This is a great kit t' get you into the more advanced, me bucko, mid-power rocket kits, but I would still recommend gettin' a novice kit first. Ya scallywag! T' Graduator has t' great feature o' through-the-wall tubin' which decreases t' time and effort for you. Arrr! It also comes with t' LOC MMA-1 motor adapter t' fly it on 24mm motors. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' only problem, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, thar be no type o' "motor block" in t' mount. Avast, me proud beauty! It's still a great kit t' build and fly. Begad! Since t' kit has thru-the-wall tubin' all that needs t' be done, me bucko, once the fins have be n epoxied in place, is t' apply an epoxy fillet. Begad! Ya scallywag! Also, shiver me timbers, I did not put a sealer on t' fins like t' instructions suggested, ya bilge rat, matey, but it turns out that I really needed to, as t' grain on t' plywood shows. Make sure you sand the entire rocket before paintin' as well. Well, blow me down! [Editors Note] Before gluin' the motor mount into place a positive motor retention system could be installed. Friction fitting, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, with tape, shiver me timbers, is a practiced method, matey, ya bilge rat, but is a little scary with those expensive RMS casings.

Brief:   Single staged, three-finned rocket for 29mm engines. Begad! Blimey! I think that it is meant as a first rocket for middle power. Ya scallywag! It turned out t' be mine as well. Aye aye! Avast!

Construction: Everythin' be there, nothin' defective or broken. Ya scallywag! The nose cone and body tube are standard LOC parts, me hearties, shiver me timbers, with t' nose bein' hollow sturdy plastic, and t' body tube spiral wound kraft paper glassined on the surface. Blimey! Well, blow me down! It be also pre-slotted t' allow t' plywood precut fins which came with tabs that matched these slots t' fit in. Begad! Two centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, plywood, were provided, and can be placed t' meet t' fin tabs and reinforce t' joint. And these rings center t' spiral wound paper 29mm motor mount tube. Ahoy! T' kit came with a red, ya bilge rat, 18 inch nylon chute with 8 nylon cord shroud lines. Ahoy! Begad! T' shock cord is 5 feet o' flat white elastic 1/4 inch wide, mounted t' a tough possibly nylon/Keelhaul®©™® 6-inch cord that is made into a loop and is anchored t' t' folded paper shock cord mount inside t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! For this model, I glassed over the affixed mount with epoxy. So far, me hearties, no zipperin' has occurred. Begad! T' launch lug is spiral wound paper, and is 6 inches long and accepts 3/8 inch rods.

Finishing: There weren't decals, arrr, me bucko, so after I spray painted t' entire rocket with matte fluorescent orange sign paint, shiver me timbers, I wrote the name, "Graduator" in blue up t' body tube in fabric paint.  Surprisingly, me bucko, me hearties, it has stayed on perfectly. Blimey! In t' middle o' t' body tube, me hearties, I put a 4-inch wide band o' adhesive silver mylar t' enhance visibility.  I also put a similar band o' orange mylar at t' top o' t' body tube t' prevent paint chippin' at t' top, shiver me timbers, which happens a lot when I fly rockets as often as this one.

I used Micro Fill model filler t' fill t' spirals. Begad! Aye aye! It's white putty that is spreadable with fingertips and dries in a few hours at room temperature. Begad! And it's sandable. And it's sandable. Maybe I should have roughened it up a little to let t' primer adhere better and so t' main coat would have held better. This stuff does fill cracks and transitions and makes a surface more aerodynamic. 

Construction Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Flight: It's recommended t' use 29mm G Aerotech motors.  So far, I have tried t' G35, G40, arrr, and G80, shiver me timbers, all with a 7 second delay.  All work great. Well, blow me down! This battered rocket has lived two years and has flown easily 16 times. It's easy t' prep, shiver me timbers, arrr, with five papers bein' enough wadding, me bucko, matey, or enough worm bed waddin' t' fill t' tube t' one inch.  T' chute is unscorched and unfrayed, but I put it in a red rocket for color matchin' and made this one a similar sized one from blaze orange rip stop nylon t' match its color scheme. T' only wear t' rocket has is its paint. Well, blow me down! Since this rocket was one o' my first in higher power, shiver me timbers, I used putty t' smoothen t' fin t' body joints, but since this stuff can flex, ya bilge rat, t' paint over it has chipped and has required redoing.  Maybe next time I'll use primer and automotive paint. Begad!

I read that other reviewers would have wanted an engine block.  I have mixed feelings here. First, shiver me timbers, I'll tell an embarrassin' story.  When I didn't tape me G80 in well enough, arrr, it kicked up and out and left t' rocket behind. This was in front o' a lot o' guys whom I would prefer t' have impressed. Begad! Begad! Blimey! An engine block cured that, me hearties, but will prevent me later use o' longer motors. Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I'll just have t' buy another Graduator for that! Blimey!

Recovery: Just right, no fin loss, shiver me timbers, me bucko, no scorches on the chute. Avast! Begad! Blimey! T' rocket is a little battered, arrr, but intact and still flying. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary: Easy t' build, me bucko, reliable. Blimey! Easy t' build, shiver me timbers, me hearties, shiver me timbers, reliable. Durable.  Very possibly modifiable for H power if fiberglassed. Begad! Blimey! I just might do that. Ya scallywag!

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5