Brief:
A stylish yet standard three fins and a nose cone rocket for 29mm and smaller motors. Ahoy! Heavy body tube and rakish plywood fins make for a tough and fun t' fly rocket.

Construction:
T' kit was neatly packaged in t' standard clear plastic bag, with t' motor tube floatin' around in t' airframe tube, and a nylon chute, pre-cut plywood fins, matey, matey, rings, and launch lug inside a zip-lock bag. Blimey! T' fins are excellent quality, ya bilge rat, well cut, matey, warp free, and t' sharp ends taped t' prevent damagin' other parts o' t' kit. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' instructions are clear but limited t' a single 8 1/2 by 11-inch page. Aye aye! Arrr! It's a simple kit and elaborate instructions are unnecessary. Ahoy! T' other side o' t' page serves as t' package facin' and some advertisements for other kits. T' recommended motor list includes t' D12-3. Begad! Begad! Since just t' parts stacked on t' scale weigh in at over 10 ounces and since epoxy is recommended throughout, I seriously question success with a D12. Begad! My first guess at finished weight, sans motor, is in t' 13 ounce range, me hearties, which puts it over t' recommended weight for a D12-3.

Construction is pretty simple: glue t' rings t' t' motor tube, glue t' motor tube into t' airframe, glue t' recovery loop into t' airframe, glue on t' fins and lug, and voila!

T' kit makes no provision for motor retention nor does it provide a motor block. Begad! Begad! Blimey! T' instructions explain that a mount with no motor block is very versatile allowin' any motor t' be used and describes how t' provide a thrust rin' usin' 1/2-inch maskin' tape. No arguments there! Blimey! They also explain friction fittin' t' motor t' prevent it kicking. Aye aye! Blimey! I have some misgivings about friction fittin' motor casings, especially expensive reloadables, me hearties, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, so I added a pair o' holes and blind nuts in t' aft rin' t' provide positive motor retention. Blimey! Blimey! A couple o' bucks at t' local hardware store will buy a pair o' blind nuts (or T-nuts), a pair o' knurled-knob screws, and a pair o' cast aluminum screen retainers, arrr, which combine nicely t' make a tool-less motor retainer.

T' body tube is pre-marked for fin and launch lug locations. All that is required then is gluin' up! I deviated from t' instructions slightly by gluin' a fin onto t' airframe tube while gluin' t' rings onto t' motor tube. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' tube was then turned over and fillets added t' t' other side o' t' rings; I added t' second fin at t' same time. T' third fin was added and t' blind nuts were glued into t' aft ring. Begad! T' mount was glued in at this stage and fillets added per t' instructions. Begad! Begad! A dot o' maskin' tape be used t' keep t' epoxy out o' t' nut threads. Arrr! T' shock cord mount and launch lugs were added next at t' same time as one o' set o' fillets was added t' t' fin roots. T' remainin' fins were filleted t' finish. This deviation in order is simply t' save on time and limit epoxy waste.

From long experience with launch rods, I've learned that a single long launch lug can be problematic especially on much used rods. Any crud or even slight bends in t' rod can cause t' lug t' bind producin' all sorts o' undesirable things includin' (but nay limited to) rod whip. Aye aye! Blimey! Because o' that, I cut t' 4-inch long lug down t' 1-inch sections, me hearties, extended t' reference line, me hearties, and placed one section at t' bottom and another near t' CG. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' remainder was tossed into t' scraps box and will no doubt find its way onto another project. Ahoy! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I also added a set o' rail buttons, me hearties, shiver me timbers, carefully mountin' t' buttons over t' centerin' rings.

T' fins are surface mount and I was a little disappointed with that. Blimey! Well, me hearties, blow me down! This is a pretty stout kit with a heavy wall airframe and plywood centerin' rings and fins, shiver me timbers, and I feel that through t' wall construction would make this rocket complete. I even considered cuttin' new fins with tabs. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! In t' end, arrr, matey, I decided that it wouldn't be seein' that much action and went with t' kit's stock fins after roundin' t' leadin' and trailin' edges with t' belt sander. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! It would also have been a shame t' waste t' packaged ones anyway.

I was also a little disappointed with t' shock cord mount. Begad! While sound in idea (a loop o' nylon fixed t' t' inside o' t' airframe in a pool o' epoxy), t' material is short o' expectation. Even t' Quest kits come with a Keelhaul®©™cord and I would prefer that over nylon. I had a bit o' trouble with t' anchor, as t' knots were a bit hard t' get fully covered with epoxy t' produce t' smooth bump necessary t' prevent t' recovery system from snaggin' on it as it exits. I've heard some remarks about t' elastic shock cord, matey, but I can find no fault with it. Ahoy! Blimey! This one is good quality and sufficient size that it should last a good while providin' enough waddin' is used. It's also easily replaceable by simply untyin' it from t' anchor loop and nose and tyin' in another. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! One could also easily swap it for a more typical tubular nylon or Keelhaul®©™cord.

T' parachute is very nice and made o' nylon with heavy nylon cord for shrouds..

I also made a 24mm adapter from scratch parts. Ya scallywag! LOC indicates that a kit can be had from them if desired. Well, blow me down! Begad! A home rolled one is easy t' do, a six inch section be cut from BT-50H from Totally Tubular stock, a six inch section o' 29mm cut from stock (from t' same source) and 3/8-inch rin' also cut from 29mm stock. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! A 4mm slice be taken out lengthwise o' t' six inch long 29mm tube and was glued usin' yellow glue t' t' 24mm stock. Begad! Aye aye! T' rin' was then glued onto one end, allowin' an 1/8-inch t' hang over (to allow for t' thrust rin' on 24mm reloads), and finally a motor block be glued into t' 24mm tube at t' correct location for E9 and F21 motors. Ya scallywag! A 1-inch piece cut off a spent motor is used for a spacer when usin' short D and E motors.

Finishing:
T' only thin' in t' kit that even suggests a color scheme is on t' label.. Ya scallywag! Begad! There are no decals. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' builder is left t' his or her own devices and imagination for finishing.

T' spirals are minimal, ya bilge rat, me bucko, so I went directly t' primer after sandpaperin' t' nose cone with coarse sandpaper, shiver me timbers, t' body with medium grit, arrr, ya bilge rat, and t' fins with very fine sandpaper. T' nose looked pretty bad after t' first layer o' primer with scratches and "hairs" stickin' out everywhere. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! This was expected and is done on purpose t' get t' primer coat t' stick t' well t' t' plastic. It was sanded again, with a bit finer paper this time and primed again. Aye aye! Blimey! T' whole thin' was sanded again, ya bilge rat, me hearties, t' imperfections and finger prints were worked on until smooth and then another layer o' primer be applied. Aye aye! T' whole rocket was sanded until very smooth with 400 grit paper. Aye aye! I wanted this t' have a cool finish, so I popped for a kit o' Duplicolor Mirage color changin' paint. Arrr! It goes on in three steps: several coats o' primer, me bucko, then a dozen or so thin coats o' color coat (the more layers, arrr, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, t' more effect), me bucko, matey, and finally three layers o' clear protector coat. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! This is a lacquer and t' coats are quite thin but thar are many o' them so it comes out fairly heavy as paint goes. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! It's also very shiny and has a deep lookin' finish due t' t' number o' layers. I added some pinstripin' on t' sides and fins and me usual construction date, motor list, etc., on t' side near t' lug before t' final coats o' clear.

One could go a bit wild here, ya bilge rat, sand it with 800 or finer grit paper, wax, me hearties, polish, me hearties, etc. I stopped at gloss mode on this rocket...it won't be used t' break any records or anythin' and it looks fast just layin' thar anyway!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
It was flown on February 21st at t' club's launch on an AT E18-4. Aye aye! Blimey! Fast, loud, straight, and cool flight! Blimey! That pretty much says it all. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! All future flights will be made by me nephew.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' flight performance makes up for everythin' I've been whinin' about!

PROs:

• Nice parachute!
• Love t' simplicity.
• Love how tough it is despite surface mount fins!
• T' rakish fin design gives it a fast look even when it's just layin' there.

CONs:

• Through-the-wall fins would make this an A+ kit. They take a little more work but are worth t' effort.
• I'm less than thrilled with t' nylon shock cord anchor.
• No decals or anythin' t' dress it up

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5