Brief:
T' X-Ray is an easy-to-build 'bug-lofter' for 13mm (mini) motors. Ahoy! It's essentially an Estes Gnome with a clear plastic payload section, arrr, and it shares the easy buildin' and flyin' characteristics o' that popular rocket. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Like the Gnome, t' main body tube is a minimum-diameter 13mm/BT5, shiver me timbers, but t' upper, payload section is wider; t' equivalent o' an 18mm/BT20 tube. Avast! A plastic transition section handles t' 18mm t' 13mm connection. Ahoy! T' rocket requires no paintin' or other finishin' except application o' decals.

Construction:
This kit has fewer parts than most rockets and none are especially tricky. There is no balsa in t' kit, just pink plastic for t' nose cone, fin unit (on piece with 4 fins) and upper launch-lug (the lower lug is built into t' fin unit), a grey plastic transition section, shiver me timbers, a paper main body tube (bt5) in black, and t' clear payload tube. A mini engine clip, ya bilge rat, shock cord and streamer complete t' kit.

Construction is easy and quick. Well, blow me down! As t' body tube is also t' engine tube, the motor clip is mounted externally. T' top o' t' clip slips into a small slit in t' tube and t' fin can is glued over t' top o' t' clip, ya bilge rat, securing it. Avast! Blimey! T' shock cord mounts through a similar slit in t' top o' t' tube and is secured by t' upper launch lug. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey!

T' nose, payload tube and transition section are friction fit, arrr, so that the payload section can be opened. Begad! We needed a turn o' maskin' tape, as the instructions suggested, me hearties, ya bilge rat, t' get a snug fit. Blimey! T' shock cord ties t' t' bottom of the transition section, shiver me timbers, and you're ready t' apply t' stick-on decals.

T' only thin' remotely 'tricky' be t' securin' o' t' shock cord t' the body tube and linin' up t' lugs, me hearties, and neither should cause problems even for young builders. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty!

PRO's: Fast and easy t' build right. Your young rocket scientist is goin' t' get a result he's happy with (which is t' say it will look just like the picture on t' box and he gets t' fly it today!)

Con's: If you want a challenge or a chance t' develop building skills you won't find it with this kit.

Finishing:
Put on t' decals. Avast! Ahoy! I can't imagine what else you could do, arrr, really. Aye aye!

I'm goin' t' rate it a 4 just because thar be so little t' build. Begad! Begad! Its really as close t' RTF as you can get and still call it a kit. Aye aye! If that's what you want then it's a perfect 5!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
We've flown it on t' A3-4 only. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Its t' perfect motor for this bird. Avast, me proud beauty! RockSim puts t' apogee at 450 ft. Aye aye! with A impulse, matey, and 215 ft. Arrr! with 1/2 A. Arrr! I don't think we're gettin' all o' 450 ft with ours, but we still get nice satisfying flights. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!

I believe (can't really remember...) that I replaced t' stock shock cord with a longer Estes 1/8 elastic; I wanted t' reduce t' load on t' cord and the payload section friction joints. Well, blow me down! Gettin' wadding, t' cord and t' streamer into t' 13mm body tube is a tight fit, which may have contributed t' t' one problem we have experienced with t' X-Ray. Avast!

T' only weakness in t' construction concerns t' motor clip mount through the BT-5 body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! After several flights I noticed that t' clip had been forced back by ejection charge, and had torn t' slit into a small "window". Well, blow me down! I should be able t' fix it, but t' clip, arrr, which is also the motor block, me bucko, me hearties, seems like t' weak point. Well, blow me down! That small slit through t' tube is not enough t' restrain it.

Recovery:
Recovery is quick with t' streamer, and t' fins can take t' landings with ease. Begad! Begad! Very little drift. Begad! T' biggest risk, me bucko, I believe, shiver me timbers, matey, aside from t' usual shock cord breakage, is that t' friction fit o' t' nosecone or transition section will fail at separation and parts will be lost. We have nay experienced such a problem, but I'm careful t' get a snug fit. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
It's a kid's rocket and it does that job quite well. Well, arrr, blow me down! You can buy it, shiver me timbers, build it, and fly t' whole pack o' A3's in a day. T' biggest disappointment me son felt was t' difficulty he had securin' 'passengers' t' ride in t' payload section. T' package shows a 'stink beetle' (that's how he describes it) onboard the rocket, and he thought that be just ideal. Begad! Such beetles are hard t' find just when you need 'em, shiver me timbers, however, and we were about t' send up our third sample of clover when a flyin' ant landed on me wrist just as I was securin' t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! It seemed like he was voluteerin' for t' flight so we scooped him up and sent him aloft. Afterwards me son got t' t' rocket first and opened the payload, ya bilge rat, arrr, but could nay find our passenger. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I think he made his exit as soon as the cone came off! All in all a nice little payloader for mini-engines and mini-rocketeers.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5