Brief:
This is an almost Ready t' Fly Star Wars rocket that is powered by 18mm motors and returns under parachute recovery.

This rocket is almost ready t' fly and be released t' cash in on t' second Star Wars trilogy merchandise bonanza. It does nay look too bad out o' t' box but requires clear plastic fins for stability.

Construction:
T' components in t' box consist of:

• An assembled and finished plastic rocket
• A display stand
• A Star Wars 18" parachute
• 2 Stinger tails
• 4 clear plastic fins
• An instruction sheet

T' rocket is already assembled for t' most part. It comes out o' t' box lookin' ready, shiver me timbers, but it is not.

T' "kit" includes 2 "stinger tails" which are supposed t' be installed for display purposes. T' instructions say nay t' fly t' model with t' tails installed but I cannot figure out why they might be a problem unless some lawyers were givin' Estes grief. Each one is a piece o' fairly stiff rubber that snaps into t' "engine nacelles". Arrr! I figured they would nay affect stability t' any appreciable extent so I fixed them in place with CA. Blimey! Avast! If worse comes t' worse, shiver me timbers, I will shed no tears if I need t' bob them later.

Next up was t' installation o' t' clear plastic fins. Avast! T' instruction say t' use tube type model cement. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Every time I have used tube cement on an Estes model, I have always had t' re-glue t' joint on multiple occasions. Avast! Aye aye! I decided t' use CA. I have had better luck with that on rockets.

T' "build" closes with t' shock cord system. T' rocket came with a piece o' elastic glued into t' BT. Ya scallywag! Arrr! It fails every time on t' first or second flight. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I used some long nippers t' reach in and cut out t' elastic. Blimey! I then scrounged a BT-20 coupler tube and tied a length o' Keelhaul®©™® t' it. Ya scallywag! I dabbed on some yellow glue t' t' interior o' t' coupler t' hold t' Keelhaul®©™® in place and let it dry. Aye aye! Ahoy! When it was dry, me bucko, I poked it in t' top o' t' BT and forced it down as far as I could get it with a long swab. Ya scallywag! I then used that same swab t' dab a fillet o' yellow glue around t' perimeter o' t' coupler t' hold it in place. Begad! I am still experimentin' with replacements for t' Estes recovery failure system and this is today's attempt.

Finishing:
There is no finishin' required. T' model comes with a silver finish and a very small black decal for t' cockpit which is already applied.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
How t' put this delicately...I can fly better by flappin' me arms.

Difficulty began immediately. Begad! Stuffin' t' chute is no easy matter, but I eventually got it in. Begad! Ya scallywag! I loaded up with a C6-3 and...no ignition. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I replaced t' igniter and tried again and got...no ignition. Avast! I should have taken that as a sign, matey, but I did not. I figured third time be t' charm.

I replaced t' igniter. This time it did light, me bucko, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and it went up about 20 feet.

It then proceeded t' zig zag around t' sky never gainin' or loosin' altitude until it ran out o' thrust. Ya scallywag! Begad! A quick crash t' t' ground made t' world a bit o' a safer place and then insult be added t' t' flight. Arrr! T' chute popped out on t' ground.

PROs: Cardiovascular exercise while runnin' from rockets is good for t' health.

CONs: I'm nay much into exercise. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It is wildly unstable.

Recovery:
Waitin' until after its on t' ground for t' chute t' deploy saves lots o' walking.

I am goin' t' add half a point t' this one because I did nay remove t' stingers.

Flight Rating: 1 out o' 5

Summary:
It stinks. Arrr! I may try it again some time when nobody is around and after I cut off t' stingers.

Then again, I may not.

Overall Rating: 2 out o' 5