Brief:
Single stage futuristic, jet fighter styled model rocket.

Construction:
Single glassine wrapped paper body tube, balsa nose cone, two main "wing" fins, two "vertical stab" fins, two canard fins, and two rear sub fins. Carved balsa canopy. Standard modroc motor mount with 2 laser cut black fiber board centering rings and 24mm paper tube w/ engine clip to fit standard 2.75" long "D" motors. 18" Mylar parachute. Kevlar® thread and 1/4" wide elastic shock cord attached to MMT.

The instructions were very complete and easy to follow. Numerous pictures to explain the important steps. The fin templates are printed on heavier card stock and a tube marking wrap was included.

It was a challenging build due to the number and size of the fins/wings. You must pay careful attention to alignment when gluing on the various fins/wings. The parts included are of high quality.

The only "gotcha" would be the canopy. Three pieces of balsa sheet are glued together to make a block. A template is included to so you can mark the canopy's basic profile. It is a bit of work to shape the canopy, but if you take your time and follow the tips given in the instructions, you will be rewarded with a fine looking piece of hand shaped balsa. This is definitely a "builder's" kit.

Finishing:
No special techniques required for finishing. Pick you favorite. I filled the wood and tube spirals with Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish. A couple of coats of Rustoleum gray primer, sanding in between coats. Final finish is two coats of Krylon gloss black, leaving stripes of the flat primer, accented with yellow stripes on the gray borders. The finished product is sort of an "X-Plane" theme.

About the only thing missing would be nice set of decals. A pre-formed canopy would make the build go faster.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
Flight prep is standard stuff. A motor clip retains the motor. A handful of "dog barf" wadding, fold the chute, and pack it in. Launch lugs are 1/8" diameter.

The first flight was on an Estes C11-5. It left the pad with authority on the C11. There was a slight 5mph breeze that day. At approximately 300 feet it started to weather vane into the wind at about a 45 deg angle. The delay was a bit long and made for an exciting dive before the chute opened. Definitely a rocket for calm days.

The second flight was on a D12-5. Much better flight. Not as much weathercocking.

Recovery:
The shock cord is the popular Kevlar® thread attached to the MMT, extending out past the end of the body tube where it is attached to an elastic shock cord to the nose cone. The mylar chute is attached to the nose cone eyelet with a snap clip swivel.

Recovery went well. It comes down slow but all the fin surface does make for a lot of drift. Even with a late ejection on the C11-5, the rocket suffered no damage during the recovery.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
The main thing with this rocket is the look. It has the "cool" factor in abundance.

No real cons. The complex fin alignment and canopy carving makes this a builder's kit. Not for the inexperienced.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5