Brief:
PML's smallest and simplest kit, this is a simple tried-n-true 3FNC rocket, suitable for F to H motors.

Construction:
Rocket consists of a single body tube, plywood centering rings, and a piece of woven nylon that's epoxied to the motor tube. The piston is attached to the other end of the nylon. The fins are G10, which sands very nicely and is really tough. Includes a fairly small chute with a large spill-hole, so the rocket falls pretty quickly, but not fast enough to hurt it.

The instructions are fairly easy to follow if you've built HPR kits before. They consist of a single sheet with a minimum of illustrations. I'd recommend that you have someone help you out if this is your first HPR kit, as the instructions aren't really designed with the beginner in mind. The components themselves are beautiful. Everything fit together very well, and all of the components are the best you'll find --G10 fins, phenolic motor tube, Quantum Tube airframe, a very sturdy nose cone, and the toughest parachute I've found. This is a kit that has survived a dozen flights.

Finishing:
Well, I've gotta admit. This was one of the old kits with the phenolic airframe. I've heard the new Quantum Tube is even easier to finish, but the old hard phenolic was fairly easy to get a mirror-finish. All it took was a little Elmer's wood filler to fill the groove, and some fine sandpaper and sandable primer. If you take your time, you'll get a rock-hard finish that'll easily last for dozens of flights. I'm subtracting 1/2 point because of that cheesy stick-on decal they include with the kit. If they included some attractive water-slide decals, it'd add some value to the kit. As it stands, though, it's just a waste.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
I originally bought the kit with the 38mm mount, but this is an awfully small kit for most of the 38mm offerings. Since I didn't have any kind of motor retention (hey, I was a beginner), I eventually glued some bolts and a 29mm tube into the rocket. There are plenty of 29mm motors that work beautifully in this rocket --F, G, and H. My personal favorite is the Aerotech G125, which makes this little rocket leap off the pad like nobody's business. As for flights, I have no complaints at all. I've flown my little IO at least 20 times. It's a tough little rocket that loves to fly.

Recovery:
Very little to complain about as far as recovery goes. My only complaint is that the rocket is rather short. Once you've got the piston in place and the chute packed, there's barely any space to get the cone on. If the rocket was 2 inches longer, there'd be a little more elbow room. As it stands, it's a tight fit.

Flight Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:
The Pros are that it's a beautiful little kit that finishes beautifully, loves to fly, is tough as all get-out, and can fly in small fields on F motors. Cons are the cheesy decal and that the recovery system is a bit tough to pack.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5