"Futuristic Starship Design"
"Long, me bucko, me bucko, sleek appearance"
"Highly stable for fantastic flights!"
"Wind cheatin' design for extreme altitudes!"

Those are t' headlines on t' FlisKits Corona. T' Corona is a "longneck" rocket with and interesting, perhaps one would say, matey, futuristic, matey, me hearties, fin/ring-fin configuration. It has a nice "sleek" appear because t' fins are nay wide, arrr, even after bein' surrounded by t' ring-fin.

T' Corona is classified by EMRR as a "longneck" because it has a 0.976" diameter and is 41.0" long, me bucko, givin' it a 42:1 length t' diameter ratio. Ahoy! Way back when EMRR started t' site and was settin' up keywords, arrr, anythin' with a 30:1 and higher ratio was deemed a "longneck".

T' rocket includes two 17" long, 0.976" diameter, matey, me bucko, light brown paper body tube for t' main body and a 4 3/16" solid balsa nose cone. T' kits includes much more than enough 1/16" balsa fin stock t' cut out t' fins from and 2.18" long, 1.25" diameter ring-fin. T' motor mount consists o' one 18mm motor tube, ya bilge rat, a thrust ring, arrr, two centerin' rings and a motor hook. Arrr! T' recovery system made up o' a 36" long, me bucko, me hearties, 1/8" wide, ya bilge rat, white elastic shock cord, shiver me timbers, a 3-fold paper mount, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and a plastic parachute that t' builder assembles. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Lastly t' kit includes two 1/8" diameter launch lugs.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on both sides o' a single page o' 8½ x 11" paper (folded in thirds for a nice 6-page instruction set). Begad! Aye aye! However, me bucko, ya bilge rat, this is complemented with a parts and tools needed list on t' back t' t' kit's placard. Also thar be a template page with a preflight checklist. Begad! T' instructions include illustrations t' ensure success.

FlisKits calls this a Skill Level 2 kit. Avast! We agree.

T' motor mount is built first. Avast! It is fairly typical with t' motor hook bein' held in place with maskin' tape. Blimey! You have t' cut a section out o' t' lower centerin' rin' (cardboard) t' allow for t' motor hook.

T' fins are next. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! After cuttin' out t' cardstock templates and tracin' them on t' balsa stock, they are cut out usin' a sharp hobby knife. Ahoy! Blimey! There are three upper and three lower sections for t' fins. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! These are then airfoiled and an upper is glued t' a lower t' make up a single fin. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This is repeated for all t' fins.

Next, t' body tube is marked usin' a cardstock fin markin' guide. Ya scallywag! Lines are extended on t' tube. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I used t' door jam method.

T' motor mount is then slide into t' lower body tube (the one just marked). Ya scallywag! It protrudes by 1/4". This step is important because dependin' on your glue (white or wood) you could get it stuck. Arrr! It has t' be a smooth and quick motion t' get t' motor tube in without issue. T' instructions are clear on this.

Next, shiver me timbers, t' upper body tube is added usin' a 1" coupler.

Then, t' balsa fins are glued onto t' fin lines. Blimey! They are aligned with t' bottom o' t' tube. Avast, me proud beauty! T' launch lugs are also glued in place. Avast! Blimey! Once all dry, ya bilge rat, t' ring-fin is glued in place.

T' last steps are t' attached t' eye-screw t' t' nose cone, t' elastic shock cord t' t' eye-screw and t' 3-fold paper mount it t' t' inside o' t' upper body tube. Aye aye! T' parachute is then assemble. Begad! My only nay here, is that FlisKits didn't indicate which parachute size t' assemble. Aye aye! T' plastic parachute sheet can make up a 16", arrr, me bucko, 12" and 7½" parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I chose t' 7½" parachute since I anticipate fairly high flights.

FlisKits gives some basic finishin' guidance includin' sealin' t' balsa with 2-3 coats o' sandin' sealer, then prime t' rocket prior t' painting.

I have been surprised with several days just at 50 degrees F, so I have been able t' use me typical multiple coats o' Plastic-Kote Primer and sandin' in-between. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Then amazingly, on t' last day o' November, it be warm enough t' paint. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I used Walmart Silver paint on t' whole body. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I let that dry for about 15 minutes, and hit is with a coat o' Walmart Clear Coat which protects t' silver. Then after 2 hours, I masked off everythin' except t' nose cone and ring-fin. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I painted them with Walmart Fire Red paint on t' whole body (additional comments about Walmart paint).

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 ½ points. Aye aye! Ahoy! Build sequence and quality/fit o' parts be excellent. Avast! Instructions are excellent. Ya scallywag! Begad! No decals and no pre-cut fins take away a bit. Aye aye! T' latter is never a problem for me, but some may nay like it. Well, me hearties, blow me down! If it keeps t' costs down, me hearties, then I can wield a hobby knife for some fin cutting. Avast! Arrr!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

FlisKits recommends t' A8-3, arrr, B6-4, me bucko, C6-5, shiver me timbers, and D10-5 motors.

FlisKits indicates that t' rocket should weigh 1.66 ounces.

My finished rocket weighed in at 1.7 ounces.

On December 29th, ya bilge rat, me son and I went sleddin' and I be noticin' that thar was absolutely no wind. Since I was fortunate enough t' get t' rocket painted on t' last day o' November, me bucko, I decided I should try t' fly it as well. Ya scallywag!

So we packed up a couple o' rockets and went for a few quick launches.

I used 3 sheets o' Estes waddin' and then loaded an A8-3. T' flight has nice altitude and it was very stable. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' Corona has a sleek, shiver me timbers, long profile design, so it gives an effortless-look t' its flying. Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Ejection be a bit before apogee. Blimey! Recovery was good, but fast. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! I should have selected a larger 'chute when cuttin' it out (see above).

Second flight was on a B6-4. Avast! Zipped off t' pad and went quite high. Blimey! Ahoy! Nay a single wiggle or spin... straight as an arrow (as t' sayin' goes). Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Ejection was again a bit early, matey, however, no damage. Arrr! Recovered without problem.

Lookin' forward t' some C flights!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, me hearties, I would rate this rocket 5 points. Sleek and low profile gives this rocket a nice look. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! It is a very stable rocket. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Recovery system is fine, but I would go with a larger parachute than what I picked.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 ½ points. This longneck is more than 3-fins-and-a-nose cone utilizin' a ring-fin for looks and stability. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Nice rocket. Ahoy! Let's get some decals and really turn it into a 5. Aye aye! Begad! Fliskits has made a "baffle" available for this kit, arrr, which I would have bought had it been available back when I purchased it. Begad!