The main, and perhaps only, benefit of this flying model rocket kit is the price. This unit was purchased for $3-$4. Unless you are good at trimming a spiral in gliders, they tend to get lost easily. They also tend to break easily when the landing is on the hard side. Having a cheap glider makes loss or damage more tolerable, which makes for fun, care-free, flying. This "flying wing" glider is designed by Holverson Designs and marketed by Fun Rockets, Inc.

According to the box, it is suitable for age 10 and up. Younger rocketeers should have no problem with this one at all (with the help of a parent, if needed).

Parts List

When the kit arrived in an actual box, I was impressed. It is rare to see such sturdy packaging these days. The cardboard box contains the items listed below : - styrofoam glider - fully assembled pop-pod - self-adhesive sticker - clay weight - instruction sheet - extra sheets of recovery wadding No hobby building supplies are required. Simply open the box and you're ready to fly.

Construction

The box states "Skill Level #3". This is part is why this glider was purchased for review. When you build lots of rockets, the occasional glider can be a nice change.

However, as soon as the box was opened, it became clear there was no assembly required. The glider is in one piece. The pod is not only fully assembled, there's even recovery wadding in the tube. Really, there is, I couldn't believe my eyes. If you want a cheap glider that flies right out of the box, as it were, the Silver Hawk may be the bird for you. If you were looking for a challenging build, keep looking.

The only action required is putting the sticker on the glider. This also protects the glider from the rocket motor exhaust.

As it is a glider, you'll also need to trim it. There is a special cavity in the glider for the clay weight. The instruction sheet also tells you where the glider should balance before you fine-tune it. This makes trimming quick and easy.

Finishing

The instructions say that the unit can be painted. This will likely do nothing more than add unwanted weight. If you do paint it, apply the decal after the paint is dry.

Flight Data

The Silver Hawk uses mini motors, the 1/2A3-2T and A3-4T to be exact. The box lists altitudes as 120' and 210' respectively for those model rocket engines.

The first flight was on a A3-4T model rocket motor. The Silver Hawk flew amazingly straight and the pop-pod released the glider right around apogee. It started to glide down somewhat quickly and nearly completed a full circle as it touched down. The pod and glider were recovered within 15 feet from each other.