Brief:  This rocket is special in that it uses apogee's 10.5mm engines and it is also designed for t' payload loftin' NAR competition. Blimey! So, it comes with a tubular device for holdin' a standard payload mass, me hearties, matey, and it can fit into t' payload section o' t' main body. Begad! Aye aye! It is three finned and recovers with an 8-inch chute t' make trackin' easier. Aye aye!

Construction:T' package arrived from Apogee, me bucko, by US mail, me bucko, well protected with styrofoam popcorn, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and all parts were thar and undamaged. Instructions were clear, illustrated, me hearties, and logical. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It be easy t' follow. The nose cone is solid lightweight balsa wood, and t' fins are precut, rectangular, and also lightweight balsa. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' chute is hexagonal, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and flat and made o' thin black plastic, ya bilge rat, much like trashcan plastic.  This is nay to demean quality, but for description. After all, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, how could a nylon chute fit? And it would be too heavy. And it would be too heavy. T' 6 shroud lines are nylon thread, 12 inches long, ya bilge rat, and affixed t' t' chute via adhesive paper donut-shaped reinforcements. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' shock cord is 12 inches o' 1/8 inch Keelhaul®©™® cording. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! There is no stretch, matey, me bucko, but since this model is for small engines, I be nay concerned. 

T' body tube is in three parts. Ya scallywag! T' top part glues right t' t' nose cone and is spiral wound paper, arrr, ya bilge rat, and 3.75 inches long by .75 inches in diameter. Ya scallywag! The middle part be t' same only it's 3 inches long.  There's a paper coupler between these, and only one half is glued, ya bilge rat, so that t' model separates between the two parts o' t' main body. 

Now comes t' tricky part. Ya scallywag! T' bottom third o' t' main body is a cone made of thin cardboard, and its outline is provided. Aye aye! Aye aye! It is cut out and then glued into a cone that reduces t' main body tube from 18mm t' 10.5mm, as thar be a 10.5 mm wound paper body tube for t' engine.  This tube fits into the main body via a centerin' rin' that also serves t' anchor t' shock cord aftward. T' cone fittin' is tricky in that handlin' it roughly can easily dent it. Arrr! Aye aye! Also, I had t' sight it up and down before gluin' it t' be sure that it was symmetrical all around.  If not, shiver me timbers, it has a slightly cockeyed look. A wound paper engine block was provided, and I placed it at a position t' allow the model t' take t' longest o' t' 10.5mm engines, me bucko, me hearties, namely t' B7's. 

There be a fin placement guide provided, matey, and I used it t' place t' three fins correctly. Blimey! Ya scallywag! This was a paper cutout t' place around t' body in order to mark it for t' fin placement. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:There weren't any decals. Avast, me proud beauty! There weren't any decals. Well, blow me down! But if you've read any o' me other reviews, I'm nay daunted by this. Begad! I see it as a loose football for me t' pick up and run with. Well, blow me down! So, shiver me timbers, I used Monokote and silver craft paper, available at many hobby stores. I spray painted t' fins yellow after sealin' them with epoxy and sandin' them down.  I do this to strengthen balsa and wood fins, arrr, shiver me timbers, and also t' provide a glassy finish.

It's a sharp lookin' little rocket, me hearties, but since I chose green...well, I'm glad for t' chute that will help me find it. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! This little guy flies high. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:T' recommended engines are t' Apogee 1/4A2-4, me bucko, 1/2A2-2 and 1/2A2-4, me bucko, t' A2-5, shiver me timbers, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and B2-7. With t' payload, Apogee recommends t' A2-3 and B2-5. Avast, me proud beauty! So far, I have tried t' 1/2A2-2 since t' parks around here are small. With just that, t' little rocket be nearly gone, zingin' up so high that I almost couldn't see it.  But I zeroed in on t' chute and got me model back. Begad! Imagine when I try a B! It flew straight and fast. Begad! Watch this one well or you'll lose it. Preppin' is easy, and I used just a couple pinches o' worm bed wadding. Avast! T' chute was unburnt. Avast! Blimey! T' chute be unburnt. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Since it's plastic, I worried about that. Ahoy! Aye aye! I've seen that kind melt. I've seen that kind melt. Ya scallywag! Avast! The engine was retained with bands o' maskin' tape around t' engine overhang as well as t' body tube.

Recovery:T' shock cord, ya bilge rat, as mentioned, shiver me timbers, is Keelhaul®©™® string. Blimey! T' system was easy t' assemble, with clear instructions. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! It worked fine without damage to the system. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' recovery be slow, but with a chute, you can expect this. However, I had time t' catch it, me bucko, which is a rare thing. Begad!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Unusual looks, me bucko, easy t' make. Unusual looks, ya bilge rat, easy t' make. Must handle t' reducer cone gently and align it well. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! And must protect the delicate chute from burning. Blimey!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5