Brief:
A diminutive scale model o' a Sandia Sandhawk that's small in size but big on detail.

Construction:
Don't be mislead, as I was, about t' skill required t' build this kit. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! What you get for your loot is a great 13mm body tube, me bucko, a shorter piece o' 13mm tube for t' nose cone, matey, me bucko, matey, a good quality balsa nose and a balsa plug (more on this later), a length o' wire, ya bilge rat, me hearties, a generous (read: twice as much as needed) amount o' basswood for t' fins, and some o' t' best instructions in t' industry. Ahoy! Blimey! Dig further and you'll find t' thickest streamer you've ever seen, and some good elastic and Keelhaul®©™® for t' shock cord.

T' instructions are t' best I've seen in a long, me hearties, long time. Aye aye! Likewise, matey, t' quality o' components will blow you away, shiver me timbers, especially considerin' this kit's price is so cheap! It seems like it will go together easily enough, but... Well, blow me down! Ahoy! If you want t' build a "slap-dash" rocket, shiver me timbers, arrr, go satisfy your need for instant gratification with an Estes E2X kit. Begad! If you want somethin' you actually have t' build, matey, look no further. Ahoy! This kit's as challengin' as you want t' make it. Ya scallywag! Personally, I don't care t' make it a 100% perfect replica o' t' real thing. I fly every rocket I build, so sometimes I take liberties in t' construction. Begad! Aye aye! They may nay be perfect scale rockets, matey, me bucko, but they fly, ya bilge rat, arrr, and are durable. Arrr! Ahoy! This thin' goes together with all t' tools you already have, me bucko, so no need t' buy anythin' special. Avast! T' balsa plug is used t' fill t' short body tube, and is glued in place, along with t' nose cone. Arrr! This whole assembly becomes t' nose cone, me bucko, and t' solid nature o' it gives t' wire antennae someplace t' glue into.

Finishing:
This rocket finishes great! Blimey! T' basswood isn't grainy, ya bilge rat, and with a little care and a lot o' sealer and primer and sandpaper, t' spirals and nose cone and body joint will completely disappear. Begad! T' only con here: t' decals look cheesy if t' paint is nay matched exactly. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! But I built it t' fly primarily, arrr, so it doesn't matter too much t' me.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Prep is as easy as they come, but loadin' t' humongous streamer takes skill. It will get stuck if nay rolled as tightly as possible. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! My suggestion is t' cut it in half lengthwise and discard one half o' it. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I suggest keepin' t' power low, because this sucker will move out with authority! Blimey! An Estes 13mm 1/2 A3-2T will suffice, but an A3-4T will give you a good chance t' lose t' rocket. Blimey! Blimey! Expect about 800+ feet with an A10-3T. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' rocket will fly perfectly time after time, and recovers well on a streamer.

Recovery:
T' only con here would be t' tendency for t' streamer t' get stuck. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I'd add me own streamer next time, ya bilge rat, and use a much thinner material.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I would like t' recommend this kit t' anybody who is bored with all t' plastic schlock that's out thar today. Ahoy! Avast! This gives a buddin' rocketeer a chance t' learn some skills, or for a BAR like me t' hone them or just remember what it be like on a rainy Saturday in t' mid 1970s t' build a Mars Snooper or Trident. Blimey! T' only con I would throw in here be t' company itself. Blimey! I visited their booth at LDRS in 2000, me hearties, and nay only did t' representative thar totally ignore me (I practically needed a bull hornpipe t' get his attention t' buy a kit, ya bilge rat, and I was t' only customer at t' time), he wouldn't even answer me questions, nor did he say thanks for purchasin' one o' their kits! You know, arrr, me bucko, guys, if you want a loyal customer, shiver me timbers, a smile (at least) would go a long way. But nevermind. Avast, me proud beauty! Despite bein' t' grouchiest rocket company on t' planet, they have reason t' be a bit smug. Begad! This is one great kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5