Rascal Hijinks Launch Set

Me hubiera gustado que incluyera 2 engines para lanzar los 2 cohetes

Product was excellent but packing was not good

Great kit to start with

Part of the reason I give this product 5 stars is nostalgia. As a kid I built and flew model rockets just like these. But I couldn’t afford the cool launch pad and rod, so I used a block of wood and a coat-hanger that I had laboriously straightened. Worked great, and tons of fun! The other part of the 5 star review is heart strings. These many years later when, my 8 yo son sat on Santa’s lap, the rotund old elf asked him what one present he would like to get from Santa. My son looked a little nonplussed to have to come up with ONE thing, but he gamely said, “I’d like a model rocket, just like my dad had when he was a kid.” Seriously? There was zero chance he wasn’t getting this for Christmas! A few folks have given this set less than stellar reviews, mostly based on misunderstanding what they were getting. Model rockets are not toys and they are not preassembled. Model rockets are actual functional rockets. They require basic model building skills (measuring, cutting, gluing, and painting), and they require engines to launch. This is not a negative, part of the joy of this hobby comes with the building. Here is a list of basic items you’ll need in addition to this kit to build and fly your rockets: 1) Good quality white glue 2) Plastic cement (the stinky kind) Cement Glue Value Pack Testors 2-7/8 fl oz tubes 3) Paint. Spray paint works well for solid colors, but enamel paint is great for detailing Testors Promotional Enamel Paint Set 4) Brushes Testors Nylon Paint Brush, Set of 3 5) Masking tape 6) Fine sand paper 7) Razor knife 8) 4 AA batteries 9) Fire resistant wadding Estes 2274 Recovery Wadding 10) 2 sets of engines As model rockets go, these are actually very easy to assemble. Fins are usually the hardest part because you really have to be perfect in their alignment, but not on these rockets. The larger “Amazon” rocket has an injection molded fin assembly that just needs to be glued into the body tube. The smaller “Crossfire” rocket has balsa wood fins (*sniff* just like the old days), except these have been laser pre-cut for you. Even the body tube is pre-cut to accept the fins. Hard to go wrong. Quick primer on engines. They mostly come in 3-packs. Each engine is single use, then dispose of. They are real rocket engines and they burn pre-loaded solid fuel. The designation (example C6-5) tells you everything you need to know about the engine thrust profile. “B” engines are twice as powerful as “A” engines, and are half as powerful as “C” engines. The first number gives the average thrust (bigger is faster), and second number gives the delay in seconds before the ejection charge pops the chute. Engines come with the required igniters, but not the wadding. The flame resistant wadding protects the plastic chute from the heat of the ejection charge. Forget the wadding and your chute may melt, or even burn; not a useful recovery strategy! In a pinch you can get away with just using a regular tissue; it might smoke a bit as it falls, but will extinguish before reaching the ground. As a responsible adult trying to set a good example for my child, I bought the flame resistant stuff. I used B4-2 engines in the Crossfire rocket, and C6-7 engines in the Amazon rocket. The B4-2s were perfect, but the C6-7s have too long a delay and gave us a heart attack as the Amazon rocket turned over and looked like it planned to become a lawn-dart - before the chute eventually deployed! C6-5s would be a better choice here. My son loved launching these rockets! He was ecstatic when he almost caught the Crossfire rocket in mid-air as it was returning to earth. A video of his very first launch is attached. This little father/son rocket set is most highly recommended. Edit: I changed my title to make it clear that this is NOT a boy's toy, it is not scary, and it is not rough and tough. Any kid with an interest in engineering, or science, or just going fast and high, would probably love this product. Edit2: Youtube video of my son showing his mom how to use the launch controller and launch her very first rocket. Very exciting for the whole family! https://youtu.be/YOO3cI2NWvM

I bought the Estes 1499 Rascal and Hijinks Rocket Launch Set for my 7-year-old nephew, and he loved it! Even though it’s recommended for ages 10+, with a little adult supervision he had a blast launching the rockets. The prebuilt rockets make setup easy, and the launch pad system is simple to operate. The rockets fly straight and safely, and watching him get excited about science and engineering was priceless. This set is a perfect introduction to model rocketry for younger kids, as long as an adult is around to help. Highly recommend!