The FlisKits Pheord X150 is more than rocketry, it's humor as well. Starting with its name, Pheord, pronounced like Ford, add the X150 and you'd think you were dealing with a pickup truck. And the similarity does not stop there. Notice FlisKit's introduction:

"'Built Pheord Tough' takes on a whole new meaning! The 2003 Pheord X150 come fully outfitted for the alien on the go, whether you are hunting xenomorphs or just out tooling around the galaxy with that pretty young thing you picked up on Alpha Erandi. The Pheord X150 Full Sized Pickup-Saucer comes with a hull-plate to hull-plate 2 year or 200,000 parsec conditional warranty, electric air-locks, environmental control, all-terrain landing gear, 5-cell antenna, windshield defogger and bed liner. Optional phaser rifle-rack, novelty meteor stick shift and heavy duty windshield wipers help set this workhorse apart from the others! Also available with this introductory offer are a professionally installed universal translator, dual beverage can holder and a free roll of duct tape for those emergency off-starlane repairs."

And you'd think that would be enough humor, but on the front and back of the cover card it continues.

The rocket itself, is a single 18mm motor U.F.O.-style rocket. Very, very colorful and after assembly, ready-to-fly without additional finishing.

The kit includes an 18mm motor mount, 3/32" balsa fin stock, five (5) steel wires for the landing gear/antenna's, self-adhesive fin patterns and finish paper, a glossy cardstock shroud. There is a small piece of crepe paper streamer and a launch lug as well.

Click to see my 18mm U.F.O. comparison article

CONSTRUCTION:

The instructions are printed on 4 pages of 8½ x 11" paper. This includes the entertaining introduction (quoted above) as well as 18 construction steps and 15 illustrative figures to assist in the build. They are logical and clear. The kit is rated as a level 2, however, I believe it is a bit beyond that due to the various techniques in steel wire bending and sticker application.

There is quite a bit of cutting to do with this kit. You may develop a worn spot on your fingers from using your scissors so much, but the end result is worth it.

The five (5) left fin patterns are cut out of the self-adhesive (sticker) paper. These are then peeled and stuck onto the balsa stock directly. This is done before any cutting on the balsa since they act as your cutting guides. I had a very touch time separating the sticker from the backing. This is my only complaint about the assembly of this rocket. Maybe it was just me, but nonetheless, I struggled.

After the five patterns are stuck to the balsa, the fins are cut out using a hobby knife. Take your time and use a sharp knife. There are various angles and a curve to cut. The sticker helps greatly.

Once cut out, these are flipped over and the five right fin pattern stickers are cut out and stuck onto the fins. Fins are finished!

On the sticker sheet, there is a motor tube wrap. This is cut out and stuck onto the 18mm motor tube. It is now finished.

The fins are then glued onto the marks on the tube wrap sticker and using the fin alignment guide. Once dry, the shroud is cut out and glued onto the fins and attached to the motor tube. Although a bit time consuming to cut out, it assembled with great ease.

The five (5) steel wires now have to be formed. There are patterns to see how they are to be bent. I found the length of my steel wires to be longer than the patterns. So I ensured the vertical section and the tip matched the template. This meant the extra length was used up in the angled-straight section going away from the body.

The wires are bent in such a way that they hook onto the bottom of each fin. These are then glued in place.

The launch lug is added and then on to the last step. I will outline that for you: "For the final touch, you will notice a small black oval over the '4x4' on one of the door panels. Using your razor knife, bore a small hole, removing that oval. Take a small square of the red streamer material provided, crumple or fold it and poke it into this hole, apply a drop of glue to the back side to secure it. There, you've just made your redneck gas cap!"

Once complete, look over all the graphics on the rocket. They are nicely done.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 ½ points. The instructions are excellent. The humor is a bonus. The quality of components is excellent.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

FlisKits recommends the B6-0 or C6-0 motors. The motors need to be friction fit using some masking tape.

My finished Pheord weighed in at 0.9 ounces as opposed to FlisKits printed material suggesting 1.4 ounces. I don't know the difference, but perhaps the original Pheord has a thrust ring and motor hook (wish this one did).

I have flown the rocket three times, all on C6-0's and all in my front yard. It is a consistent flyer. Straight up, flip and float down to land on the wire landing gear. This would make a fun school rocket or a demo rocket.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 4 points. It is a perfect flier as a U.F.O. My point reductions come from the lack of a motor hook and thrust ring. That is the only thing that could be added to push this on to a perfect score.

I give the rocket an OVERALL rating of 4 ½ points. It is fun (and funny) to build. No finishing is necessary. And a colorful and consistent flier. The Pheord is phantastic!