Brief:
A helicopter recovery rocket. Begad! My wife's favorite, matey, because t' prep time after a recovery is about 2 minutes -- put t' engine, me hearties, igniter, matey, me hearties, and igniter plug in, matey, and t' rocket is ready for another go!

Components:

• Body tube: BT-20D (7")
• Nose cone: BNC-20B (balsa) (any blunt one will do)
• Fins: 2 large, me bucko, 2 hinged, 4 rudders
• No motor mount, matey, ya bilge rat, just an engine block
• No shock cord, me bucko, parachute, me bucko, or streamer
• Short length o' elastic string
• Short length (2") o' hardwood (popsicle stick works well)
• Launch lug 1"
• Hinge material (unscented bounce sheets work well)
• Other materials you will need (as usual): pencil or pen, hobby cutlass t' cut t' fins, a sewin' needle, and some white glue (no plastic parts).

Construction:
Construction PROs: This rocket is pretty simple t' build. Ahoy! Arrr! There are relatively few steps, due t' t' simple design. Well, blow me down! Typical Estes picture-heavy instructions make everythin' go together well. Blimey! Most o' t' "gotcha's" were spelled out in t' instructions (gluin' t' fins together where t' hinge goes). T' only hard part o' this whole "kit" is gettin' t' elastic into t' fins without destroyin' them. A sewin' needle is almost too big, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but t' elastic is too thick for most everythin' else.

Another PRO be t' sturdiness. Arrr! Ahoy! You would think that t' rocket repeatedly landin' on t' nose would dent it, or rip t' fins off. However, me bucko, while it looks like it is screamin' down, it is really floatin' -- an optical illusion because it is spinning, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I guess. Arrr! Arrr! Finally, thar are only two fins t' glue onto t' body tube, so it is much easier t' align than 3 or 4. Arrr! You could probably use a ruler or other straight-edge t' help also, shiver me timbers, matey, me hearties, if needed. Avast! Gluin' t' rudders is pretty easy, they need t' be opposite o' each other, which you can tell by sightin' down t' fin.

Construction CONs: Nothin' really. A very simple rocket t' build.

Finishing:
As this is a JimZ plans, arrr, shiver me timbers, thar are nay any decals supplied. Avast! So, shiver me timbers, me bucko, arrr, you are free t' make up your own scheme. I painted it in a spiral by paintin' t' undercoat white, then maskin' off with a length o' 3/4" tape. Ya scallywag! I also painted t' fins and rudders alternatin' colors, me hearties, shiver me timbers, so it really blurs when it comes down. Begad! This makes t' finishin' much harder than it has t' be. Avast! Nay too many nooks and crannies, so is easy t' spray paint.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Flights are great. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Put an A engine in (a B engine is almost too much, shiver me timbers, me hearties, a C is out o' sight for a LONG time), shiver me timbers, add an igniter and its plug, me hearties, and you are good t' go. Avast! T' engine holds t' fins straight until it ejects, matey, which lets t' elastic pull t' bottom part o' t' fins into t' helicopter configuration. Avast, me proud beauty! No waddin' t' forget. Aye aye! No parachute t' fold or get tangled. Avast, me proud beauty! No shock cord t' burn through, ya bilge rat, or cause a zipper. Begad! Man, what a waste! How are you supposed t' CATO this? ;-) Mine flies pretty straight, but has a spin t' it while boosting. Ahoy! Arrr! I can't tell if I didn't position t' hardwood against t' engine right, shiver me timbers, or got t' fins cocked while gluin' them on, matey, or t' wind pushes it. Avast! However, shiver me timbers, it just adds t' t' "helicopter" feel!

Recovery:
T' only CON here is that t' elastic and hinge material wear out after a while. Mine has had about ten flights, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and one fin only pulls a little. However, it doesn't seem t' affect t' spin much. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I'll bet I have t' replace both elastic strings, and maybe t' hinge material too. Avast! I don't know what you could do t' make it better, arrr, though! Blimey! Ten flights and still goin' strong, better than most o' me rockets ... Avast! Ahoy! Blimey! but that's another story.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Simple t' build, very simple t' prep, very little t' go wrong on this baby. Begad! A great rocket. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! An added bonus: All t' old-timers get a real kick out o' seein' this one, shiver me timbers, too.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5