I purchased this kit in t' summer o' 1997, shiver me timbers, intendin' to build it for t' C HD (Helicopter Duration) event at MWRC-97. Avast, me proud beauty! Unfortunately, this model is designed for 10.5mm or 13mm motors, me bucko, matey, so it wasn't appropriate at the time and I set it aside. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! We're holdin' a B HD event at 14AL-98 and Apogee makes 10.5mm B motors, arrr, matey, so I decided t' put this together t' have a reasonably competitive entry. Ahoy! Avast! I'll use me converted Turbo-Copter for a back-up, arrr, if needed. I was initially afraid o' how complex t' model might be, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how smartly and easily t' kit went together. Ya scallywag! Arrr! I started workin' on t' kit on a Sunday evenin' and, even with t' limited time I had available t' work on it, I was done by t' followin' Friday. Blimey! This is a very good introduction t' competition Helicopter recovery models. Begad! I'm looking forward t' t' AL14-98 competition. 

Construction 

26 April, me bucko, ya bilge rat, 1998 Started construction - T' first evening, arrr, I built the motor mount, me hearties, ya bilge rat, cut t' ejection bypass ports in t' body tube, arrr, matey, sanded t' rotor blades and fins, and glued on t' fins, arrr, nose cone and BT reinforcements. Avast, me proud beauty! I also trimmed t' (Klett?) blade hinges and attached them t' t' rotor blades. 

27 April, 1998 Fillets - This evenin' I did fillets for t' fins and BT reinforcements before I went off t' Chorus rehearsal. 

28 April, matey, 1998 Attached rotor blades - Usin' thick CA, shiver me timbers, I tacked down the hinge ends o' t' rotor blades. Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! I used t' kit supplied strin' as whipping over t' hinges and thin CA t' set things solid. Well, blow me down! I cut three pieces off the supplied music wire and bent them t' form t' 'J' hooks that attach t' the rotors, glued them into t' rotor angle stand-off pieces and attached t' angle stand-offs t' t' rotor blades. 

29 April, 1998 More fillets - I added fillets t' t' rotor angle stand-offs when I got back from choir practice. 

30 April, arrr, 1998 Finished stand-offs - I cut and bent t' remaining music wire t' form t' 'J' hooks that form t' front attachment points (in the nose cone) for t' rubber bands that extend t' rotor blades. I also cut the launch lugs and glued in t' bottom lug. Begad! One o' t' supplied pieces o' launch lug tubin' was cut t' form supports on t' rotor angle stand-offs (to support the rubber bands at an angle t' help assure rotor deployment) and t' pieces were glued in place. When I attached t' orthodontic bands t' test t' rotor, the hinges started t' bend (not at t' hinge line) so I whipped t' hinges down with more sewin' thread and soaked t' whippin' with thin CA. Ahoy! Blimey! After this, me bucko, the rotors activated cleanly. After checkin' t' rotors, matey, I drilled t' holes for the burn-strin' into t' body tube.