Brief:
Almost ready t' Fly, me bucko, twin parachute, ya bilge rat, missile-esque 4FNC.

After workin' on some projects that are takin' a bit o' time, shiver me timbers, I decided I wanted some quick gratification and pulled this rocket out o' me "build bin". Well, blow me down! It went together smartly and gave me an excuse t' try t' Future acrylic tip I had read about. Avast! Besides, matey, I kind o' like t' picture on t' package.

Construction:
T' kit includes:

• Plastic fin can assembly in two halves
• 4 plastic fins
• plastic fin lockin' ring
• plastic motor lock ring
• motor tube
• 3 body tubes o' diminishin' length and diameter (not specified)
• large plastic reducer
• small plastic reducer
• plastic nose cone
• Keelhaul®©™® shock cord
• round elastic shock cord
• 2 14" parachute kits
• peel off sticker set

T' body tubes and motor tube were grey colored and had a rough texture. Well, blow me down! T' spirals were deep but part o' the ARTF karmic price. Ya scallywag! T' texture is apparently part o' t' "finish" and distracts t' eye from t' spirals.

T' instructions were printed on both sides o' a single 11" x 17" sheet. T' actual instructions were one one side and launch info be on t' other. Blimey! Aye aye! They were illustrated adequately, in logical order, easy t' understand, and suitable t' t' purpose.

Assembly starts off by tyin' t' Keelhaul®©™® to t' elastic with an overhand knot and then tyin' t' Keelhaul®©™® to t' appropriate loop in one half o' t' fin can. Well, blow me down! Begad! I supplemented this by puttin' a drop o' CA on each o' t' knots.

T' fin can comes in 2 halves. Aye aye! Blimey! T' motor tube is notched at t' top and t' notch slips into a peg on either side of t' fin can. T' fin can is then cemented together with plastic model cement. Avast! I used Solva-weld. Begad! Blimey! Model cement is also indicated t' glue t' fin can t' t' lower body tube. Havin' bad experience with Estes products doin' this, I used CA.

T' plastic fins were then slipped into t' provided grooves in t' fin can. T' instruction warn you t' test fit them first. This is a very good idea. Three o' t' four fit fine, though one be rather loose. T' fourth was very difficult t' fit and needed some trimmin' with a razor. Ya scallywag! Arrr! If I had nay checked first, me hearties, ya bilge rat, this would have cause problems since I used CA instead o' t' recommended model cement. T' final part o' this step was t' insert t' fin lockin' ring which I secured with Solva-weld and then inserted t' motor retainin' ring. Aye aye! Be careful nay t' let any solvent get onto the motor lockin' ring.

I also used CA t' glue in t' transitions and nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! T' design calls for t' use o' 2 parachutes and separate recovery for t' nose cone but I don't generally like doin' that. I affixed t' shock cord t' t' upper transition so t' rocket would recover in a single unit. Aye aye! Ahoy! I would have made t' separation point on t' lower transition for easy stuffin' o' t' parachute but thar be nothin' t' tie it on to. Avast! I again secured t' knot with a drop o' CA.

Since I didn't play t' "assemble t' parachute" game, arrr, t' model was ready for finishing.

PROs: Easy and quick assembly.

CONs: 2 piece fin can. Begad! I just know that is goin' t' cause problems at some point and don't trust it.

Finishing:
T' finishin' on t' instructions consists simply o' applyin' t' peel off stickers. Well, blow me down! Before puttin' them on, I was a little bummed out because t' rocket looked too plain. Begad! T' stickers changed all that. Blimey! They really complement it well.

I have two comments about t' stickers though. Begad! First, they are peel 'n' stick so they are really thick. Arrr! Blimey! This will invariably cause them t' come off at some point. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Second, t' trouble with t' sticker thickness is exacerbated by the stickiness factor on these stickers. Aye aye! Blimey! It is minimal. Avast! Since I hope t' keep this rocket for a while, shiver me timbers, (I have that hope for all o' me rockets but one) I decided t' try I tip I had read about.

I had read that Future floor polish really protects and holds things down. Arrr! Imagine me wife's surprise when I asked her t' get some for me next time she went t' t' store. Avast, me proud beauty! She is Korean, matey, however, ya bilge rat, and that involves several side issues:

1. Why is a grown man playin' with rockets?
2. Why is a grown member o' t' clergy in mostly good standin' playin' with rockets?
3. T' language issue meant that I finally decided t' procure it myself. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! (This is a comment on pronunciation: apparently t' sounds needed t' convey future are difficult for t' Han language.)

I went t' that refuge o' men who hate t' shop: Amazon. Ya scallywag! A few days later, I had 2 bottles which stayed around for a long time before I decided t' use them. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! They kept disappearin' because t' housekeeper could nay figure out why I did not want her t' put them away and I kept forgettin' t' leave her a note. Avast, me proud beauty! My wife does nay speak Spanish and the housekeeper does nay speak Korean. Arrr! Somehow they still communicate beautifully except with tryin' t' talk about me and my idiosyncrasies. Begad! Rockets are some o' those idiosyncrasies. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! But I digress.

When I finally got around t' tryin' it, I noticed that t' label said "Pledge with Future Shine". Avast! That didn't sound right. Ya scallywag! On closer examination, me bucko, the label said that it be all acrylic and t' "Future" had t' same little electron orbital logo I remembered from t' original tip so I went ahead. Aye aye!

I applied t' stuff with a sponge brush. Begad! Blimey! It went on easily but dripped a lot. Begad! After drying, ya bilge rat, it was nice and shiny, shiver me timbers, but I am nay sure that it conveyed any protective or sealant qualities. Ya scallywag! I need t' find out if I used t' right stuff or if it be just a change in marketin' strategy.

PROs: looks good, me hearties, and fast and easy t' build.

CONs: I worry about t' stickers comin' up.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended Motors: B6-4, C6-3, C6-5

I only got t' launch this one once because it was at a club launch and I wound up servin' as RSO. Well, blow me down! It was also t' busiest launch me club has ever had. Aye aye! That's great but hard on me flying!

I used a B4-4. As it turned out, shiver me timbers, matey, that launched t' bird just fine. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It flew up straight and deployed at apogee. Ya scallywag! It recovered under a nylon 9" chute just fine. Avast! Blimey! It may have been a bit fast but thar were no problems.

PROs: flies well and true

CONs: none

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I think this is a very fine beginner's kit. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! It's easy and looks good. Arrr! It also looks somewhat more complex that a 3NFC rocket. Begad! It would seem t' be reliable and can get more young folk into t' hobby.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5