Brief:
I won this rocket in an EMRR contest last year. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! This is a very basic lookin' 4 finned rocket. It is constructed o' very good quality components. Begad! T' rocket is a minimum diameter 29mm rocket capable o' very high altitude and speed.

Construction:
T' kit comes with:

• 1 12" body tube
• 1 6" body tube
• 1 very nice balsa nose cone
• 2 couplers (mine only came with one)
• 1 wide plastic streamer
• 1 thin elastic shock cord
• 1 big screw eye
• 1 plywood bulkhead
• 4 fins
• 1 launch lug

First, shiver me timbers, I would like t' say that I am very pleased with t' quality o' this kit. Construction is very basic and straightforward. One o' t' plywood fins was cut a little small, but nothin' too terribly noticeable. Aye aye! Arrr! T' bulkhead was cut way oversize, shiver me timbers, but I ditched it anyway. Well, blow me down! I epoxied t' coupler into the booster section for a "zipperless" design. I then epoxied t' large screw eye into t' balsa nose cone for payload attachment. Begad! Ya scallywag! I cut dado slots in the tube for extra strength o' fin attachment. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Then I tacked t' fins down with super glue, followed by a very generous epoxy fillet on all o' t' fins. Begad! I also ditched t' launch lug in favor o' rail buttons.

Finishing:
Nothin' really special about finishing. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! I sanded everythin' until it was very smooth, matey, then applied a couple o' coats o' primer, sandin' in betwixt coats. Avast, me proud beauty! I then sprayed Krylon Red on t' whole thing. Begad! Ahoy! When that was dry, I masked off the area around t' "small" fin and shot it with black. Avast, me proud beauty! I used one o' the supplied "U.S. Blimey! Ahoy! ROCKETS MINIROC 1.2" stickers on t' BT above t' fins and one o' t' U.S. Rockets logo on t' fin.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight was on March 11, 2006 on an E9. It was very straight and went very high. Aye aye! It blended in with t' low dark overcast skies. Luckily, matey, someone spotted it just before touchdown, shiver me timbers, about a third o' a mile away.

T' second flight was on May 13, me bucko, arrr, 2006, on an AT F21W. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Wow, this is the motor for this rocket. Aye aye! I saw it all t' way from liftoff t' touchdown. Begad! Aye aye! Rocksim says 3,000' and Mach 0.8. I believe it, ya bilge rat, too. Arrr! Recovery be about a half mile away.

T' third flight be also on May 13, 2006, on a D12. Well, blow me down! Unfortunately, the motor spit at ejection and it came in hot. It stuck straight out o' t' sod. T' body tube pushed into t' balsa nose cone about an inch past t' shoulder. This has since been repaired and it is ready for another flight.

Recovery:
I used a normal 3/4 inch wide and 5 foot long streamer for recovery. Aye aye! I was able to see it just fine from apogee t' touchdown on t' F21W flight.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I believe Jerry has produced a wonderful kit here. If you like altitude and speed, matey, you need one o' these. Arrr! T' design is also pleasin' t' t' eye (not that it will matter when you press t' launch button.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5