Brief:
This is a single stage model rocket kit. It is a futuristic booster for a satellite. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' kit uses a 12" parachute and has a payload section. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! It also has a cool lookin' plastic nose cone, arrr, arrr, which I guess be t' satellite! Blimey! I was attracted t' this kit because o' its cool, matey, different looks and because it uses 24mm motors.

Construction:
I got t' kit on eBay and it came in fine shape. Avast! It was packed in a standard plastic bag with a cardstock kit liner with a color picture o' t' rocket. Aye aye! The kit uses a very different lookin' plastic nose cone that I have never seen quite like before. Avast, me proud beauty! t' fins are cut from a big sheet o' nice, matey, shiver me timbers, fine grain basswood. Ahoy! Ahoy! You cut a fin template from cardstock and trace it onto t' basswood. There is a helpful aid that shows how t' lay out t' fins on t' sheet. There is enough basswood stock for a little more than t' 3 fins you need t' cut out. T' instructions have you first assemble t' motor mount, install it before movin' on t' t' fins. Begad! A tube markin' guide is placed on t' body tube so that it can be marked where t' fins are t' be glued on. Ya scallywag! You then attach a nice size screw eye t' a balsa transition. That subassembly is glued into t' BT-55 payload tube. Arrr! You then put some strips on t' nose cone t' keep it on in flight, shiver me timbers, attach a parachute, me bucko, and t' rest is regular assembly items. There is a nice amount o' separate picture sheets with t' instructions t' help in the construction o' t' kit! T' kit also uses a metal motor hook for motor retention. Aye aye! Begad! T' shock cord be connected by a Keelhaul®©™® cord t' t' motor mount. Arrr!

This was t' second Rocketpad kit I have assembled, t' first be their USSC SHARK kit that I got last year. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' instruction in this kit were much better. There were no spellin' errors and be easier t' follow. I was happy with this kit. Arrr! As I had said earlier, me bucko, I like t' screw eye size, shiver me timbers, which is a little thing, but some kits I have built had big balsa nose cone with tiny screw deadlights that look weak. Begad! It be also nice t' have that large sheet o' basswood because I messed up on one fin. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' card template was a nice plus--much better than a sheet o' thin paper t' trace t' fins with. Begad! Aye aye! T' only thin' you have t' have is a good X-Acto knife t' cut t' basswood. I used Elmer's wood glue and it worked fine. There were no cons I can think o' on this kit.

Finishing:
I filled in t' balsa nose cone and basswood fins. Well, blow me down! T' grain in t' basswood only used 2 coats o' sealer and t' transition took 3 coats t' smooth them out. T' parachute be a bright red mylar with Keelhaul®©™® shroud lines already assembled from Rockethead Rockets. Blimey! Aye aye! T' decals are colorful with several sheets o' decals t' cut out. They were very nice quality material and nay t' thin stuff you sometimes get. Ahoy! There were no cons in t' finishing of this kit. Avast, me proud beauty! I followed t' colors o' t' kit like on t' kit bag and it came out just like t' picture. Begad! It is an impressive kit t' look at.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' kit uses a 3/16" launch lug and flies with 24mm C11 and D12 motors. I placed about 4 or 5 sheets o' Estes waddin' in t' rocket and put in the recommended C11-5 for t' first flight. Begad! Arrr! It launched straight up t' a few hundred feet and t' parachute came out right at apogee. Begad! T' bright red mylar was easy t' see in t' sunlight. Begad! There was just about no wind and it came back close t' t' pad. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! On t' second flight, I got brave and put a D12-7 in it. Straight up like t' first flight but much higher! T' mylar parachute was easy to spot but I did have t' walk a bit t' get it at t' end o' t' high school field! It took some time t' come down and I was happy thar was no wind!

Recovery:
T' shock cord be a 1/4" elastic with Keelhaul®©™® cord t' t' motor mount. Begad! Begad! T' 12 inch parachute was t' correct size for this kit. My kit weighed 3oz, shiver me timbers, matey, which was a little lighter than it said on t' kit sheet. Avast! There be no damage t' t' parachute. Well, blow me down! Avast! I would nay use a D motor with this kit in a small field and/or with any wind, ya bilge rat, as it will have you running some distance t' retrieve it, matey, shiver me timbers, if you get it back at all!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I really like this kit and recommend it. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' instructions and decals were all fine. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! T' decals nicely dress up this kit.

There were no cons I can really think of, but be careful with which motor you use on a windy day!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5