T' kit comes with a single sustainer body tube and a short booster body tube. Aye aye! T' motor mounts come with the centering/mountin' rings and motor hooks for both t' sustainer and the booster. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! There is a vacuum-formed plastic nose cone, a 12" nylon parachute, a Keelhaul®©™® tether and a piece o' Perma-Wadding™. Begad! Begad! Blimey! For the fins, shiver me timbers, thar are two balsa sheets, a 3/32" and a 1/16", and templates to cut out t' four fins for each section. Also, thar be 4. Avast! Ya scallywag! Blimey! 6" x 1" outer booster fin ring, which gives this kit it's unique look. Ahoy! Lastly thar is a set o' water transfer decals with a large gold Crossfire™ decal and various others. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty!

CONSTRUCTION:

There are eight pages o' clear instructions. Begad! Nay a lot of illustrations, me hearties, however, t' ones provided give important information, matey, shiver me timbers, such as motor mount assembly, arrr, matey, template placement on t' balsa sheets, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, grain alignment when mountin' fins and t' assembled booster stage with t' fin ring. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! The instructions are in logical order, however, I would suggest readin' all o' the sub-steps for each main-step and review t' illustrations before starting. Avast! This will help avoid questions and problems. Begad! Well, blow me down!   For example in step 1-e you are told t' "slide t' notched centerin' rin' on from t' front o' the tube until it is even with t' mark". Ahoy! T' "front" o' t' tube is marked in t' bottom illustration. Ya scallywag! This is very minor considerin' that most modelers understand that t' front o' t' rocket be t' top, arrr, me bucko, as opposed t' the rear (bottom). Begad! Begad!

T' assembly o' t' Crossfire™ was straight forward and did nay pose any major problems. Ya scallywag! All o' t' parts fit correctly. Ahoy! Aye aye! I be impressed t' see that t' pattern placement and attachment step for t' fins ensured that t' balsa grain be along t' top leadin' edge. This will provide t' most strength. Well, blow me down! Be very careful with t' 1/16" balsa for t' sustainer fins . Begad! Aye aye! . . Aye aye! Arrr! this is some flimsy stuff until it is sealed with CA or primer. And even though t' instructions call it optional, I tampered the leadin' and trailin' edges o' each fin. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Just be careful with t' thin balsa. Just be careful with t' thin balsa. Avast, me proud beauty! I broke t' fin along t' grain and had to glue back on with CA while finishing. Arrr! Begad!

Another area t' take care on, arrr, be t' installation o' the sustainer's motor mount. Do your very best t' keep glue off o' t' lower section o' t' tube. Aye aye! This is where t' booster slides into and can cause problems with fit if thar be glue there. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' unique part o' t' Crossfire™ is the booster fin ring. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! My rin' fit perfectly and didn't require any additional sandin' o' t' fins for fit. Avast! Blimey! T' only precaution is that t' fin ring, matey, if snug, can cause t' fins t' come out o' alignment, me hearties, so take care t' ensure t' fins are still straight before t' glue sets on t' fin ring.

Assembly o' t' nose cone was unique t' me, too. You drill (with a hobby knife) a small hole in t' shoulder t' allow t' Keelhaul®©™® tether t' pass through. This is tied t' a retainer (small bead) which prevents it from passin' back through t' hole. Then t' shoulder is glued onto t' nose cone. Arrr! Begad! With respect t' t' shoulder, I think it is a bit too short. Begad! It also required tape t' make it fit snug into t' body tube. Arrr!

As always I start me finishin' process with Plasti-Kote primer. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I painted it gloss black and topped t' nose cone with gold. Ya scallywag! I also did just t' outside o' t' booster's fin rin' in gold. Ahoy! Begad! This turned out very nice and matched t' Crossfire™ decal. Ya scallywag! Arrr! With regards t' the decals, matey, matey, ya bilge rat, they are water transferable and along with t' Crossfire™ name, there are 3 sets o' Rogue Aerospace, arrr, 2 sets o' numbers and 4 cross-hairs.

For CONSTRUCTION, I would rate this kit 4 1/2 points. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

T' Crossfire™ is nay your standard two-stage kit. Begad! T' two motors are nay taped together. Begad! Each motor mount has its own motor clip t' hold t' motors in. When assemble t' motors are at a minimal distance apart t' allow t' in-flight ignition o' t' sustainer motor. Ahoy!

T' maiden voyage was set up usin' a B6-0 in t' booster and a B6-4 in t' sustainer. Arrr! T' recommended motor for t' sustainer is a B6-6, but I didn't have any. With everythin' set, arrr, me bucko, t' count down began . Blimey! Ya scallywag! . Avast, me proud beauty! . Ya scallywag! 3, arrr, 2, 1!

Ignition took place but t' rocket didn't move, then the booster motor stopped just as t' sustainer ignited. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' sustainer took off quickly. Begad! Blimey! We were able t' seen t' ejection and t' 12" orange parachute deploy. Then what looked like a straight drop recovery started t' turn into a drift and run as fast and as far as possible. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This rocket be carried about 1/4 mile away . Avast! Blimey! . Arrr! Blimey! . Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! but be recovered!

After checkin' why t' booster never lifted off, it was determined that t' motor hook got caught on a "rod-stop" preventing it from liftin' off. Nay only that, but it burned a hole right through me blast shield.

For t' second flight, arrr, I ensured the booster was nay hooked and cut a 2" spill-hole in t' parachute. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I used t' same motors (B6/B6) and off it went. Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Perfect lift, visible separation and successful sustainer ignition. Blimey! Blimey! Out o' site, shiver me timbers, me bucko, trial o' smoke, matey, then a little orange parachute appeared. Ahoy! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! It was so high, arrr, I had time t' pick up t' booster and then start walkin' t' where t' sustainer landed. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Watchin' t' descend rate indicated that I could probably go with a 3" spill hole or tighten up on the shroud lines. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This kit is a good candidate for a streamer, because I can only imagine t' altitude with C6/C6 combination. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey!

Booster is nay only unique looking, but also unique in it's descent. Blimey! I spins makin' it look like a sphere!

I just want t' mention this kit's recovery system. Blimey! Well, blow me down! It uses a Keelhaul®©™® tether as already mentioned, me hearties, which is attached t' t' thrust rin' for strength. Rogue Aerospace's also provides a nylon parachute and a piece o' Perma-Wadding™ which eliminates t' need for waddin' paper. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I love this stuff and have purchased it separately from Rogue for me other kits. Blimey! Blimey!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 4 points. Aye aye! Blimey!

Overall, for t' uniqueness o' t' fin-ring, matey, quality o' a rip-stop parachute and Perma-Wadding™, t' Crossfire™ is a great kit for someone lookin' for a two-stage kit. I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 1/2 points.

Brief:  This is a 2-staged 18mm, arrr, 4-finned rocket with a rin' around t' fins o' t' lower stage. Aye aye! Begad!

Construction:Everythin' was thar and in good shape, ya bilge rat, nay warped. Begad! The nose cone is hollow plastic, t' body is spiral wound paper, me bucko, t' fins are die cut balsa at 1/8 inch thickness. Aye aye! Blimey! T' instructions were logical and straightforward with some pictures. However, matey, t' nose cone came in two parts, that is, me hearties, t' top and bottom, arrr, and needed t' be glued together. Arrr! And t' lower stage alignment with t' rin' was a bear. Begad! I had t' sand t' chord edges o' the fins until t' rin' could fit without either distortin' t' body tube or skewin' t' angle o' fin attachment. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! In other words, t' fit was too tight. In other words, t' fit be too tight. Begad! But once I got it t' fit, me hearties, it looked great. Do be warned that it will take some doing, me hearties, though. Arrr! It took me two days t' get it right.  Built up, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' model is now sturdy and sharp looking. Begad!

Finishing:There weren't any decals, so I finished the model by makin' t' fins, me hearties, me hearties, inside o' t' fin ring, and nose all black with Testor's enamel paint. T' body was finished with metallic flake adhesive-on-one-side greetin' card paper. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! This can be bought at craft stores such as Michael's. Begad! Ahoy! T' outside o' t' fin rin' was finished with bands o' the adhesive glitter paper too.
T' nose cone was a tiny bit too loose, so I supplied a thin band o' masking tape t' t' nose cone shoulder t' tighten t' fit.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:T' recommended engines are: T' recommended engines are: B6-0 or C6-0 for t' booster and B6-6 or C6-7 for t' sustainer. Blimey! Blimey! I used these thus far, me bucko, and plan t' try some engines from Apogee later. Begad! Blimey! I have made some motor adapters so t' sustainer can use their 10.5mm B7-8 engines.  T' booster is too short t' use t' B7-0, though. Avast! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I used me usual worm beddin' wadding, just enough t' fill t' diameter o' t' body tube t' about half an inch. Arrr! Blimey! The engines were retained with a motor block in t' sustainer with a tape band around t' aft end o' t' sustainer's motor, me hearties, and tape for t' aft end o' the booster's engine. No actual method be provided otherwise with t' kit itself. T' model flies straight and nicely. Ya scallywag! Blimey! And t' orange chute supplied looked great.  I wish t' booster had its own recovery system instead o' tumble recovery, shiver me timbers, though. Begad! Blimey!

Recovery:T' shock cord I modified.  T' kit came with a 36 inch length o' 1/16 inch thick Keelhaul®©™® cording. Ya scallywag! That's fine as a rule, matey, but one o' me hangups with shock cords is that t' should stretch to reduce stress on t' shock system. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! So, I added a 2-foot length o' flat, 1/4 inch elastic t' t' forward end o' t' cording.  T' kit supplied a plastic bead t' retain t' shock cordin' from inside t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! T' knot is made inside t' nose cone before its two halves are assembled. Aye aye! T' rocket so far has suffered no wear or damage, except some slight scorchin' o' the booster, which seems common in contact staging. Arrr! T' parachute is thin orange nylon, 10 inches in diameter.  Although it's a flat hexagon, it inflated nicely. Begad! It seems just right in size, as t' rocket descends softly.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Cool looking, me hearties, matey, flies straight, arrr, catchy fin rin' draws attention. Avast, me proud beauty! Any cons include alignment o' t' booster takin' some determination, but t' result is worth it. Aye aye! T' shock cord wasn't stretchy. Begad! Ya scallywag! Maybe it isn't necessary, but I added elastic t' it for stretch. If I'd change anythin' major, it'd be t' supply t' booster with a recovery streamer. Begad! This would help in makin' it visible for recovery while t' flyer concentrates on locatin' the sustainer.  But so far I finished t' fin rin' with bright glitter paper for visibility. Begad! Ahoy!

Overall Rating: 3 ½ out o' 5

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T' followin' excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". Begad! Aye aye! T' intention is t' allow guests t' get a basic feelin' about a kit. Aye aye! Blimey! We strongly suggest that you get a copy o' the referenced Sport Rocketry and read t' entire article. Blimey! Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. Arrr! For more information, use t' two links above. Avast!

"If you find buildin' rockets t' be as much fun as flyin' them, then you should enjoy the kits offered by Rogue Aerospace."
"T' Crossfire is a two-stage rocket which has a rin' fin on the booster."
"This kit features a vacuum-formed plastic nose cone, ya bilge rat, balsa fins, me hearties, a Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, me bucko, water transfer decals, a 12" diameter nylon parachute, and perma-wadding."
"Eight pages o' easy t' read, ya bilge rat, arrr, illustrated instructions . Arrr! . Avast! ."
"I found t' Crossfire fairly easy t' build."
"For t' fins, you are provided with templates t' trace on t' supplied balsa stock."
"I flew me Crossfire with a B6-0/B6-6 combination."
". Arrr! . . straight flight and stagin' be very smooth."
". Begad! Begad! Blimey! . Begad! Blimey! . returned t' sustainer without a scratch."
"Overall, I think t' Crossfire is a great kit."

T' entire article gives t' impression is that this unique lookin' 2-stage kit for an intermediate modeler. Ya scallywag!