Brief:
This rocket in BT-55 based and flies on 18mm motors. The nose cone uses helicopter recovery and the body uses a plastic parachute. My model also dates back to the late '80s.

Construction:
Parts included:
- BT-55 body tube
- plastic nose cone
- a plastic hub and three plastic blades
- three rubber bands
- three balsa fins
- 18mm motor mount
- launch lug
- rubber-band shock cord
- plastic parachute

The instructions were clear and easy to follow and the construction was simple. This kit was rated skill level-2, I guess because of the added complexity of the helicopter recovery.

The plastic hub was glued to the nose cone using plastic cement and the three blades snapped into the hub. Small rubber bands connected the hub and blades.

Finishing:
The kit came with decals and I painted mine as shown in the picture. The yellow plastic nosecone remained naked.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
The only recommended engines were the C6-3 and C6-5. I have also flown mine successfully on the AT SU D21-7. The motor mount used a metal clip so no tape was required.

Recovery:
The shock cord attached to the body tube with the folded-paper method and the chute was attached to the other end. The chute and shock cord are packed between the folding helicopter blades. The fit is snug and you need to make sure the blades fit around the shock cord mount. Recovery has always been perfect-except for when the helicopter nose impacted something hard and broke off one of the blades. I jury-rigged the blade by melting an small hole through the end of it and wiring it to the hub. It comes down a little wobbly but is basically OK. The helicopter recovery is cool and is a crowd-pleaser, so I have to give this a flight rating of 5.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
It was easy to build, flies great, and the helicopter recovery is icing on the cake.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5