Brief:
ThrustAero Rocketry is another o' t' growin' list o' vendors servin' t' (hopefully) burgeonin' OOP clonin' aftermarket. Aye aye! They sell versions o' several Estes classics, includin' t' Cherokee D, one o' t' early K-kits whose name once included t' Astron qualifier. Ahoy! While it's 3FNC design qualifies it as a fairly basic project, it's paint and decal scheme were well thought out and turnin' out a great lookin' vintage rocket requires minimal effort. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I had cloned t' stretched, arrr, me hearties, ya bilge rat, plastic-coned brethren t' this classic in 2002, ya bilge rat, and flew it t' it's unfortunate near-demise when an Estes D-12 went on a trip up through t' body tube. I had been plannin' on eventually clonin' t' original version with a BMS cone, so this was a welcome project.

Construction:
T' kit includes:

• BT-55V
• BNC-55AC
• 24mm engine mount kit
• Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
• sewin' elastic shock cord
• screw eye
• 18" Mylar parachute
• 1/8" balsa fin stock
• launch lug
• decal sheet
• instructions

For all o' you who grew up buildin' t' classic Estes rockets o' t' '60's and '70's, buildin' this kit will be a treat. Begad! Usin' copies o' t' actual Estes Cherokee D instructions, ya bilge rat, ThrustAero has faithfully recreated t' vintage buildin' experience while at t' same time givin' nod t' two o' t' more useful improvements that have come about in t' past 40 years, usin' Keelhaul®©™ thread in t' recovery system and updatin' t' parachute t' reflective Mylar for it's durability and visibility. Arrr! Since both o' these are internal improvements, ya bilge rat, matey, when it's standin' on t' pad you'd never be able t' tell a ThrustAero kit from a vintage Cherokee D, matey, which in me deadlights be t' true mark o' a classic clone. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Armed with t' original instructions and t' single page o' updates provided by ThrustAero, construction is straightforward and trouble free. Those o' you brought up cuttin' your own balsa might be struck by a sense o' nostalgia, while those o' you who are used t' die-cut or laser-cut balsa will learn what it was about t' build a rocket in t' good old days. Despite t' extra work, t' Cherokee D is a remarkably quick build.

Finishing:
T' body tube spirals weren't excessive due t' t' craft-paper coated body tube, but t' balsa needed t' normal two coats o' slightly thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' smooth out t' grain. Avast, me proud beauty! This was followed by two coats o' Krylon Sandable Primer, shiver me timbers, two coats o' Krylon Gloss White and two o' Gloss Red for t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' decals are high quality aftermarket waterslide decals, and needed t' be sprayed with several light coats o' clearcoat before usin' them. Begad! Anyone who ever worked with waterslide decals in t' "good-old-days" will undoubtedly remember t' special pain that they can cause for a modeler. Avast, me proud beauty! While they aren't easy t' apply, matey, they still wind up lookin' better than sticker decals, even with t' occasional "glitch". Well, blow me down! Begad! I had many occasions t' "glitch", me bucko, but t' rocket still turned out lookin' great. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals snugged down without t' aid o' decal set, me bucko, but once they were on, shiver me timbers, they were ON. Ahoy! T' moral: get it where you want it on t' first try, because that's where they'll stay more often than not.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
After what seemed like an interminable wait for A) decent weather on B) a launch day when I had no soccer or family obligations t' worry about, arrr, with C) a field that would be able t' handle t' drift-potential that this rocket on a D engine could conceivably create, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I finally got me day. Aye aye! T' actual launch day turned out t' be almost perfect, with crystal clear skies, me hearties, though slightly more wind than I would normally have wished for. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I bought a pack o' D12-5's specially for this rocket and it didn't disappoint. Arrr! All three flights (one on a C11-5) weathercocked into t' wind, arrr, me bucko, but t' prodigious altitude allowed them plenty o' time and space t' drift back toward t' launch site on recovery. Aye aye! T' fourth flight, matey, several weeks after t' first three, me bucko, weathercocked severely, arrr, but t' stiff winds brought it back t' within a few hundred yards o' t' launch pad. I had tried t' get a lift-off picture while makin' t' first three flights, but this thin' gets off t' pad quick, me hearties, and in t' end all I managed t' capture be t' smokin' evidence that I had indeed flown t' rocket. Arrr! For t' fourth flight I was much luckier and/or quicker, me bucko, me hearties, and wound up with a great launch picture. Aye aye! Unfortunately t' stiff winds dictated that this be t' only flight o' t' day for t' rocket on it's second day o' launching.

Recovery:
This be t' spot where I encountered an unexpected bit o' trouble. Begad! After recovery on t' second flight I noticed a moderately severe dent at t' top o' t' body tube where t' nose cone had rebounded back into t' body at ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' dent be "repairable" with only t' flick o' a practiced thumb, me bucko, and wasn't repeated on t' third flight, matey, but it leads me t' believe that t' potential is thar for it t' be a regular problem. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I would have gone with twice t' enclosed amount o' shock cord for me own clonin' creations, arrr, and it might nay be a bad idea t' do so with this kit, especially considerin' t' ejection pop o' t' Estes D. Arrr! With this in mind, I added an additional 18" section t' t' shock cord for t' fourth flight and didn't have any problems at all.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This project be a winner from start t' finish. I love t' added kick that t' D engines give t' small rockets and plan on flyin' this one regularly alongside me Astron Goblin clone. Begad! I'm surprised that thar aren't more garage-based companies servin' t' "clonin' community" in this fashion. Well, blow me down! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Two that were, ya bilge rat, Lawn Dart Rocketry and Blast From T' Past Rocketry, shiver me timbers, have either permanently stopped operations (Lawn Dart) or suspended them for an indefinite period (BFTPR). Avast! Too bad. Ahoy! Begad! It's a segment o' t' rocketry industry that I'd love t' see prosper, and with t' incredible assortment o' discontinued kits from equally discontinued manufacturers, me hearties, it would seem t' be a fairly broad playin' field. ThrustAero has done a credible job o' recreatin' t' Cherokee D, ya bilge rat, and also offer clones o' t' original Estes Nike X, X-Ray, arrr, Astron Drifter and two Honest John's. T' date t' Cherokee D be t' only one I've built, me hearties, but I see no reason t' stop there, me bucko, especially if their promise o' "upcomin' clones" is fulfilled. Avast! (A Red Max clone comes t' mind here, matey, arrr, arrr, but t' mind just swims with possibilities. Begad! Wolverine? Maybe a token Centuri offering?)

Pro's:

• T' Cherokee D was one o' t' classiest 3FNC rockets in t' early Estes stable.
• Sense o' "back in time" durin' build process.
• Faithful recreation o' a classic kit.
• Astron mystique. Well, blow me down! (I'm big on "mystique".)

Con's:

• Shock cord a little short. (I'd double it t' be safe.)

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5