Description: Single staged 10.5mm motor (1/4 A through A in Apogee motors) rocket that is a minute scale model o' t' V2. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

Pros and cons o' construction: All parts specified were thar and undamaged. I got t' kit less than a week after I ordered it, me hearties, and it was securely packed in styrofoam popcorn in a strong postal box. Begad! Avast! T' nose cone is solid lightweight balsa wood. Blimey! Blimey! T' tail cone is also balsa, shiver me timbers, with a 10.5mm bore predrilled t' accept t' 10.5mm motor tube. Blimey! Avast! T' body tube and motor tube are spiral wound paper. Ahoy! T' launch lug is plastic and is for 1/8 inch rods. Arrr! Begad! The streamer is 17 inches o' 1 inch wide plastic. Begad! T' fins are die cut balsa.

Instructions are clear, illustrated and logical. Arrr! Aye aye! You also get a historical essay on t' original V2, and how its capture from t' Germans helped our space program.

Assembly was easy and quick. Ahoy! Avast! You do have t' align t' 4 fins, but that's not hard. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' shock cord is thin Keelhaul®©™®-like strin' o' 20 inches in length. Avast, me proud beauty! It fits into a plastic bead that glues into t' hole predrilled into t' base o' the nose cone. Begad! Aye aye! Me, I prefer screw-eyes, matey, but this seemed t' work fine. Ahoy! Also, me bucko, if you've seen me other reviews, ya bilge rat, then you know that I have a thin' for stretchy shock cords, too. But this one worked without a hitch. I attached it into the forward centerin' rin' in t' motor mount. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! White glue be used for assembly, but epoxy be used t' glass up t' fins and make them durable. Blimey! Arrr! It was also used to glass and smoothen t' nose cone. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Yellow spray paint be used as a primer. Ahoy! Ahoy! I was about t' apply green, ya bilge rat, when me cat, me hearties, Freeway, grabbed t' rocket and ran with it. Begad! I decided, shiver me timbers, arrr, after findin' it again, shiver me timbers, me hearties, ya bilge rat, t' fly it as is. Aye aye!

Pros and cons o' finishing: A simple paint job is enough. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I chose t' glass t' fins out o' personal preference. Arrr! Blimey! It's also a habit from high power rocketry. A green camouflage paint job will be applied this week, even though me cat likes it yellow. Maybe green will make me lose it! Blimey! At least yellow is easy t' find. Aye aye! Blimey!

Ratin' for construction and finishing: 4 out o' 5

Pros and cons about flight: Apogee recommends their 1/4 A through A line, me hearties, namely t' 1/4A2-2 or 4, 1/2A2-2 or 4 and t' A2-3 or 5 . T' shorter delays are recommended if it's breezy. Me, I used an A2-5, as it was a still day t' likes o' which only Phoenix can achieve. Begad! Begad! Blimey! T' prep time be just seconds. A pinch o' worm bed waddin' and maskin' tape t' retain t' motor and it be ready. Avast, me proud beauty! And t' Apogee igniters fit right into t' motor. T' flight was fast. Aye aye! Blimey! A FWIT sound and it was gone, high and straight. Good thin' it was yellow or else I'd have lost it for sure. Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey! I luckily saw t' streamer. Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Maybe an itsy bitsy parachute would increase hang time and help me find it next time. Avast, me proud beauty! Knowing my luck, me bucko, arrr, though, arrr, arrr, me bucko, I'll catch a thermal. Begad! Begad! Blimey!

Pros and cons about recovery: (17" streamer) It was easy t' assemble. Blimey! Begad! It worked just fine, without any damage or burnin' t' the rocket. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down!

Ratin' o' flight and recovery: 4 out o' 5

Anythin' this kit taught me: Keep your kits away from your pets. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! More seriously, shiver me timbers, I learned about t' history o' t' real V2. I enjoyed that. Arrr! Blimey!