cut 1/16" balsa fin set, lead weight, and 3/16" furniture dowel.

T' included instructions are three 8.5" x 11" pages with few simple yet clear illustrations. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! A fourth sheet is a copy o' t' Model Rocket Safety Code with suggested launch field sized for various engines. Begad! Assembly sequence was followed (with t' exception o' item 2 below), and it was easy t' create a model that is structurally sound and flyable. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! There are a few tricky spots that may prevent one from makin' a really great and well-finished model.

1. Leave off t' aft win' until after painting. Ahoy! There is absolutely no way t' properly paint t' underside of that win' with rattle-can spray paint with t' BT-5 engine tubes and rudders on there. Begad! Blimey! T' make a really slick model, it is necessary t' do some priming, sandin' and paintin' before step 5. Arrr! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Remember t' then scrape t' paint off o' the areas t' be glued later.
2. Step 7 in me instructions does nay accurately represent items in t' kit. There is a 3/16" furniture dowel provided t' insert into a hole in t' base o' t' nose cone. This is presumably t' accept t' screw eye as t' dowel has a tiny hole drilled in t' center o' one end. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Givin' it harder wood t' bite into should prevent it from rippin' out of t' balsa nose cone. Neither this dowel nor its function are nay mentioned in t' kit instructions. Blimey! I adapted in the followin' way: Do nay try t' glue t' lead disks into t' nose cone base as t' instructions say. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Take t' lead disks and cut them up into little pieces. Begad! Better yet, arrr, measure out an equivalent weight o' lead shot. Ya scallywag! Instead o' usin' the entire length o' dowel in t' underside o' t' nose cone (it is quite long), ya bilge rat, cut it in half. Avast! Pack t' space at the bottom o' t' hole in t' nose cone with t' lead. Then glue t' dowel in on top t' hold everythin' in. Arrr! Begad! It need nay be flush, me bucko, me dowel sticks out about 1/4"
3. T' parachute material on mine was a bit heavy and colored black (hard t' see). I'd try cuttin' a new one from an easier-to-see material, anythin' but black.

Finishing:
PROs: I really like t' way this rocket looks. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' pictures on me favorite retailer's website drew me in and I had to have one. Begad! One caution, shiver me timbers, it looks bigger than it really is. It is correctly advertised, me bucko, but its proportions just make it look big and sleek. Well, blow me down! I was a little surprised t' see t' finished size.

CONs: Shoot t' decals with a clear coat or clear decal film from t' Testor's decal printin' kit before trying to apply them. Mine were fragile. Blimey! Dress up t' canopy outlines with paint. Ya scallywag! T' one I got was a crappy photo enlargement or low resolution printer copy and t' edges o' t' black windscreen were fuzzy and pixelated. Avast! Grab a fine brush and some black paint t' even things out. Aye aye! My nose cone was rough and had a knot hole in it that required moderate fillin' and sandin' before paint.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' launch be on an A8-3 and t' parachute shrouds got fouled in t' wing. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Half t' win' was ripped away and lost. I hesitate t' blame this on t' model design, because t' boost off t' pad be a little slow and t' flight was wobbly. It needs more engine than I used. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! When I fix it I plan t' try a B4-4.

Recovery:
Shock cord technique was t' classic folded paper patch method. Arrr! No Keelhaul®©™® was supplied.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
Main PROs: Interesting/obscure/uncommon subject. Ahoy! Looks really cool on a display stand.

Main CONs: Kit contents do nay match instructions. Paintin' around t' wing.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5