Brief:
Want a cheap venture into space? Try this paper rocket complete with payload bay. Well, blow me down! Arrr! If you've never built a paper rocket though, this is nay t' kit t' start with as thar are numerous intricate cuts and folds, 3 shrouds, me hearties, and a paper nose cone.

Construction:
Components are--paper! OK, t' fins are actually cut from foam board, arrr, the engine hook is metal, me bucko, and thar's a bit o' clay nose weight, but everything else is pre-printed highly quality color patterns t' cut and fold. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Recovery is via a 9" mylar chute, me hearties, with shroud lines that are terribly undersized (less than 6"), me hearties, and attached t' a rubber band shock cord. Blimey! I upgraded mine to 3/8" elastic from me spare parts box.

In order t' take advantage o' t' very nice 3-D photos in t' instructions, you must first build a pair o' 3-D goggles (red film on one side, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, blue film on the other). Arrr! I personally found this a bit hokey and t' images aren't too clear under fluorescent light, but t' photos are quite helpful, especially where I struggled t' understand t' instructions which had been translated from French.

Construction begins with a massive cut/form/glue festival, matey, me bucko, makin' t' 3 body tubes, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 3 shrouds, shiver me timbers, and nose cone. Begad! T' main shroud is actually two separate inner/outer pieces bonded together for reinforcement. There are also a variety of rings that must be cut out o' paper, ya bilge rat, bonded t' foam, matey, matey, then cut out o' the foam. Arrr! My foam had been dented, most likely in storage, but it didn't look like it would jeopardize t' flight. Begad! Make sure you have a very sharp knife for cuttin' t' foam, as even me fairly new utility knife blade had a tendency to leave a slightly jagged edge t' t' foam. Ya scallywag! When I switched t' an "extra sharp" X-Acto blade, I got very crisp, me bucko, me bucko, smooth edges. Begad! Also, white glue works best on t' paper tubes and transitions, ya bilge rat, dryin' clear and leavin' more of a "rolled" edge than yellow glue.

One tip on t' main body tube: cut out t' fin slots BEFORE rollin' the tube rather than waitin' until t' directions call for this. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! You'll save yourself a lot o' hassle, me bucko, potential tearing, me hearties, and get a much better finish.

T' construction now moves t' modular stages, me hearties, addin' centering rings/reinforcements t' t' body tubes. Avast, me proud beauty! Clay weight is added t' t' nose, shiver me timbers, then sealed in by two pieces o' foam block, me hearties, which act as t' nose cone shoulder.

T' motor mount assembly consists o' a rolled paper tube, arrr, engine hook, me bucko, and foam centerin' rings. Well, blow me down! It glues into t' bottom o' t' main body tube.

T' body tubes and transitions are now glued together (separation is at the nose cone), me hearties, ya bilge rat, matey, and then t' fins are attached. When they guys at t' pad start makin' fun o' you for flyin' a paper rocket, remind them that your paper rocket has through-the-wall fins! This is one durable paper tiger.

I completely upgraded t' recovery. Avast, me proud beauty! As noted earlier, arrr, t' materials are a bit weak and t' mountin' is through a sliphole in one o' t' paper centering rings. Ya scallywag! I used a tri-fold mount and elastic, much like standard Estes kits. Arrr! I also went with one o' me spare 12" chutes with more generous 15" shroud lines. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:
As t' patterns were all pre-printed, thar's no finishin' necessary for this. T' instructions suggest a Mud-pudge clear coat, shiver me timbers, arrr, me bucko, which I've never heard of, so I stuck with t' untreated finish.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was with no wind, arrr, matey, freezin' temps, and clear skies on an Estes C6-5. Ahoy! Ahoy! T' flight be perfectly straight, though spinnin' (probably due t' the bent foam fins). Ahoy! Begad! Very impressive for a paper rocket!

Deployment was a bit after apogee and resulted in a violent separation at the paper transition joint. Begad! Even on just this one flight thar's evidence of burn marks on t' inside.

Recovery:
As noted, shiver me timbers, t' recovery provided for this rocket is weak and most builders will want t' upgrade it. Ahoy!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Very impressive design and appearance for a paper rocket. It will hold its own against most commercial kits out there.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5