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

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

I followed t' basic instructions from JimZ's site. Begad! With t' smaller wings, 3" balsa can be used for the wings without havin' t' butt-glue balsa sheets. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Several points for construction:

1. Make sure t' two wings halves fit together perfectly!
2. Glue t' wings at a slight dihedral, ya bilge rat, then attach t' fins at 90 degrees t' t' wings.
3. Fillet all glue joints
4. Make sure t' pylons fit t' win' exactly. Blimey! Arrr! This will take lots o' sanding, me hearties, arrr, arrr, 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. Blimey! Well, blow me down!

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

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

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

Finishing:
T' finishin' I did was t' preexistin' red on t' nose cone. Arrr! I recommend nay paintin' this rocket t' save weight. Begad! Arrr!

PRO: Easy finishing, just paint t' NC red.

CON: Plain looks.

Flight:
Estes recommended t' 1/2A8-2, A8-3, and B8-2. Aye aye! I'd recommend t' B4-2, shiver me timbers, B6-2, matey, matey, and C6-3. Ahoy! T' 1/2A6-2, A8-3, 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. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! You'll need t' add a streamer for it (wrap it around the motor, then insert) t' satisfy t' RSO and NARRRRR flight rules. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

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

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

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

Recovery:
PROs: Spectacular acrobatics. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Good glide. Easy t' balance. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Withstands hard landings. Avast! Blimey! Needs no wadding--easy flight prep.

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

Summary:
This is a great rocket t' scratch build. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! It only takes two manufactured components, me bucko, matey, it's dirt cheap, and it glides great. Blimey!

T' only improvable thin' would be a streamer for t' motor so it can be used in NARRRRR competition. Begad!

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

CONs: Motor ejection. Arrr! Difficult balsa joints.