Brief:
Smaller version o' t' popular Excel rocket.

Construction:

1. 2.6 inch pre-slotted BT
2. 2.6 inch payload bay coupler and bulkhead
3. 29mm motor mount
4. Plywood TTW fins and centerin' rings
5. Lots o' tubular nylon
6. 2 quick links and eye bolts
7. 18" nylon parachute
8. Plastic nose cone
9. 3 plastic rivets
10. 2 vinyl decals
11. * 29mm Motor Collar retainer- be included as a special in me kit

This kit was one o' t' best packaged kits I’ve ever purchased. Begad! The sub assembly components were all sealed into individual sections o' a large heavy gauge plastic bag. Blimey! Even t' instructions and decals had their own pocket, makin' it so you could see at a glance is everythin' be there.

T' instructions were a booklet o' 8.5 x 11-inch pages with photos and illustrations o' t' major construction steps. Begad! T' directions were easy to follow and didn’t include any gotchas. They even pointed out a couple of areas that could cause trouble, arrr, like securin' t' shock cord quick link t' the motor mount before epoxyin' it in place.

T' fins and centerin' rings needed no fine tunin' and slid into place with no trouble. This be t' first kit I’ve built that uses eye bolts and quick links for recovery. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! This is also t' first kit I’ve built that used plastic rivets t' keep t' nose cone and t' payload bay together. Blimey! I used 15 minute epoxy throughout t' construction, and this well designed kit went together very quickly. Begad!

Finishing:
For finishing, I decided t' paint t' payload bay and nose cone Popcicle Orange, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and t' rest o' t' airframe and fins white. I used Painter’s Choice paints from Home Depot. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins needed a few coats o' primer and some sandin' t' fill t' minor grain in t' plywood, as did t' spiral on t' body tube. Begad! Begad! Make sure you sand and wash t' nose cone prior t' paintin' t' help your paint adhere t' t' plastic surface.

After t' paint had dried, me hearties, me bucko, I peeled off t' backin' strip for t' decals and pressed t' exposed adhesive t' t' body. Begad! Two decals are provided, an EXCEL and a Binder Designs logo. Aye aye! They both were o' excellent quality and I had no trouble applyin' them. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I gave t' rocket a final gloss overcoat t' seal the decals t' t' body.

I can’t think o' anythin' I would change in t' construction or finishin' o' this rocket.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Binder Design says that t' Excel Jr. Avast! can fly on motors from D t' G impulse, but doesn’t list any specific motors. Ahoy! They do provide RockSim stability information t' allow you t' adjust t' CG/CP relationship for t' motors you choose t' fly.

I have flown me Excel Jr. on Econo-Jet G and F motors with no additional ballast needed.

Flight prep begins with preppin' your motor. Ya scallywag! For Econo-Jets, shiver me timbers, you MUST peel the sticker off and make sure thar be no residue on t' casin' before insertin' t' motor into t' mount. I haven’t tried any other single use motors, but me RMS casin' slides in with no trouble. Blimey! I also had t' add a tape thrust rin' t' t' aft end o' t' motors as t' Excel Jr. doesn’t use a thrust rin' in construction.

I added a Pratt Hobbies Keelhaul®©™® shock cord sheath t' protect t' tubular nylon from hot ejection gasses. Ya scallywag! I found that with t' size o' t' body tube, this product is all t' protection the shock cord and parachute need.

Motor retention on me Excel Jr. Begad! be provided by t' Binder Design Motor Collar. Well, arrr, blow me down! This is an aluminum sleeve that is bonded t' t' aft o' t' motor tube that extends about an inch aft o' t' motor tube. Ahoy! A snap rin' slips into a groove after you insert t' motor t' keep it in place. Begad!

All o' me flights with this rocket have been arrow straight. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' Excel Jr. really flies well and leaps off t' pad under G power.

Recovery:
I’ve had a couple o' recovery mishaps with this rocket that were o' me own doing, shiver me timbers, and nay t' fault o' t' kit or it’s design. Begad! One flight I used a delay that was too short and popped one o' t' shroud lines, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and on another I packed t' chute incorrectly and it did nay deploy. No damage was done t' the rocket in either o' these instances. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I was very impressed by t' quality o' this kit’s packagin' and design. T' Excel Jr. is a great combination o' style and size that fits for the smaller fields that I fly from and also fits in me small car.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5