Brief:
This is a review o' t' OOP Estes Master's Series Space Shuttle, me bucko, EST# 1284. Aye aye! Blimey! It is a 1/162 scale replica o' t' Space Shuttle and includes both Orbiter and booster sections. Begad! Blimey! These sections are connected at launch, boost on a single C5-3 or C6-3 engine, and separate when t' 'main engine' ejects. Begad! Blimey! T' Orbiter uses glide recovery while t' booster uses a parachute. Avast! For flight, me bucko, me hearties, thar are removable fin units that mount in t' SRBs. Begad! For display, plastic nozzles are provided.

Construction:
T' Space Shuttle came packaged like a typical Estes kit (plastic bags, etc). Ya scallywag! This is definitely a skill-level-4 kit with 16 pages o' detailed instructions containin' 53 steps. Ya scallywag! It claims t' require 4 types o' glue and 6 colors o' paint. Begad! Blimey! T' parts list includes 27 line items includin' t' chute, decals, etc. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' balsa fins, cardboard body wraps/detailing, me bucko, and vacuum-molded Orbiter components are all die cut. Avast! T' die cut plastic components made t' Orbiter assembly a lot easier, as I never seem t' get a good fit when I have t' cut them with a cutlass.

I built t' kit stock, down t' t' elastic shock cord. Ya scallywag! I figured it was good enough for several flights, and I probably will nay fly it too often. Ahoy! I substituted Titebond for t' white glue, and since I didn't want t' go out and buy 3 types o' glue that I normally don't use (contact cement, ya bilge rat, plastic cement, and liquid plastic cement), I used CA (medium and thick) instead. I assembled t' entire booster (main tank/SRBs) this way and it worked fine. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Later, when I got t' t' Orbiter, me hearties, which is almost all plastic, me bucko, I broke down and got some liquid plastic cement. Ya scallywag! I want t' point out a general rule in buildin' models - one that I don't seem t' follow. Arrr! That is, me hearties, me hearties, read ALL t' instructions before you start. Begad! I didn't pay attention and used t' elastic strin' required for t' adjustment o' t' Orbiter's elevons in another spot. Begad! DUH. Avast! I did, however, find a suitable replacement when buildin' t' Orbiter. Arrr! My feeble mind was confused by t' fact that t' chute came pre-assembled, arrr, and t' instructions called for a piece o' twine from t' chute. I followed t' instructions pretty much as is, shiver me timbers, arrr, arrr, but I did skip ahead at times t' keep busy while parts dried. I found one fin was broken out o' t' bag; however, arrr, ya bilge rat, this was easily fixed with some glue and tissue. Begad! I stopped at t' point that t' main tank, arrr, matey, SRBs, me bucko, and removable fin units were complete. At this point, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I decided that I would separately paint each section. After these sections are assembled, ya bilge rat, me bucko, shiver me timbers, it would be very difficult t' paint them different colors. Ya scallywag! T' fit o' t' plastic Orbiter parts was nay perfect, ya bilge rat, but nay too bad. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' first step in trimmin' t' Orbiter glider is balancin' it and adjustin' t' nose weight. Ya scallywag! T' kit provides two weights. Avast! I used one weight and some clay instead o' cuttin' t' second one up. Next, arrr, you adjust t' elevons with a strin' that is run through t' center engine nozzle in t' rear. Blimey! Well, blow me down! This strin' pulls on a plastic arm on t' elevon assembly, ya bilge rat, while t' elastic strin' mentioned earlier maintains tension. Begad! Avast! After quite a bit o' adjustment, t' Orbiter still seems t' glide like a brick (kind o' like t' real thing?). Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! If I was confident in me detailed model buildin' abilities, ya bilge rat, I would give a construction ratin' o' 2.5, matey, but will give it t' benefit o' t' doubt and bump it up a point.

Finishing:
I decided t' use t' current Shuttle paint scheme, with a brown main tank and white boosters. Avast! As I mentioned above, shiver me timbers, these were painted prior t' their final assembly. Ahoy! I used white spray paint and t' rest be brush-on. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't want t' buy multiple spray paints, nor am I that skilled in maskin' small details. I even mixed me own light gray-green for t' tip o' t' Orbiter's nose and t' leadin' edge o' t' wings. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals are t' water-slide variety. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! They went on fine, shiver me timbers, but some o' t' smaller ones literally blew away when I sprayed t' final clear coat. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' end result, matey, like many o' me finish jobs, looks good from a distance.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
T' kit flies on C5-3 and C6-3 engines only. Ahoy! Ahoy! I chose a C6-3 because that is what I had available. Begad! T' winds were blowin' betwixt 5-10 mph (my guess) when I launched. T' boost be slow (read that realistic) and thar was some wobble and weathercocking.

Recovery:
T' recovery system is typical Estes with an elastic shock cord and a plastic chute. Begad! Well, blow me down! Ejection appeared t' occur just before apogee and t' Booster separated, ya bilge rat, just as it was supposed to. Avast, me proud beauty! It turned with t' wind and came down at a fairly steep angle, arrr, again, arrr, just like t' real thing. Arrr! Aye aye! It landed nicely without damage. T' one problem was singein' on t' elastic shock cord, which is no big surprise. Avast, me proud beauty! I will have t' replace it before t' next flight - should have done it at t' start! I rate t' flight/recovery at 5/5, and take off ½ point for t' elastic shock cord.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs 1. Arrr! Blimey! Great lookin' scale model. 2. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Relatively easy t' build, matey, considerin' t' number o' components. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! 3. Realistic lookin' boost and Orbiter recovery. Avast! Blimey! 4. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Neat rocket!

CONs 1. Fin stock was broken out o' t' package. Aye aye! 2. Avast, me proud beauty! Some steps are hard t' understand and require lookin' at all t' finishin' diagrams t' understand what is intended 3. Blimey! T' fit o' t' Orbiter parts is so-so 4. Ya scallywag! Junky recovery components - typical Estes.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5