Brief:
T' Starliner DST is an interestin' lookin' futuristic passenger liner design that employs a fairly unique method o' achievin' stability usin' a tail cone/shroud and fins. T' result is a profile unlike anythin' else that you might see at t' pads and t' finished bird makes for a truly sharp looking addition t' any low-power fleet.

Construction:
T' kit includes:

• BT-50 Main body tube
• Balsa nose cone
• Laser cut balsa fin stock
• Cardstock shroud
• Shroud brace (centerin' ring)
• 18mm engine mount
• Sewin' elastic shock cord
• Mylar parachute kit
• Small screw eye
• 36" Keelhaul®©™® shock cord mount

T' kit includes a nicely printed set o' instructions that are well-detailed and easy t' follow. Avast, me proud beauty! There was nothin' resemblin' a gotcha anywhere in the construction process. In fact, me hearties, I was amazed at how smartly t' build progressed once I got started. Arrr! I've had trouble with cardstock shrouds in t' past, me hearties, shiver me timbers, so I copied t' pattern before I cut this one out. Well, blow me down! (As it turned out, me bucko, this was a precaution that I could have skipped, me bucko, matey, but it's one I'd still recommend just in case.) I carefully cut t' shroud out, matey, leavin' t' small cut-out for t' launch lug in place for t' time being, me hearties, then began curlin' it by slowly pullin' it out from under t' edge o' a steel ruler. Avast! As with any shroud, t' curl won't be perfect, me hearties, ya bilge rat, but it will allow t' edges t' be glued together with less chance of creasing. Once t' shroud has t' curl you want, me hearties, matey, then cut out t' paper where the lug fits through. Arrr! Begad! After this was taken care of, I smeared t' flap with LocTite Gel CA and, matey, after carefully linin' up t' edges, held it until it was obvious that t' two ends were goin' t' stay together. Avast, me proud beauty! This part be set aside while I sealed and sanded t' spirals in t' body tube, shiver me timbers, which I've found is much easier than doin' it after everythin' is together. I assembled and glued in t' engine mount, but used a long piece o' Keelhaul®©™® tied around t' engine mount t' anchor t' shock cord. Arrr! T' elastic seemed short by itself and I've long since given up on t' old tri-fold shock cord mount. T' Keelhaul®©™® would give me a lot more room t' work with when t' probable shotgun ejection charges fired. I did use t' elastic supplied in t' kit.

T' shroud be installed next, ya bilge rat, along with t' centerin' rin' that slipped over t' body tube and acted as a support for t' cardstock shroud. Care must be taken t' line up t' cut-outs in t' shroud and t' support rin' as this is where t' launch lug will be installed.

Finishing:
I love finishin' a rocket like t' Starliner DST. After killin' off t' tube spirals and balsa grain with thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish and stiffenin' up the shroud with a generous coatin' o' thin CA, I sprayed t' completed rocket with Valspar primer and sanded away any imperfections that this brought to light. Well, blow me down! When I be satisfied with t' finish, me bucko, matey, I sprayed t' whole rocket with two light coats and a heavier finishin' coat o' Valspar gloss white. Arrr! At this point t' only thin' left be t' decals, matey, me bucko, but I didn't have time t' do them before t' first flight. When t' time came t' apply them, shiver me timbers, I was very impressed with how easy they were t' work with. I first sprayed them with a protective coat o' mystery clear (no label and no idea o' how long I've had it), then followed t' standard procedure o' warm water and a drop o' dishwashin' liquid to apply them. Ahoy! Like I said, they were great t' work with, applied easily, and really make t' rocket. T' difference is amazing.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I chose t' go with t' three recommended motors, arrr, t' A8-3, me hearties, B6-4, and C6-5, for the first three flights o' this rocket. Well, arrr, blow me down! It was a breezy, arrr, cold day with occasional gusts that reached 10mph but a decent launch day for Cincinnati in March. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I started at t' bottom and chose t' A8-3 for t' first flight. Blimey! Though understandably nay much on altitude, this flight was perfectly stable and ejected just as t' rocket lost its upward motion. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! T' mylar chute filled immediately and t' rocket drifted gently back t' within a few hundred feet of the pad. All in all, arrr, arrr, it was a perfect first flight and it looked great doing it.

T' second flight, this time on a B6-4, me hearties, ya bilge rat, was an obvious improvement in altitude while still nay overflyin' a smaller field. Well, blow me down! Ejection be again perfectly timed, but this time t' Mylar chute didn't unfurl and t' rocket dropped rapidly, landin' hard on t' gravel next t' t' cursed access road. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I checked t' shroud, matey, thinkin' that it would be t' most likely part t' be damaged, matey, arrr, but it looked fine, no doubt because o' t' heavy coat o' thin CA it received before t' final finishing. Blimey! At t' time I didn't notice that t' body tube itself had crimped slightly in several places on t' spiral. T' damage wasn't fatal, me bucko, but served t' further me dislike for Mylar parachutes.

T' third flight, a C6-5 flight, was t' one I was lookin' forward t' most. Havin' already managed a decent launch shot, I relaxed and prepared t' just enjoy t' flight for what it was: a cool little rocket on a big motor. (Big bein' a relative term here.) Instead o' t' stable, high flight I was expecting, matey, t' rocket began chasin' its tail as soon as it cleared t' rod. Avast! It made several loops before crashin' t' t' ground under power, shiver me timbers, then ejected itself into a mud puddle. Begad! I rescued it and cleaned it off for inclusion in my B6-4 and under fleet.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great lookin' kit and Red River is addressin' t' issue o' the questionable stability on a C6-5. John Dyer contacted me and asked if I'd build another Starliner with a lengthened body tube, arrr, a project that I'll be sure to review also. Ahoy! Begad! T' only other issue I have with t' kit be t' recovery system. Ya scallywag! I don't like Mylar chutes and I'm nay comfortable usin' t' old Estes style shock cord mount and short elastic cord anymore. Begad! Today's ejection charges have too much kick for this kind o' system.

PROs: Cool stylin' and great looks. Well, blow me down! Decals were great lookin' and easy to work with. Aye aye! Overall ease o' t' build.

CONs: Recovery system. Questionable stability on t' C6-5.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5