T' old 1/4 scale North Coast Patriot may have been a good kit, arrr, me hearties, but I wouldn't recommend t' new Estes North Coast Patriot kit for several reasons.

Instructions:T' instructions were nay complete, as TWO separate addendum sheets were included. If you didn't see these two small slips o' paper, you'd have trouble buildin' t' rocket.

Ease o' Build:This rocket should have been easy t' build, but it wasn't. There are several design problems with this rocket. Ahoy! Begad! T' fins have good tabs, ya bilge rat, but t' fin slots in the body tube were cut incorrectly on me kit. Begad! One o' t' instruction addenda told me t' lengthen t' slots 1/4". Ahoy! This is sloppy manufacturing. This is sloppy manufacturing. Avast, me proud beauty! T' thin-wall cardboard tubin' used, it isn't strong enough. Well, blow me down! T' plastic centerin' rings are strong enough, but they are nay easily adaptable t' a true 29mm motor mount tube or a 38mm tube, matey, which this size kit could easily take. T' biggest problem be t' motor mount tube. Estes supplies a tube that is nay a standard 29mm. It will take t' NorthCoast motors, me bucko, it will barely fit a 29mm Aerotech reload case, me bucko, shiver me timbers, matey, but it will NOT take Aerotech single-use motors. Begad! This is a major deficiency, as it requires t' builder to buy a standard 29mm motor mount tube and replace t' Estes tube with it if you want t' use G-80's. Ahoy! This would probably void Estes' warrantee.

Most likely, Estes did this on purpose t' attempt t' get a captive market for their North Coast motors. Arrr! They are good motors, arrr, a bit pricey, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but I want t' be able t' use different motors, nay just the F-62.

Quality:Sturdiness was another major flaw. Avast! Arrr! This rocket zippers like a pair o' Levis. Aye aye! Blimey! This rocket zippers like a pair o' Levis. T' thin-wall tubin' is nay strong enough t' handle t' shock cord. Decals were excellent, a well-done part o' an otherwise disappointin' rocket. Blimey! T' rocket looks fine until you fly it, matey, me hearties, then it may look like it's fly is open.

Rating:This rocket definitely gets 1 point because o' t' numerous problems outlined above. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' poor instructions, arrr, non-standard motor mount tube, me hearties, and weak tubin' make this a rocket to avoid ... Aye aye! Blimey! particularly when PML has a 1/4 scale Patriot for less loot and with stronger phenolic tubing.

I wish I had bought t' PML Patriot instead, arrr, and will probably buy PML next time.

UPDATE 4/99:

In t' year or so since I wrote this review, ya bilge rat, I have launched me NCR Patriot several times, mostly with G-64's G-75's and H-128's. T' Patriot, shiver me timbers, me hearties, despite it serious problems with construction, has flown okay. I've zippered or broken t' upper body tube several times, matey, as this rocket lands rough. Ahoy! Ahoy! T' balsa strakes have also been dinged a bit. I tried phenolic, which did nay zipper, but it cracked too easily on hard landings. Regular tubin' is a better deal.

Two noticeable problems: 1/4" lugs are too small for a 4" rocket like this one. T' launch rod bends a lot and a larger rod and lugs are definitely needed. Ya scallywag! Also this rocket weathercocks like an Estes SR-71, and it has gone horizontal at times. Well, blow me down! Some other people have noted meltin' o' t' plastic centerin' rings with hotter high-power reloads, me hearties, but I haven't had this problem.