Alpha III E2X Model Rocket Kit

I helped my 5-year old son build this one. It was his 1st rocket and it took us 30 minutes to assemble it. We launched it 3 times and had a blast. He is looking forward to build some other rockets.

Very easy to assemble, as advertised. Flies very well, and can achieve very high altitudes with the right engines. Of course, be aware that winds at ground level may not reflect the winds at high altitude- have a big launch area with a good feel for the wind with any B engine or higher. Very sturdy. I had a parachute failure due to the parachute getting stuck in the cone section (from user error, I admit), and the entire assembly fell to earth WITHOUT DAMAGE.

While not quite RTF, the Alpha III is a kit that can easily be built the night before a launch and perform like a champ the next day. Looks good on the pad and builds surprisingly rugged. Be sure to add extra shock cord or Kevlar because it's one area where Estes continues to be lacking.