| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Diameter: | 2.22 inches |
| Length: | 18.10 inches |
| Manufacturer: | FlisKits  |
| Skill Level: | 3 |
| Style: | Odd-Roc, Sport |
Brief:
This is one bizarre rocket that looks like it should not fly.
Construction:
The rocket is made from a BT-50 inside pieces of BT-70 with 6 centering rings,
balsa nose cone, and 4 fins (all are a different shape) mounted to a paper
transition piece.
The instructions were very precise and easy to follow with lots of useful illustrations.
It is my opinion that the difficulty level should be raised to a 4 from a three as getting the centering rings into the proper positions was very challenging and proved to be a patience tester.
Finishing:
Let your imagination be your guide when it's time to decorate this rocket. Mine
is decorated to look like tin cans duct taped together complete with a Hormel
chili label on one section.
Construction Rating: 5 out of 5
Flight:
After a conservative estimate of 50 flights, it is one of my favorite pieces in
my fleet. The one word of caution I would offer when it comes to flight is to
only use the 3/16" rod that is recommended as a 1/8" rod is not
strong enough to give the rocket proper support.
It is very susceptible to weathercocking and I lost mine to a tree for a week long rain storm, and after a thorough drying, it flew just as well as before.
I like to use the D12-5 in it as I have found the extra delay time allows it to deploy the chute just after apogee. However, if the motor is mislabeled and a 7 second delay occurs, it will eject at about a foot from impact and will cause internal damage. I have never flown it on a C11 motor.
Recovery:
When launched off of a proper rod with a D12-5 motor it will most always be a
short recovery as it weathercocks and then drifts back near the launch rod. I
used it in the club spot landing contest.
Flight Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary:
The attention this thing gets just setting on the table waiting to fly is well
worth the build. Everyone will be amazed that it really does fly straight.
After it pranged due to a slow ejection charge, the comments were "How
would you know if it was damaged? It's already bent!"
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
Other Reviews
- FlisKits A.C.M.E. Spitfire By Dick Stafford
This is yet another review of this unique, crooked rocket. Hopefully, this provides another perspective on its construction, finishing/decoration, and flight. The FlisKits kits are professionally packaged and this is no exception. The printed face includes is in full color, includes photos and specs, and a serial number--mine is #87. The small parts are contained in a small Zip-loc bag. My ...
- FlisKits A.C.M.E. Spitfire By Chan Stevens
Absolutely the most INNOVATIVE commercial kit I've ever seen in rocketry, this rocket looks like Wyle E. Coyote has built and flown it a few too many times. You won't believe it flies nor will anyone else at the pad, yet you'll all be laughing your fannies off when you witness its perfect flight path. I witnessed the prototype of this kit in action at NSL this May and have been chomping at the ...
- FlisKits A.C.M.E. Spitfire By Carl Tulanko
The FlisKits ACME Spitfire was a long awaited item from their line of models and was recently introduced at NARAM 45 in Evansville, Indiana. Well, I just had to be first in line to get a couple of these kits, one to save and one to build. I had seen this model debut at NSL 2003 earlier this year as a prototype and it’s a real head-turner. The kit resembles something you would see in a ...
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J.F. (August 22, 2003)