Brief:
This almost-ready t' fly kit is a good introduction t' t' concept o' the swing-win' glider. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I stumbled across one in a clearance bin at me neighborhood craft/hobby store and at $5 couldn't pass it up. Aye aye! Blimey! With a lightweight and colorful Styrofoam body, shiver me timbers, this looks like a nice little flyer (but mine wasn't...).

Construction:
Openin' t' box turned out t' be harder than makin' t' glider. Once I got everythin' opened and unpacked, I found t' glider body, ya bilge rat, t' stabilizer, some clay for weight, me bucko, and a rubber band (would love t' have seen a few spares included with this).

T' box described this as a skill level 4 kit, ya bilge rat, which in me opinion is grossly overstated. This be a very easy build and well within t' abilities of the typical cub scout. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I'd rate it more o' a skill level 1, although glider trimmin' might push it t' a 2.

T' only "assembly" required is slidin' t' stabilizer into the tail end o' t' fuselage and filletin' with white glue. Aye aye! Mine was a pretty tight fit and I wound up crackin' t' Styrofoam, shiver me timbers, which was easily repaired with a bit more white glue.

T' swing-win' mechanism was a little tricky t' figure out, me hearties, matey, mainly due to the fact that it be a bit too stiff and needed t' be worked a little. Blimey! Avast! During boost, t' wings are held in t' swept-back configuration by a metal pin that slides into a notch in t' wings. Arrr! Arrr! When t' ejection charge fires, this arm is pushed forward releasin' t' wings (a rubber band supplies t' oomph).

Finishing:
Other than trimmin' t' glider, me bucko, me hearties, shiver me timbers, thar's nothin' t' finishin' this.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was on a C6-3. Begad! Even goin' through t' closest slip hole, shiver me timbers, the rubber band felt pretty tight, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and thar was a slight bend t' t' rocket on the pad, arrr, matey, me hearties, as can be seen in t' photo. Well, me hearties, blow me down! It took off on a not-quite-vertical path. Aye aye! I'm not sure if this was due t' a short rod (only had a 36" rod today, and the lug starts over 15 inches up) or t' design.

T' boost only got this about 75-100 feet up due t' t' roughly 45 degree trajectory. Begad! Durin' t' 3 second delay, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' not-quite-a-glider-yet managed to tumble about halfway back down. When t' ejection charge finally blew, it did so with a vengeance, arrr, me bucko, breakin' t' brittle Styrofoam fuselage in two. Ya scallywag! T' wings flopped out slightly, just in time t' hit t' ground.

Overall, matey, shiver me timbers, this be a very disappointin' flight. Begad! If I'd gone with a longer rubber band and less tension, ya bilge rat, it would probably have been fine. This one though, me hearties, ya bilge rat, is ready for an early retirement, matey, as even with additional gluin' and reinforcing, I don't think t' body is goin' t' weather another flight.

Recovery:
T' Styrofoam was obviously pretty flimsy (stabilizer broke on installation), so t' single rubber band is probably nay t' right size or tension for me kit.

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5