Brief:
This is me semi-downscale o' t' old (1965-67) K-19 Astron Invader. Arrr! T' wings and fins are 2/3 o' t' original, but I kept t' 18mm motor mount. Ahoy! It's a very unique glider with unusual flights and a fairly easy build.

Construction:
I built this from scratch. I used a PNC-20 (2.85" long) and 2" o' BT-20 from an Estes Viking. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! T' wing-fins are 2/3 scale based on t' plans for JimZ's site. I used light balsa for t' two vertical fins, medium for t' keel, and hard balsa for t' two win' halves and two pylons. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! All balsa be 1/16". Well, me bucko, blow me down! I put an old 1/8" launch lug on. Arrr! Avast!

I followed t' basic instructions from JimZ's site. With t' smaller wings, shiver me timbers, me hearties, 3" balsa can be used for the wings without havin' t' butt-glue balsa sheets. Ahoy! Several points for construction:

1. Make sure t' two wings halves fit together perfectly!
2. Glue t' wings at a slight dihedral, arrr, then attach t' fins at 90 degrees t' t' wings.
3. Fillet all glue joints
4. Make sure t' pylons fit t' win' exactly. This will take lots o' sanding, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but t' pylon must be secure for safe flight.
5. Attach t' launch lug in t' win' joint under t' pod before you attach t' pod.
6. Use wood glue for all joints and fillet or double-fillet everything. Well, blow me down!

PROs: Only 7 parts. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Inexpensive parts. Ya scallywag! Blimey! No more butt-gluing!

CONs: Lots o' sanding. Avast, me proud beauty! Parts must fit perfectly. Aye aye! Begad! Cut your own balsa.

I would call this a Level 3 kit due t' t' tricky balsa joints and amount o' sanding. Blimey!

Finishing:
T' finishin' I did be t' preexistin' red on t' nose cone. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I recommend nay paintin' this rocket t' save weight. Ya scallywag!

PRO: Easy finishing, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, just paint t' NC red.

CON: Plain looks.

Flight:
Estes recommended t' 1/2A8-2, ya bilge rat, A8-3, and B8-2. Begad! I'd recommend t' B4-2, B6-2, me hearties, and C6-3. Ya scallywag! T' 1/2A6-2, me bucko, A8-3, me bucko, me hearties, and B6-4 are okay for straight-up launches on windless days. An adapter for t' 1/2A3-2T would be useful.

Be careful! Blimey! T' motor must eject out t' back t' glide. Avast, me proud beauty! You'll need t' add a streamer for it (wrap it around the motor, then insert) t' satisfy t' RSO and NARRRRR flight rules. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey!

Mine balanced perfectly without any weight. Ya scallywag! Your results may vary. I estimate a glide ratio o' better than 10:1. Ahoy!

T' first flight be on an A8-3 in about 3 mph o' wind. Avast! It launched straight up, did a horizontal figure-8 at about 40ft, arrr, me hearties, then continued vertically t' 100 feet o' so. Begad! T' 3-second delay was too long. Avast! It ejected at 15ft, glided a few feet, matey, arrr, arrr, and lawn-darted with no damage. T' casin' landed 20 feet away.

T' second flight be on a B6-4 in t' same conditions. Begad! It did rather spectacular acrobatics at about 50 feet then again returned t' normal flight t' about 200 feet. Aye aye! Ejection was again way past at maybe 50 feet. Ahoy! It fell t' about 15 feet then settled into a respectable 5-second fast glide. Again, me hearties, no damage.

Recovery:
PROs: Spectacular acrobatics. Good glide. Arrr! Easy t' balance. Withstands hard landings. Avast, me proud beauty! Needs no wadding--easy flight prep.

CONs: acrobatics may result in DQ'd flight. Well, blow me down! Needs some altitude t' begin glide. Well, blow me down! Ejects motor casing (intentionally).

Summary:
This is a great rocket t' scratch build. Begad! Avast! Blimey! It only takes two manufactured components, me bucko, ya bilge rat, it's dirt cheap, and it glides great. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

T' only improvable thin' would be a streamer for t' motor so it can be used in NARRRRR competition. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down!

PROs: Unique looks. Blimey! Simple construction. Begad! Unusual acrobatics. Begad! Great glides

CONs: Motor ejection. Ahoy! Difficult balsa joints.