Brief:
I was provided with my Free-B for beta testing. It is a limited edition, serial numbered model that John is providing as a free kit for a limited time with the purchase of $50 or more. This is not a cheap, no frills kit. It is a BT-50 based rocket complete with a nice sheet of waterslide decals, balsa nose cone, and flies on 18mm motors. The rocket is almost 15 inches tall, weighs less than 2 ounces, and recovers on a very nice big plastic streamer. It would be a nice kit to buy so getting it free is fantastic!

Construction:
The instructions are numbered with lots of helpful illustrations. The three fins are laser cut balsa and the balsa nose cone is top quality and very smooth. A standard 18mm motor mount is installed with two kraft centering rings and includes a standard engine hook for motor retention and a TR2005 kraft thrust ring. A 1/8” elastic shock cord is included, along with a 1/8” launch lug, eye screw, and waterslide decals. A marking guide and tri-fold shock cord attachment is also provided.

Construction is standard. I constructed the entire rocket with yellow glue and added a length of Kevlar® for attachment to the provided shock cord. To minimize abrasion from the Kevlar® against the body tube, I soaked in CA around the top 1/4" of the body tube and tied a knot in the Kevlar® to meet the lip of the body tube. The launch lug is cut in half and installed onto the rocket. Install the screw eye into the nose cone and you’re almost done. A self-stick disc is provided for attachment of the streamer to the shock cord, but I haven't had a lot of luck with those holding. They seem to work fine for others, just not for me. So I used my standard streamer attachment, placing the streamer onto a piece of card stock measured to the width of the streamer and then folding the end over and stapling it. I make a hole in the center of that and then attach a length of Kevlar® that is tied to a swivel for attachment to the eye screw.

Finishing:
The balsa nose cone required very little finishing. With only a very light coat of Elmer's Light Fill 'n' Finish, the nose cone was very smooth. The body tube and fins were also finished using Fill 'n' Finish. I sprayed the entire model with a light coat of Kilz to seal off the glue and provide a solid base coat. Next, I lightly sanded the entire model with 240 grit sandpaper and then sprayed on a coat of primer. Next, sand and primer and sand and primer again with 400 grit sandpaper. I used Krylon paint following the red white and blue paint scheme on the face card. After drying for 24 hours, I applied the decals and then covered everything with a thick coat of Future Floor Finish.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight and Recovery:
First flight was on an Estes B6-6 with the wind speed at about 5 mph. The flight was perfect with ejection right at the top. It came down much faster than I anticipated, loosening one of the fins on landing. A little CA to secure the fin and it will be ready to fly again.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
The Free-B is a great rocket and the decals are very cool! No skimping on the packaging either as it comes in their standard plastic bag with a fantastic looking face card. Parts quality is superb, and you can easily build the rocket in a couple of hours. The rocket really zooms! Better get yours quickly! Remember, they are serially numbered.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5