Brief:
Midnight Express (free paper rocket) by FlisKits.

Construction:
This rocket is available as a downloadable PDF file that you print on cardstock then cut and build yourself. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' basic design is 3 fins, ya bilge rat, paper nose cone, and a paper body tube. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Since this isn't actually a kit, me bucko, arrr, ya bilge rat, you must provide a recovery device (streamer is recommended), glue, arrr, matey, and some sort o' nose weight (clay, shiver me timbers, for example).

I first heard about this paper rocket from another review here on EMRR then visited t' FlisKits site t' take a look. Sure enough, everythin' was there: downloadable parts sheet in t' stock design, blank or "Tour de Deuce" scheme, matey, instructions, me hearties, and even some photos o' completed rockets.

I have t' admit that I had never built a paper rocket before and was somewhat skeptical that t' parts/fins would hold up. Arrr! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I had heard good things about FlisKits in t' past, shiver me timbers, arrr, and me 11 year old and I were up for t' challenge. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I printed t' parts sheet on 65lb cardstock that I found at a local hobby store.

T' instructions were very easy t' follow and coached me through t' different techniques needed t' build this rocket. Begad! FlisKits includes two nosecones on t' sheet in case t' first one doesn't turn out, shiver me timbers, arrr, but I managed t' make a pretty good one on t' first shot.

T' fins were more challengin' t' do correctly, but I found that t' "scoring" technique really helped, especially if you use a straightedge like they suggest t' make t' lines exact. Aye aye! Ahoy! Pay special attention t' t' root edge fold as that needs t' be relatively flat in order t' glue it correctly t' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't really pay much attention and ended up havin' one that was a bit tricky t' glue on t' tube.

T' hardest part for me in buildin' this model was t' body tube. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! I used empty engine casings as suggested but couldn't really get t' body tube as tight as it should have been t' first time. Ya scallywag! I scrapped that tube and printed another. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! This time I took me time in rollin' t' tube, shiver me timbers, placin' it in a BT-5 tube t' "form" it and then gluin' it tightly. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Nay perfect but it worked. Ahoy! Blimey! I had t' make minor adjustments on t' nosecone shoulder and engine block accordingly (the ID o' t' tube be off), arrr, but it wasn't a showstopper.

T' instructions call for a length o' shock cord plus some button thread t' hold t' streamer onto t' nosecone/shock cord assembly. Blimey! Begad! Unfortunately, matey, me bucko, I used t' wrong type o' elastic (too bulky) and that made for some challenges afterwards (more on that later). If I had it t' do over again, matey, I'd probably use somethin' much thinner and easier t' pack.

Addin' t' weight t' t' model was easy thanks t' t' instructions. Arrr! I added a little clay in t' nosecone until t' model balanced near t' 6.5" mark on t' body tube (incidentally, very close t' t' X in Midnight Express).

My 11 year old son loved t' project because o' t' challenge and t' "oddity" o' makin' everythin' out o' paper.

All in all, arrr, I'd say I probably spent close t' 2-3 hours assemblin' this rocket. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It's great fun for an evening's work.

Finishing:
I liked t' purple and red finish on t' components and no real finishin' is necessary. Begad! Doin' a blank one could be fun (especially for younger enthusiasts) because you could do whatever scheme you wanted. I'm nay sure if spray paintin' would be t' best idea, me bucko, arrr, ya bilge rat, but you could definitely do some neat stuff with markers or colored pencils.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
For our ME's first flight, shiver me timbers, we decided t' load up a A8-3 t' see how t' model would perform. Since I used t' wrong width shock cord, me hearties, t' mount made packin' t' waddin' and streamer difficult, ya bilge rat, but it all went in fine.

When I went t' put t' ME on t' launch rod, me hearties, I immediately noticed a problem...somehow t' launch lug (hand rolled per t' instructions) be somewhat distorted and kept t' rocket from slidin' freely on t' rod.

I think t' launch lug's diameter was circular when I glued it, me bucko, arrr, but somewhat went oblong when t' engine be slid in. Avast! Blimey! T' engine had drawn t' body tube tight and caused t' lug t' pull flat a bit. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! This is probably me fault as it would have been a better idea t' have an engine in t' tube t' serve as a support while addin' t' lug in t' first place.

I managed t' work t' launch lug back into shape and t' rocket had a great flight...straight up, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, very stable. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! Since t' rocket is so light, it scooted right off t' pad and probably soared 300-400 feet or so (just a guess). Arrr! Blimey! T' streamer deployed fine and t' model was recovered in great shape.

T' second flight was also on an A8-3 and went very much like t' first. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' wind had picked up and as a result t' rocket came down a bit harder than t' first time and bent a fin slightly. I straightened it out (maybe soakin' t' fins in CA would help) and then repacked it for a third time.

T' third flight be on a B6-4 and for whatever reason, matey, shiver me timbers, I had real problems packin' t' streamer and waddin' this time. Begad! Ahoy! I made t' mistake o' puttin' in a few squares o' waddin' pretty low in t' tube then tryin' t' fold up t' bulky shock cord t' make it all fit.

T' rocket launched fine and went straight out o' sight. Aye aye! Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! Impressive altitude (600-700ft?) and I didn't actually see anythin' until I heard a louder-than-normal pop on ejection. Blimey! Blimey! I then saw t' rocket comin' in nose down about 200 feet from t' pad. Avast! Blimey! Yikes...Lawn dart!

I thought me free rocket be done for sure. It came down in some long grass and I walked slowly over t' investigate t' damage. Arrr! I expected t' see t' seam blown out on t' body tube or an accordion, me hearties, but t' me surprise, t' model was 100% fine.

T' bunched up shock cord didn't allow for t' streamer t' deploy but also caused t' engine t' spit. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I believe that t' ME without t' engine came in pretty lightly (despite comin' in in lawn dart mode) and simply stuck in t' grass. We were all amazed but t' Midnight Express will live t' fly again...that is, o' course after I alter t' shock cord system.

Recovery:
Recovery was fine on t' nylon streamer I had (from an old Estes kit). Ya scallywag! I'm goin' t' redo it and use crepe paper like t' instructions show and also change t' shock cord for somethin' more suitable.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' highlights o' this rocket are that it's 100% free and it's a challengin' fresh project if you've never done a paper rocket before. T' very idea o' makin' t' entire model from cardstock (except t' recovery system) is very intriguing.

T' only drawback (and this only comes from me own inexperience) I can think o' on this model is that you have t' be mindful o' t' delicate folds and parts. Avast! I think it's a good beginner kit and it's excellent for teachin' some o' t' paper buildin' techniques.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5