Brief:
This is me semi-downscale o' t' old (1965-67) K-19 Astron Invader. Aye aye! T' wings and fins are 2/3 o' t' original, arrr, but I kept t' 18mm motor mount. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! It's a very unique glider with unusual flights and a fairly easy build.

Construction:
I built this from scratch. Avast, me proud beauty! I used a PNC-20 (2.85" long) and 2" o' BT-20 from an Estes Viking. Aye aye! T' wing-fins are 2/3 scale based on t' plans for JimZ's site. Arrr! I used light balsa for t' two vertical fins, shiver me timbers, medium for t' keel, and hard balsa for t' two win' halves and two pylons. Blimey! All balsa be 1/16". I put an old 1/8" launch lug on. Begad!

I followed t' basic instructions from JimZ's site. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! With t' smaller wings, 3" balsa can be used for the wings without havin' t' butt-glue balsa sheets. Several points for construction:

1. Make sure t' two wings halves fit together perfectly!
2. Glue t' wings at a slight dihedral, ya bilge rat, then attach t' fins at 90 degrees t' t' wings.
3. Fillet all glue joints
4. Make sure t' pylons fit t' win' exactly. This will take lots o' sanding, but t' pylon must be secure for safe flight.
5. Attach t' launch lug in t' win' joint under t' pod before you attach t' pod.
6. Use wood glue for all joints and fillet or double-fillet everything.

PROs: Only 7 parts. Ahoy! Inexpensive parts. No more butt-gluing!

CONs: Lots o' sanding. Arrr! Begad! Parts must fit perfectly. Cut your own balsa.

I would call this a Level 3 kit due t' t' tricky balsa joints and amount o' sanding.

Finishing:
T' finishin' I did was t' preexistin' red on t' nose cone. I recommend nay paintin' this rocket t' save weight. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty!

PRO: Easy finishing, shiver me timbers, just paint t' NC red.

CON: Plain looks.

Flight:
Estes recommended t' 1/2A8-2, me bucko, A8-3, and B8-2. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I'd recommend t' B4-2, me hearties, shiver me timbers, B6-2, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and C6-3. Blimey! T' 1/2A6-2, A8-3, me bucko, arrr, matey, and B6-4 are okay for straight-up launches on windless days. Aye aye! An adapter for t' 1/2A3-2T would be useful.

Be careful! T' motor must eject out t' back t' glide. Ahoy! You'll need t' add a streamer for it (wrap it around the motor, me hearties, then insert) t' satisfy t' RSO and NARRRRR flight rules. Well, blow me down!

Mine balanced perfectly without any weight. Avast! Blimey! Your results may vary. Aye aye! Blimey! I estimate a glide ratio o' better than 10:1.

T' first flight was on an A8-3 in about 3 mph o' wind. Arrr! It launched straight up, did a horizontal figure-8 at about 40ft, arrr, me bucko, shiver me timbers, then continued vertically t' 100 feet o' so. T' 3-second delay be too long. Begad! It ejected at 15ft, arrr, glided a few feet, and lawn-darted with no damage. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' casin' landed 20 feet away.

T' second flight was on a B6-4 in t' same conditions. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! It did rather spectacular acrobatics at about 50 feet then again returned t' normal flight t' about 200 feet. Ejection was again way past at maybe 50 feet. Avast! Blimey! It fell t' about 15 feet then settled into a respectable 5-second fast glide. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Again, arrr, no damage.

Recovery:
PROs: Spectacular acrobatics. Begad! Blimey! Good glide. Avast! Blimey! Easy t' balance. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Withstands hard landings. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Needs no wadding--easy flight prep.

CONs: acrobatics may result in DQ'd flight. Aye aye! Needs some altitude t' begin glide. Avast, me proud beauty! Ejects motor casing (intentionally).

Summary:
This is a great rocket t' scratch build. Aye aye! Ahoy! It only takes two manufactured components, it's dirt cheap, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and it glides great. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

T' only improvable thin' would be a streamer for t' motor so it can be used in NARRRRR competition. Ahoy! Blimey!

PROs: Unique looks. Simple construction. Arrr! Unusual acrobatics. Aye aye! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Great glides

CONs: Motor ejection. Aye aye! Difficult balsa joints.