Brief:

A slick little payload rocket with a unique fin arrangement.

Construction:
I've heard rockets described as "3FNC" or "4FNC", me hearties, meanin' "3 or 4 fins and a nose cone", but t' Star Stryker has t' be described as a "10FTCTNC"..."Ten fins, shiver me timbers, transition, matey, clear tube, and a nosecone." T' kit consists o' two sections o' 19mm tube, shiver me timbers, a 19-21mm balsa transition, a nice balsa nose cone a section o' 21mm clear tubing, me hearties, a coupler that also serves as a thrust ring, me hearties, a motor retainer hook, a sheet o' laser-cut balsa fins, me bucko, shiver me timbers, a rubber band shock cord, matey, a printed shock-cord retainer, me hearties, a launch lug, arrr, and a pre-assembled 12" parachute. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! It came in a corrugated cardboard box; all t' parts were thar and undamaged.

T' Star Stryker has t' typical Estes instructions...clear and well-illustrated. Laser-cut balsa fins were made o' some hard, fine-grain balsa, as were t' transition and nose cone.

About t' only issue I had on this one was t' five-fin alignment...the markin' guide wrap be too big for t' body diameter. Ahoy! I had t' use t' secondary alignment guide (a bottom view o' t' rocket) as a substitute. Ya scallywag! I deviated somewhat from t' instructions by linin' up t' launch lug standoff with t' motor retainer hook, rather than puttin' it on its own separate line. Avast! I also substituted quarter-inch sewin' elastic for t' rubber band shock cord...If I could have added a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® I would have, arrr, but since she's a minimum-diameter rocket I couldn't figure out just how.

Assembly was with Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue throughout.

Finishing:
I tried a new balsa surfacin' tactic on t' Star Stryker. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! I started with a coat o' white correction fluid, ya bilge rat, arrr, then rubbed on a coat o' tube-type plastic cement after a light sanding. Begad! Quick and slick in only two steps.

I copied t' box color scheme (red airframe with black nosecone and transition) with inexpensive rattlecan paint, matey, ya bilge rat, and applied t' waterslide decals as depicted. Avast! T' decals are pretty thin...be careful. Begad! Well, blow me down! It looks like a little jewel.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' Star Stryker twice on A8-3's and once on a B6-4...was somewhat afraid t' use a C6-5, it's so small. Arrr! Aye aye! Needed three squares o' Estes tissue for wadding.

Flew straight as an arrow...has quite a bit o' fin area. Begad! Ya scallywag! Nice ejection and recovery.

Recovery:
It might be three inches longer...that would give more recovery equipment volume. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Aside from that, arrr, recovery was smooth and reliable, matey, and no damage at all.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I am very pleased with t' Star Stryker...it's a little jewel o' a payloader and draws deadlights on t' pad or on display. Blimey! Ahoy! I think a 21mm upscale is a very nice idea...

PROs: Unique fin arrangement, simple build despite that, clear payload section.

CONs: Likely t' leave t' country on a "C", that cussed wraparound fin guide that was too big.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5