Brief:
A Estes E2X single stage 18mm rocket with a 12'' parachute, pre-colored parts, decals, short shock cord, and external shock cord mount. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Durin' a half-off sale, I got this kit for $2.50. Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction:
This kit be packaged in a box, shiver me timbers, a rare thin' for Estes. Avast, me proud beauty! Includes a black, pre-slotted body tube, a black nosecone, ya bilge rat, three black fins, and black motor mount parts, a blue motor tube, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me hearties, decals, arrr, arrr, shock cord, arrr, and other parts. Ya scallywag! T' body tube was thicker than you would expect from estes, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but t' shock cord was too short. Arrr!

This rocket was very easy t' build, even for a twelve year old. Blimey! Instructions were excellent, shiver me timbers, well illustrated and written. Well, blow me down! T' three black motor mount parts act as centerin' rings and t' motor block. Avast, me proud beauty! One cements t' motor mount in, makin' sure t' launch lug holes are aligned. Ya scallywag! Then you cement t' fins and launch lugs in. Well, blow me down! T' shock cord and its mount are attached t' t' rocket, followed by t' nose cone and parachute. Ahoy! Begad! Everythin' fits very well and sturdy for an Estes rocket. Begad! T' shock cord was too short though, although I didn't think so that time. Avast! I added a two foot length o' nylon cord.

Finishing:
One just has t' remove t' flash from t' nose cone and apply t' orange decals. Ahoy! Blimey! T' fin decals were very large and covered almost t' whole fin. Arrr! Arrr! I wondered why Estes didn't just use orange fins and t' name decal.(the fin decals are orange and include t' rocket's name).

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:

Installin' t' motor was somewhat difficult. Avast! T' motor was a tight fit and difficult t' remove before t' rocket was launched. Avast, me proud beauty! There was motor retention, but it wasn't needed. Well, blow me down! This rocket requires three sheets o' wadding. I used an aluminum foil ball and two sheets o' wadding.

This rocket has gone through two flights. T' first flight was on a B6-4, shiver me timbers, my first B motor flight. Blimey! T' motor boosted t' rocket straight, ya bilge rat, t' a moderate altitude. Avast, me proud beauty! T' second flight be on a C6-5. Because t' Banshee was launched at an angle, shiver me timbers, t' rocket didn't go as high as I expected, shiver me timbers, but still very high. Avast! I replaced t' parachute with a long streamer on this flight.

Recovery:
T' shock cord was too short, matey, so I added some nylon cord. T' external plastic shock cord mount be much better than t' tri-fold. Begad! It doesn't look that bad because it is streamlined.

On t' first flight on a B6-4, me bucko, I used t' parachute, me hearties, ya bilge rat, with no spill hole. It drifted for about 200 feet and came down very slowly. Blimey! Blimey! On t' second flight, the rocket used a streamer, matey, and landed in a puddle. Aye aye! Blimey! I went t' t' rocket very quickly, fearin' that t' motor might get stuck, ya bilge rat, but it didn't.

This rocket flies straight and true and can withstand many flights. Ahoy! Try a D21-7. Avast! This rocket probably won't shred, but it will burn due t' t' ejection charge against a plastic motor block. Ahoy! He he he...

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great 18 mm rocket. Aye aye! It is easy t' build and flies well. Just use a longer shock cord and replace t' parachute with a streamer when usin' C6-5 and D21-7 engines. Arrr! Also, don't insert t' motor until you are at t' launch pad so you won't change your mind. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' motor is a pain t' remove.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5