Brief:
T' Blue Ninja is a very basic four-fin rocket in t' Estes E2X line, me hearties, ya bilge rat, with one special feature, its a big rocket, me hearties, usin' 24mm motors. Like all t' E2X kits it builds smartly and easily without painting, usin' plastic parts except for t' body tubes. T' completed rocket sports a reflective blue finish and a big, powerful look that is a big hit with t' younger rocketeers (and some o' t' older ones!) T' completed rocket is over 31 inches tall and weighs a respectable 145 grams (5.1 oz.)

Construction:
This kit is entirely typical o' Estes E2X kits. It arrived in a bag with all parts present and accounted for. Well, blow me down! T' two body tubes immediately catch t' eye. Begad! They are 12'' and 8'' inches long and over 1.6 inches in diameter (BT-60). They are also wrapped in a reflective, shiver me timbers, sparklin' coverin' (Estes calls it “prismatic” that gives t' Blue Ninja it's distinctive look. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' nosecone, ya bilge rat, fin can, matey, fins and tube connector are all black plastic, and seemed well molded. Blimey! Well, matey, blow me down! Surfaces are generally smooth, me bucko, with a nice, 'satin' finish. Ahoy! T' fits are good and required only a little trimmin' with t' hobby knife.

T' most interestin' part o' t' Blue Ninja construction be t' engine mount, which is a little different that other Estes kits. Well, blow me down! T' aft 5 inches o' t' rocket body is a molded plastic 'unit' in two halves. Begad! In addition t' slots for t' fin tabs, ya bilge rat, matey, arrr, this unit supports t' engine tube and provides a mount for t' engine-retention cap. Begad! Blimey! A plastic centerin' rin' (of sorts) fits over one end o' t' paper motor tube. Begad! This rin' fits into tabs inside t' fin mount. Well, blow me down! T' other end o' t' motor tube rests in a socket at t' upper end o' t' fin mount unit. Avast, me proud beauty! T' top half o' t' fin-mount unit glues in place with plastic cement. Ya scallywag! A standard size 24mm motor like t' D12 or C11 will protrude about ½ inch from t' end o' t' motor tube. Avast! A plastic cap restrains t' motor and hides it, ya bilge rat, givin' a nozzle-like stylin' t' t' end o' t' rocket. Avast! Begad! This cap twists into place with a bayonet mount, shiver me timbers, and has appeared on several Estes E2X kits. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It’s very easy and effective t' use, if a bit heavier than a standard motor clip. Ahoy! (It may be possible t' move t' motor block forward t' accommodate t' longer E9 motors. Avast! I didn’t think o' it at t' time but I believe t' motor tube is long enough. Begad! Begad! Accordin' t' Rocksim this kit ought t' fly well on those long-burnin' motors).

T' plastic fins glue t' t' plastic fin-mount unit with plastic cement (you get t' idea) T' fins have short tabs t' align them and perhaps provide a bit o' strength. Aye aye! I suspect that these fins could pop off in a hard landing, but so far ours have stayed on (despite one landin' on pavement.) It’s pretty hard t' mess-up these fins. Aye aye! T' biggest risk is that you will get plastic cement on t' nice smooth surface and mar it, ya bilge rat, but that can be avoided with simple precautions.

T' completed fin can fits into t' smaller o' t' two body tubes (again with plastic cement), shiver me timbers, and t' two tubes are connected with a plastic coupler. Avast! T' coupler is also t' mountin' point for t' shock-cord.

T' shock-cord is ¼ inch elastic, both wider and longer than one would expect from Estes (bravo!). Avast! Begad! Nevertheless I added a length o' Keelhaul®©™ tether, and strengthened t' top inch o' t' body tube with thin CA t' protect against “zippers”. Begad! T' standard 18 in. plastic chute came pre-assembled. Begad! Aye aye! I attached it t' t' elastic about 7 inches from t' nosecone.

T' "Pros" for this kit are t' easy, kid-friendly assembly (no CA or knives required). Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Instructions are typically Estes, shiver me timbers, which is t' say easy t' follow and well illustrated. Arrr! Blimey! T' rocket feels quite sturdy, but if you use plastic cement as recommended thar could be some separated parts after hard landings.

Finishing:
T' only finish step be t' application o' stick-on decals, arrr, t' large "Blue Ninja" on t' rocket body and vaguely oriental designs t' t' fins. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! While effortless, shiver me timbers, t' finish o' this rocket is one o' its strong sellin' points. It's a sharp-lookin' rocket right-out o' t' box, matey, which was important for me 7 year old.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
To date we have only flown t' rocket on C11-3 motors (small fields and strong winds). Rocksim puts apogee with that impulse around 300 feet, me hearties, matey, and that seems about right. Boost has always been straight and deployment close t' apogee. T' rocket comes off t' pad slowly and looks large and impressive in flight. Avast! Blimey! A D12-5 flight is predicted t' go t' 700 feet. Blimey! Blimey! This ought t' be a very predictable rocket, so I fully expect those flights t' be very successful too. Begad! Avast! Estes recommends a 3 second delay on t' D12, but Rocksim shows t' D12-5 t' be t' better choice. Well, blow me down! These E2X rockets generally are built right t' t' predicted weight, so t' Rocksim performance ought t' be accurate.

T' motor-retention cap extends beyond t' end o' t' motor a bit t' create a "nozzle" effect. Well, me bucko, blow me down! These caps make prep somewhat easier, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and look better that a metal hook, but it is a bit o' a reach t' get t' igniter properly secured in t' motor nozzle. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! We had a couple o' misfires caused by igniters that dropped out or broke. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Nay a big deal, matey, but somethin' t' think about when you prep this rocket.

On t' last flight t' prismatic blue wrap started t' unwind from t' body tube. Avast! Avast! It’s a small flaw easily repaired.

Recovery:
T' Blue Ninja recovers on a standard Estes plastic 18in chute. Well, blow me down! This chute has worked well for us, ya bilge rat, in terms o' size and decent rate. On t' last flight t' chute suffered some meltin' and burn holes, but brought t' rocket back just fine. Ya scallywag! T' body tube is wide and long, arrr, so sealin' it with waddin' is difficult. I was usin' Rogue Permawadding, which was undamaged, but obviously some o' t' "hot stuff" got by.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a fine kit for beginners, and ought t' be a breeze for anyone with plastic model experience. Arrr! Aye aye! T' flights are impressive and dependable on t' recommended engines. Avast, me proud beauty! There is no balsa in this kit, me hearties, and it is really nay so much “built” as “assembled”. I usually prefer a more traditional kit, but I can appreciate what Estes is doin' here. Well, arrr, blow me down! I bought this kit for me kids, arrr, me hearties, principally me seven year old. Avast, me proud beauty! That t' Blue Ninja is “easy-to-build” is a nice thin' for him, but t' most important feature is that it’s “easy t' get right”. Begad! I may find t' “made-by-Cub Scouts” look kind o' charming, but he is embarrassed by it. Avast, me proud beauty! I’ve also seen beginners discouraged by t' poor flyin' characteristics o' their early attempts. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! My kids love t' fly this rocket. Avast! They built it, ya bilge rat, it’s big, it flies well, and they get admirin' glances when they take it t' t' pad. I think this kit is goin' t' give a lot o' beginners a good first experience in rocketry, arrr, and encourage them t' continue on.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5