Brief: Single staged, lightweight model with three swept back fins, coming with choice of 10.5, 13, and 18mm motor mounts. Meant to demonstrate performance differences between these three motor types. My guess is that it is meant to show observers that the 10.5mm motors boot models higher.

Construction: Apogee gives great service. I ordered this rocket online along with others and it arrived in less than five days. All the parts were there, and were the correct ones, and were undamaged and non-defective.

You get three die cut balsa fins, a spiral wound paper body tube that can take up to 18mm engines, spiral wound paper motor tubes for 10.5 and 13mm motors with appropriate paper centering rings for them. The nose cone is very lightweight hollow plastic with a built in loop at the bottom for the shock cord to be tied. This shock cord is three feet of thin Kevlar/nylon threading which is mounted to the inside of the body tube via a folded paper mounting. The streamer is thin orange/red nylon one inch wide and one foot long.

Overall, the model is easy to build, and the instructions are clear and illustrated. A kid could build it, as the instructions are suitable to be understood by beginners too.

Finishing: There weren't any decals, so I played with my airbrush a bit, variegating cream color into green. Yes, the model is called Blue Streak, so mine is more of a Green Streak. The fins were sealed ahead of painting using airplane dope and sanded smooth. A cream colored primer coat was then laid down. then came the variegated layer. It looks rather nice. I probably won't change it to blue after all.

Construction Rating: 4

Flight: As mentioned, you get motor mounts to allow choices of engines. You can use: 1/4A2-2, A2-3, and B2-5 for 10.5mm flights, 1/2A3-2T, A3-4T, A10-3T, and B7-6 for 13mm flights, and 1/2A6-2, A8-3, A6-4, B4-4, B4-6, B6-4,B6-6, C6-5, C6-7, C4-7, C10-7, and D3-7 for 18mm shots. I've so far used the A8-3, A10-3T,B2-5, and C6-5. All make nice straight performances. I nearly lost it on the B2-5 shot. Better carry binoculars.

Recovery: The shock cord, as mentioned, is Kevlar and not stretchy. I'd prefer something stretchy, but this system worked fine. Recovery was just about right, only I'd perhaps make the model a small chute like other Apogee kits have, to help with sighting. Assembly was easy, and two small sheets of recovery wadding was all that was needed. The model is unburnt and still flying.

Flight Rating: 4

Summary: Easy to build, fun to choose engines and experiment. No glaring cons. Any mods I'd make are for my taste only, as the model works fine as is. Good price, too. Maybe you teachers out there would consider this one for classes? I might consider it for birthday parties.

Overall Rating: 3