Brief:
A futuristic sci-fi model reminiscent o' t' old Estes Andromeda or Alien Explorer. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' front page o' t' instructions says: "A Lean, mean eater of human spleens, arrr, this strange invader will frighten t' masses at your next launch". Avast! You gotta love that! Uses parachute recovery from 18mm engines.

Construction:
T' first thin' you notice is ping-pong balls. Arrr! Yes, ping-pong balls! These are used for t' "bulges". Ahoy! T' fin material is two sheets o' wood and you have t' cut them yourself, so that increases t' skill level. T' great news is that they are basswood, but then that makes for more difficult cutting. Arrr! Aye aye! Nothing but t' best materials are in this kit. Begad! You also get two nosecones, two 18" BT's, a "side pod" engine mount and a recovery system. Well, blow me down!

Each step in t' instructions tells you t' trace and cut a fin. Avast! I opted to cut out all t' fins and sand them before gettin' started. This makes for a smoother and quicker build once you get going. Begad! Blimey! I also cut t' ping-pong balls at this point too. Ahoy! They are much easier t' cut then I expected tem t' be. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! (The air in them STINKS!) I just used an X-ACTO knife with a fresh blade and it went smooth and easy. Ya scallywag! Orientate t' ball so you're nay cuttin' through t' seam. You'll get a better cut. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty!

T' motor mount goes together first. Blimey! It's a classic design but thar be no motor hook t' install. Begad! There are nine fins on this rocket so take your time buildin' it. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' instructions tell you t' glue the two18" body tubes together before you start on t' fins. Begad! Well, blow me down! I chose nay to until t' last Ping-Pong ball was ready t' go on. An 18" tube is much easier t' handle while gluin' on all those fins than a 36" tube. Begad! That's just me opinion. Arrr!

T' recovery system is attached via t' classic folded paper thing. Ya scallywag! Some people don't like this but it works for me. T' list o' materials says you get only one piece o' Keelhaul®©™® strin' and one swivel hook. Arrr! I got two hooks and two pieces o' different length string. Begad! Ya scallywag! It doesn't even mention elastic cord but I got some o' that too. Begad! The parachute step in t' instructions does show two pieces o' strin' though. Avast, me proud beauty! I just used all t' materials and came up with me own recovery system. T' launch lug must be spaced up one o' t' fins. Begad! You get a spacer for that. Aye aye! Ahoy! I chose to use a launch rod for alignment. Ya scallywag! This ensures it far enough away from t' body tube t' clear t' ping-pong balls AND is properly aligned. Aye aye! T' rocket only gets one lug, matey, so make good strong fillets. Ahoy! ( I got two lugs in me kit. Arrr! Begad! Was I supposed to? Where does t' second one go? )

Finishing:
Pros -- Basswood fin material: lightweight, strong and much easier t' finish than balsa. Begad! T' fin design and ping-pong balls make this a very interestin' and creative rocket. Nice lightweight nylon parachute; no plastic parachute here. Gorgeous instruction sheets: t' illustrations are computer generated and there are many o' them. Ahoy! Well, blow me down!

Cons -- No motor hook. Avast! Was I supposed t' get one? All t' illustrations show one but its nay mentioned in t' text or t' list o' materials. Begad! It will have to be a friction fit motor. Avast! No fin markin' guide or decals. Arrr! A fin-markin' guide would have been useful with t' 9 fins you have t' glue. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Decals would have raised t' price o' t' kit but I would be willin' t' pay extra for them. Avast! Arrr! The paint scheme suggested is great but virtually imposable t' do. T' list of materials, arrr, t' instructions, me bucko, arrr, and what you actually get in t' kit, doesn't match each other. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! This can be confusin' but easily worked through.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Nice flights on B6's & C6's. Avast! Blimey! T' lack o' manufacturer recommended engines made me have t' think about delay times and motor selection. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Use a delay slightly shorter than you would expect for a rocket o' this weight because the extra drag slows it down a little.

Recovery:
Laundry deployed every time. Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Pro -- This is an awesome rocket. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' design is like nothin' I ever built and that's refreshing. Begad! Con -- T' list o' materials, t' instructions, me bucko, and what you get don't match. Begad!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5