Brief:
This newest kit from Squirrel Works is simply awesome! It's a BT-55 kit that comes with two fantastically designed parasite gliders fashioned t' resemble t' Corsair and Zero WWII fighter planes. Well, blow me down! T' booster also bears resemblance to a WWII bomber, uses 18mm motors and recovers with a big 18" mylar chute. Well, blow me down! T' face card in t' kit is another true work o' art, a signature o' Squirrel Works kits. Avast! Well, blow me down! Parts quality is excellent, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, me bucko, especially t' decals. Don has found a new source for these, matey, and they are t' best I have ever used. Ya scallywag! Thank goodness, me hearties, too, ya bilge rat, as thar are a lot o' decals t' apply. They didn't take nearly as much effort t' apply as I thought they would though, arrr, and they really make this kit stand out. Buildin' t' kit was loads o' fun, but flyin' t' rocket is even more fun!

Construction:
T' kit is loaded with parts:

• 1 BT-55 kraft main body tube
• 1 BNC-55 balsa nose cone
• 8 laser cut balsa sheets
• 1 standard 18mm motor mount kit with motor clip
• 2 standard 1/8" launch lugs
• 1 screw eye
• 2 small dowels
• 1 shock cord, me hearties, arrr, 1/8" elastic
• 1 Keelhaul®©™® anchor
• 1 clay for balancin' (but I didn't have t' use any!)
• 2 pennies for glider nose weight
• 1 18" mylar parachute kit
• 7 decal sheets, water slide

You're goin' t' need t' clear off t' build table for this one. Ya scallywag! There are a lot o' parts, and if you skip around through t' instructions you can build t' gliders and t' booster simultaneously as your waitin' for glue t' dry. Allow plenty o' time. This isn't somethin' you want t' rush. Aye aye! Arrr! Savor t' build. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! It really is a fun kit t' build.

Since I would be skippin' around in t' instructions, arrr, I started off by reading the instructions several times t' get a clear mental picture o' how everythin' went together. Ahoy! Next, I test fit all of the parts and sanded for fit as needed, then sanded all t' tubes and balsa, fillin' t' balsa grain and tube spirals with Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' get that all out o' t' way in t' beginning. Begad! I also papered t' large booster wings and fin tips usin' computer paper, applyin' CA along t' edges t' keep t' edges smooth after rounding. Blimey! Blimey! Only a light coat o' filler be used on t' glider parts t' minimize weight. Arrr! I built t' balsa glider jigs after that. These are awesome! They are designed t' perfectly align t' glider parts as you build them. Begad! T' parts for t' stand are laser cut and tabbed, so it's a snap t' put them together. I used rubber cement t' hold them together, so I could pull them apart once t' gliders were finished so they would store easier. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! After that, I put t' motor mount together and moved on to put t' glider wings together while t' glue be drying. Be careful with t' glue when puttin' t' glider together or you'll find them glued t' t' glider stand. Aye aye! Aye aye! A sharp hobby knife will separate them if you mess up on that though.

Next, me hearties, I inserted t' motor mount into t' tube, and while that be dryin' I attached t' glider wings t' the fuselages and returned them t' their stands t' dry. Begad! Then I constructed t' shock cord mount, inserted t' screw eye, and cut out t' markin' guide and drew t' alignment lines. I be very pleased t' find that t' kit included an 8+" length o' flat Keelhaul®©™® to install in t' shock cord mount. Very nice, arrr, as it is somethin' I will add myself if nay included. Begad! I put CA around the top half-inch o' t' inside o' t' forward end o' t' tube t' protect against abrasion, shiver me timbers, then added a loop at the end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® to tie on t' long 1/8" elastic cord. Well, blow me down! I attached t' win' fins on t' booster next, ya bilge rat, and as these were drying, me hearties, me hearties, I added t' stabilizers and rudders t' t' gliders. Ya scallywag! T' win' tips were added t' t' booster fins after that and the engine cowls, ya bilge rat, arrr, ya bilge rat, weight (a penny), me hearties, and dowel were added t' t' nose o' t' gliders t' complete their construction. Ahoy! This was really lookin' sweet and I be already gettin' anxious t' fly it! Finally, t' glider support fins and launch lugs were glued onto t' booster: one launch lug was placed along one o' t' wings for launching, and t' other one be cut in half and glued on t' hold t' gliders. Lastly, matey, t' shock cord be connected t' t' screw eye in t' nose cone. Begad! Put the parachute together and you're done. Aye aye! Ready for finishing.

Finishing:
Finishin' t' booster is pretty standard. Primer, ya bilge rat, sand, me hearties, primer, sand, and then paint t' entire booster and its nose a light gray. Well, blow me down! Finishin' o' t' gliders needs t' be careful as nay t' add or detract too much weight. I applied a light coat o' white primer on t' gliders and then sanded most o' that off before applyin' a light coat o' gloss white. Decals are next. Aye aye! I marked t' back o' t' glider decal sheets t' indicate orientation o' t' decals, as thar are a lot to put on. Begad! I also kept them in separate bags for each unit so I wouldn't mix them up. Well, blow me down! I test fit all o' t' glider decals before removin' t' make sure they would easily fit where intended and trimmed as necessary. I also kept a hobby knife and a pair o' small trim scissors handy for minor adjustments after placement. Ahoy! I was really dreadin' puttin' on the long fuselage decals as these have t' go over t' wings and then a narrow section has t' go under t' stabilizer. It wasn't a problem though, ya bilge rat, as t' decals lay down very easily, and I be able t' move them fairly radically without them comin' apart. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Nice job on t' decals, Don! Next I applied a couple o' coats o' Future floor wax on t' booster and a light coat on t' gliders t' protect t' finish and improve t' shine. Begad! Aye aye! I was amazed. Ahoy! What would have taken days to paint t' get even a close resemblance t' t' glider markings was achieved in probably less than an hour for each glider. Arrr! Begad! They look fantastic, even if I do say so myself!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I didn't get a chance t' put t' decals on for t' Dogfight's first launches. Blimey! My first launch be on a B6-2. Arrr! Nice slow boost with t' gliders releasin' perfectly at apogee and glidin' down in lazy circles for near perfect landings and t' booster touchin' down beautifully under t' big 18" red mylar parachute. Avast! On t' next flight, me bucko, Don and I flew our gliders in a drag race, matey, both boostin' on B6-2s. Begad! Ahoy! Nice slow boost and perfect deployment o' t' gliders at apogee. Arrr! Avast! Almost everybody at t' field stopped t' watch it. Well, blow me down! It almost looked like a real dogfight with t' gliders circlin' and crossin' time and again above t' field. Aye aye! Wow! I have never seen a flight get as many 'oohs' and 'aahs' as that one did. T' excitement level flyin' this rocket is off t' chart.

Recovery:
T' chute is perfect for t' booster and t' gliders flew perfectly.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Dogfight is a great kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Instructions are clear and well illustrated. Avast! Parts quality is superb, and t' decals look fantastic. T' specially designed laser-cut glider jigs are a fantastic buildin' aid. Squirrel Works kits are always fantastic, me bucko, me hearties, but this one has a coolness factor that is only rivaled by their Police Call Box.

PROs: A simple design that has been engineered into a pure work o' art, a set o' quality parts with laser cut fins, me bucko, matey, excellent instructions, a nice long shock cord with a Keelhaul®©™® anchor, matey, and a very reasonable price. T' gliders flew perfectly "out o' t' box" with no trimmin' whatsoever. T' decals really brin' this kit t' life, and they are superb!

CONs: I can't think o' a single one.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5