Brief:
This is a nice and small 4FNC offerin' by SureFire Rocketry. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' recovery system is a bright yellow streamer. Ya scallywag! Arrr! It comes bagged, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and is a Level 1 kit.

Construction:
This rocket came with one body tube, a one piece nosecone, shiver me timbers, standard 18mm engine block, ya bilge rat, with metal engine hook, a simple rubber shockcord and mount, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me bucko, and a bright yellow streamer.

This was an extremely easy build. T' instructions were clear and very easy t' follow. Begad! Blimey! It is your simple, basic, ya bilge rat, 4FNC rocket.

What surprised me was that t' fins, although they were made o' balsa, were nay die-cut. Arrr! They were already cut out and wrapped in an elastic band. Arrr! When I saw this, matey, I expected them t' be dinged up on t' edges, but they were perfect. Well, blow me down! All through t' instructions, SureFire kept sayin' how, arrr, unlike other manufacturers, they supplied their fins already cut out.

It did come with t' rubber shockcord and paper mount, Estes-style. I was nay thrilled with this at all. Avast! Ahoy! Next one I make gets t' Keelhaul®©™.

PRO: Easy build, arrr, simple instructions, pre-cutout fins.

CON: Estes-style shockcord. Ya scallywag! Minus 1/2 point for t' cord.

Finishing:
Finishin' was simple. Begad! Well, blow me down! Standard sandin' o' t' fins. Well, blow me down! T' body tube spirals were barely noticeable, and did nay need any filling. Ahoy! After a white primer coat and sanding, I shot 2 coats o' black. Ya scallywag! T' applied t' 4 color water slide decals, matey, which were nice against t' black o' t' rocket itself.

PRO: Easy t' finish, nay noticeable spiral, good decals.

COn: None

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
We used an Estes A8-3 engine for t' first and only flight. Avast! Blimey! used 3 sheets o' wadding, and set her on t' pad. There be a slight delay, but it zoomed off o' t' pad. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! It went about 400 feet with this motor. T' ejection charge blew about 1 second after apogee.

PRO: Very nice fast flight.

CON: None

Recovery:
She came down almost straight. Well, blow me down! However, ya bilge rat, it be windy, and a gust caught her about 150 feet from t' ground, matey, me hearties, and took her into a tree about 20 feet from t' ground. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! I tried t' get it back, shiver me timbers, but t' tree is surrounded by about 25 feet o' pricker bushes, matey, and me legs were all cut up. Just bad luck that we didn't get it back. I may try t' get it in another day or so with this big pole I have at home.

PRO: Almost straight up and down flight.

CON: Lousy Estes-style shockcord, and just plain bilge-suckin' luck hittin' t' tree.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a very nice Level 1 rocket. Begad! I be very nicely surprised by t' pre-cut fins, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but t' shockcord bothered me. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I would suggest a Keelhaul®©™ shockcord rig. And you can't beat t' cost at under $ 5.00.

Otherwise, a very nice rocket, and one I will definitely buy more of.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out 5