Brief:
T' new Fliskits Praetor is a single stage, me hearties, dual diameter "Sport" design, with a very unique and bizarre lookin' set o' four fins. T' kit says that this be first introduced at t' "Pearl River Model Rocket Convention (MODROC)".

This comes in t' same type o' package as me previous rockets from FlisKits. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Estes type retail package, which is a plastic bag with hole punched hang tab. Begad! Blimey! Package insert is full color and looks very nice. Begad! Blimey! I ordered this kit directly from FlisKits online durin' a holiday week with one day o' no mail delivery (Thanksgiving) and I still had it in t' mail in just (4) days.

Modifications:
Recovery system as described below.

Construction:
This kit comes with two different diameter body tubes, shiver me timbers, balsa nose cone, me hearties, shiver me timbers, balsa bulkhead/airframe adapter, me hearties, engine tube, engine clip, thrust ring, me hearties, stiff black cardboard engine tube centerin' rings, arrr, good quality stiff Balsa fin sheets with templates, me hearties, Estes type triple fold paper t' t' body type shock cord mount, shiver me timbers, me hearties, ya bilge rat, 12" x 1/4 elastic shock cord, matey, full detailed illustrated instructions, matey, pre-flight check list and a multi-sized Estes type Official Fliskits Red, arrr, me hearties, White and Black plastic parachute. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Parachute includes line, me hearties, adhesive tabs and instructions. A screw eye is also included t' mount recovery t' t' bulkhead, arrr, shiver me timbers, as this rocket separates in t' center. Aye aye! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! One thin' I really like about t' FlisKits is that they each have a production number which is filled in on t' main package header/display card with a black sharpie. Aye aye! My Praetor is numbered #7!

T' instructions are top notch. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Very simple with just t' right illustrations.

Now, this rocket has t' widest fin array I have ever seen. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' fins measure 13.5" from tip t' tip! This is one o' those rockets that looks interestin' in pictures, but t' real appreciation comes in hand and in person. It looks awesome!

I used just CA for minor and quick assembly, me bucko, and DAP yellow Wood-Weld glue for fillets on t' large fins, me bucko, fillets engine mount t' airframe, matey, as well as t' secure t' nose cone and balsa bulkhead/airframe adapter t' t' upper body section.

Finishing:
Considerin' that this rocket is just less than (2) feet tall, shiver me timbers, and t' fin span is over a foot, I made for strong fin mounting. After sandin' t' glassine layer off o' t' body tube, shiver me timbers, I outlined t' (4) fin locations. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Then usin' a very sharp exacto knife pin (you can also use a sharp thumb tack), me bucko, me hearties, I made (7) holes in t' body tube for each fin location. Avast! Then, matey, arrr, usin' medium CA, with a generous bead on each fin root, arrr, I mounted t' fins and made sure that they were perfect by usin' an Estes fin alignment guide and clips.

You can see me Exacto Knife pin in picture below (layin' t' t' right o' t' rocket).

T' tiny holes method is somethin' I recently learned on EMRR. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' idea is that t' holes will absorb t' CA, me hearties, arrr, creatin' small CA rivets. Ahoy! Aye aye! I really don't know how much strength that will add, matey, arrr, but t' theory looks right.

Considerin' t' wide base o' these fins, or perhaps they should be called "wings", they will encounter far greater than average stress each upon ground contact when landing.

T' Balsa fin stock included would have had enough t' cut t' fins t' have a through t' body connection tab t' t' motor mount.

While this is only a skill level (2) kit, I see that it can be improved upon, even if only by t' addition o' an "optional" and/or slightly advanced construction step for through t' wall. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Certainly nay required for skill level two, but showin' how t' do it optionally would be a major plus for this kit.

There are no decals, ya bilge rat, but it doesn't need them. Arrr! T' bizarre shape speaks for itself, ya bilge rat, matey, and with it's dual sized body with adapter, ya bilge rat, thar are multiple ways o' finishin' it paintwise.

I decided t' go ahead and show off t' huge fins and painted t' lower half and fins with flourescent day-glo yellow over a single layer o' white primer. Avast! Ya scallywag! T' top section which also saw a single layer o' white primer, received it's own coat o' metallic silver. Arrr! I think it looks awesome. Ya scallywag! After watchin' how it acts when leavin' t' launch pad, me hearties, I don't think I will lose this one as long as I stick with a max o' a C6. Well, blow me down! But this be so much fun t' build and looks so cool that if I do lose it, ya bilge rat, arrr, it will hurt.

While this kit is what I consider t' be one o' t' best thar is, due t' what I have described regardin' an optional step which could improve t' kit, I am goin' t' give this one a 4.5/5 here.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
This kit recommends A8-3, arrr, B6-4 or C6-5. Begad! It requires waddin' t' protect it's stock plastic chute.

I did somethin' a little crazy and nay only did I fly it before paint, I flew it before fin fillets, with t' fins attached only with CA. Arrr! I picked an Estes B6-4 just t' see if it would fly or die.

I now see what is happenin' here. Ya scallywag! Blimey! These fins, me bucko, or let me call them "wings" have a ton o' drag. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This rocket lifted very slow, ya bilge rat, and with drama in fact. I seem t' be on a streak when it comes t' stable and straight up flights I guess. This bizarre lookin' Praetor burned a B6 slowly, ya bilge rat, got up about 400 feet and just seemed t' levitate thar as t' chute came out.

It came down soft, ya bilge rat, but I cheated and caught it. Aye aye! So I don't know if t' fins would have held up with no fillets, but I think they would have. Begad! Next flight will be with paint, fillets on a Quest C6-5.

I would have loved t' see a small fabric chute, matey, which I will add myself, but it would nay be reasonable t' expect that as this is nay an expensive kit. Aye aye! I only paid $14.95.

Recovery:
T' shock cord that came with it was only 12". Ya scallywag! However, arrr, thar be an upgrade notation and a new length 18" shock cord included as well.

Just by personal preference, shiver me timbers, I opted out o' t' suggested shock cord method. Ahoy! I added a 10" piece o' 100# test Keelhaul®©™® cord, me hearties, shiver me timbers, makin' a double knot in both ends. Arrr! I then cut tiny 1/16" V notches in two sides o' t' top motor mount rin' and secured t' two ends o' t' cord. Begad! Arrr! Makin' certain that this would nay extend from t' main body, matey, I then tied a knot about an inch from t' top, creatin' another loop so that if one side o' t' cord mount should fail, me hearties, t' other will still work. Avast, me proud beauty! I then added a snap swivel t' be able t' change chutes out quickly.

On flight and recovery, this rocket most certainly deserves a 5/5.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Feel free t' take a look at me picture #1. Avast! This be t' unpainted rocket after it's first flight with no fin fillets. Ya scallywag! You can see t' yellow wood glue fillets I was startin' then.

Now, me bucko, arrr, shiver me timbers, take a very close look at that picture, and you will see that I have placed a quarter at t' base o' t' fin on t' right. That should show how huge these fins are. Avast, me proud beauty! I call them wings.

I think this is one o' those rockets that you have t' see in person t' fully appreciate. It's nay expensive at all, it is definately fun t' build as it's nay just a few fins and a nose cone. This rocket is quite unique and it looks really cool!

No doubt about it, shiver me timbers, this one is a 5/5!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5