Brief:
I won this rocket in an EMRR contest last year. Ya scallywag! This is a very basic lookin' 4 finned rocket. Ahoy! Arrr! 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, I would like t' say that I am very pleased with t' quality o' this kit. Well, blow me down! Construction is very basic and straightforward. Well, blow me down! One o' t' plywood fins was cut a little small, ya bilge rat, but nothin' too terribly noticeable. Well, blow me down! T' bulkhead was cut way oversize, but I ditched it anyway. I epoxied t' coupler into the booster section for a "zipperless" design. Ya scallywag! I then epoxied t' large screw eye into t' balsa nose cone for payload attachment. Arrr! I cut dado slots in the tube for extra strength o' fin attachment. Then I tacked t' fins down with super glue, me bucko, me hearties, 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. Begad! Begad! I sanded everythin' until it was very smooth, then applied a couple o' coats o' primer, matey, sandin' in betwixt coats. Arrr! I then sprayed Krylon Red on t' whole thing. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! When that was dry, I masked off the area around t' "small" fin and shot it with black. Begad! I used one o' the supplied "U.S. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, matey, me hearties, 2006 on an E9. Begad! It was very straight and went very high. It blended in with t' low dark overcast skies. Luckily, someone spotted it just before touchdown, about a third o' a mile away.

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

T' third flight was also on May 13, me bucko, 2006, ya bilge rat, me bucko, on a D12. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Unfortunately, arrr, shiver me timbers, the motor spit at ejection and it came in hot. Avast! 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. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I be 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, me hearties, arrr, you need one o' these. Begad! 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