Brief:
This is a large mid and high powered rocket which is a very good transition into HPR. I purchased this kit for t' EMRR Hit List and used it t' obtain my NAR Lever 1 Certification. Avast! Begad! It's a great kit that is very strong with t' basic three fins, matey, body, and a nose cone.

Construction:
T' kit comes with a 34" long by 4" diameter slotted body tube, 4" diameter nose cone, matey, three strong plywood fins with tabs all t' way to the motor tube, an 18" long by 38mm motor tube, me hearties, two 3/16" plywood centerin' rings, me bucko, a standard LOC/Precision shock cord mount, a 15' shock cord, a 36" parachute, and a 1/4" and 1/2" launch lugs (you can pick which one you wish t' use). Avast, me proud beauty! All o' t' parts fit together fine when test fitted and no problems were found. Arrr! T' shock cord just ties onto t' plastic eyelet in the nose cone. A screw eye could be added t' t' nose cone if it is preferred.

T' instructions were like other LOC/Precision kits. Avast! Blimey! They are printed on one side o' a sheet o' paper without many diagrams at all. T' build is relatively simple for a HPR. Ahoy! Blimey! Since I had done work on LOC kits in t' past, matey, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I didn't follow their instructions durin' t' build and simply did things in t' order that I preferred. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' one thin' that I did do different from t' provided instructions is in t' insertion o' t' aft centerin' ring. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' instructions have you epoxy both centerin' rings in place before puttin' t' fins on. Avast! Blimey! This only gives a bond with t' fins and inside o' t' rocket that is equal t' the amount o' epoxy you can fit on t' bottom o' t' fin tab. I prefer t' leave it out and epoxy t' fins in first so that I can apply fillets t' t' fins on the inside o' t' main airframe as well as t' outside. This is for added strength and t' give me a little extra confidence in me hard work when it gets out on the pad. Blimey! Blimey! After bevelin' t' fins and gluin' them in place, matey, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I applied generous epoxy fillets on t' inside and outside o' t' airframe and where t' fin tabs meet t' motor tube. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Before epoxyin' t' aft centerin' rin' in after all the fillets on t' fins were done, shiver me timbers, I drilled three holes in it and epoxied T-nuts into them for me motor retention system. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' recovery system goes on with the LOC shock cord mount which has always worked fine for me. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I did add a sheet of 12" x 12" Nomex® to t' shock cord before tyin' it off t' protect t' parachute. Ahoy! Blimey! I went with the 1/2" launch lug that came with t' kit since it provides much more rigid guidance than t' 1/4" rod. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Overall t' construction is very simplistic and standard with nothin' standin' out as tricky.

Finishing:
I sanded all o' t' parts o' t' rocket except for t' nose cone prior to painting. Ya scallywag! I only painted it with some cheap spray paint, arrr, doin' t' body and fins white and t' nose cone green. Aye aye! Arrr! There are decals for t' kit but they must be downloaded off t' internet and printed out on waterslide decal paper. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I hope t' do this in t' future so I painted t' kit like it is pictured with the decals except I must go back and paint t' fins black. Begad! It looks like a great kit and looks even better on t' pad.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors are t' F50-6, G80-7, shiver me timbers, matey, H97J-M, shiver me timbers, and H123W-M. Begad! I have seen I motors recommended for it in some places and I know that I will end up flyin' a few I's in it. Avast, me proud beauty! For it's first flight, matey, shiver me timbers, I flew it on t' Aerotech H128W-M. This was me level 1 certification flight and I got t' motor and casin' in the Aerotech Level 1 deal. Ya scallywag! Begad! I prepped t' motor under t' supervision o' our club president. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' motor construction is basically t' same as that o' t' hobby line reload systems. Begad! T' prep for this rocket doesn't take long. Ahoy! Puttin' the motor together takes t' most time. Blimey! Begad! Since I added t' Nomex® sheet in me kit, it did nay require any wadding. I lined t' T-nuts up in my centerin' rin' for t' Rocketman 38mm aft closure. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Since I flew it on a 29mm motor with an adapter, I cut out a rin' out o' strong aluminum that lined up with t' T-nuts and rested all t' way around t' bottom o' t' aft closure. I tightened it down with 3 bolts, and that motor was nay goin' anywhere. Aye aye! After the button was pushed, matey, matey, t' rocket had a perfectly straight boost. Arrr! It flew beautifully and t' nose cone popped off and t' parachute came out perfectly at apogee. Begad! It was a wonderful sight t' see. Begad! I sure had some second thoughts and an upset tummy when they announce t' everyone that it's a level 1 cert flight but watchin' it put all me doubts away.

Recovery:
T' shock cord was tied t' t' eyelet in t' nose cone and attached t' the airframe with t' LOC shock cord mount. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! This mount is just a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® cord that you tie a knot in each end and a loop in t' middle o' it. Well, blow me down! T' shock cord is tied t' t' loop and t' knots are epoxied into t' inside o' the airframe. It is very easy t' assemble and I have never had any trouble assemblin' it or with its use. Begad! T' recovery after flight was perfect. Ahoy! The 36" parachute brought it down at just t' right speed and I didn't have a very long walk at all t' get t' t' kit. Aye aye! There was a little bit o' burn marks on t' Nomex® cloth but no marks at all on t' parachute. T' shock cord and parachute still looked like they had never been flown. Arrr! Arrr! T' rocket was recovered without even a scratch anywhere on it. Ahoy! It really was a perfect certification flight!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great high power rocket kit. Arrr! It be t' basic 3 fins, shiver me timbers, arrr, body, and nose cone kit, ya bilge rat, but it is very strongly built and will last many flights. Ahoy! It has perfectly straight boosts and has a good recovery system. With some added motor retention and a Nomex® cloth in t' recovery system, I know this will become t' workhorse o' me new high power fleet.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5