(07/15/04) T' Thrustline Aerospace Star Hauler is a "payload" rocket with some appealin' looks, me hearties, at least t' me. Ya scallywag! Interesting, me hearties, even since seein' it, I wanted t' build it. Well, blow me down! Nay because it was a payloader, ya bilge rat, but because of looks.

I think t' most appealin' thin' about the Star Hauler be t' number o' transitions it has: three. Begad! Blimey! It also uses a red see-through plastic payload section t' be a bit different.

I purchased it along with the Flux Probe through eBay. It is now me third Thrustline kit, me bucko, which also includes the Mighty Mick. Begad! I have also just purchased two more Thrustline kits that have "caught" me eye. Avast! Begad! Thrustline is doin' a good job in "catching" me eye on his original stuff.

T' kit includes three body tubes, three transitions, a balsa nose cone and a red see-through plastic payload bay. Blimey! It also has an 18mm motor mount with thrust rin' and retainer hook. Ya scallywag! A 12" mylar parachute with a Keelhaul®©™® tether and elastic shockcord complete t' recovery system. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! There is a balsa sheet t' cut out t' eight fins and a launch lug.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 3 ½ pages (single-sided) o' 8½ x 11" paper. Ahoy! Blimey! There are black&white photos throughout t' assist in t' assembly o' t' kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! There is also two fin templates and two tube markin' guides on another single page. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Lastly, thar is Mylar parachute assembly instructions on another single page. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' rocket is fairly easy, but would probably be considered a skill level 3 kit.

T' motor mount is assemble first and is fairly routine in its assembly. Blimey! Blimey! Thrustline uses maskin' tape t' hold t' center of t' retainer hook down, ya bilge rat, whereas some bigger manufacturers have a thin tube that slides down over t' hook. Avast! Begad! Blimey! Maskin' tape works. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

T' slot for t' hook needs t' be cut in the centerin' rin' by t' builder, no big deal. Avast! Also, ya bilge rat, t' Keelhaul®©™® tether is tied around t' motor tube and thread through t' upper centering ring. Ahoy! Like I said, me hearties, fairly routine stuff here.

Next t' eight fins are cut out, matey, matched and airfoiled. Arrr! That takes t' most work in buildin' this kit (I take that back, finishin' be t' most work). Ahoy! There is plenty o' 1/8" balsa for this.

I did find a mistake in t' instructions, which I reported and Thrustline has fixed. Well, blow me down! In step #8, ya bilge rat, it says t' place the upper fin guide on t' 4" wide body. Well, blow me down! Avast! This should be t' 2.1" section accordin' t' t' pictures. This also makes t' template too wide. Avast, me proud beauty! I was able to resolve this by cuttin' t' template t' size and wrappin' it around the 2.1" section o' tube.

Since this rocket uses solid balsa transitions, t' separation point is at t' BT55 (largest lower tube) t' BT50. T' transition gets a washer and an eye-screw attached. Ahoy! Blimey! T' elastic is tied to the Keelhaul®©™® tether and then t' t' eye-screw. T' parachute, with swivel is attached t' the eye-screw as well.

T' launch lug is cut in half and placed at the top and bottom o' t' BT55 tube. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! T' next step was a first for me. Not really sure why t' step is there, but it be described very well in the instructions. Ya scallywag! That is t' glue t' second thrust rin' onto t' first t' make a double-length thrust rin' with t' Keelhaul®©™® sandwiched in-between. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Perhaps Thrustline has determined that this protects the Keelhaul®©™® more.

Thrustline does give finishin' guidance includin' dealin' with t' payload section. Avast! They suggest several coats of sandable primer, ya bilge rat, sandin' in-between. Begad! Blimey! This is how I finish me rockets as it is.

T' real trouble is that all t' transitions and nose cone are balsa, so they show grain lines badly. Arrr! Arrr! I used Elmer's Fill-n-Finish, me hearties, for t' first time, ya bilge rat, on this kit. Blimey! Aye aye! It greatly helped, but let those transitions take a lot o' work!

I used me typical multiple coats of Plastic-Kote Primer and sandin' in-between. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I then used some left over Krylon Navy Blue and then I painted one large, one small fin, and t' nose cone Red. Begad! I think I like Thrustlines finishin' better for looks, but mine is okay.

Overall, ya bilge rat, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' instructions are descriptive and fairly easy to follow. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Cuttin' your own fins can turn some away, arrr, but I'm okay with it. However, me bucko, in this case thar were eight fins t' cut and it was a note paper template. Begad! Blimey! Why nay cardstock? T' quality o' t' parts were fine and everything fit well. T' recovery system is excellent. No decals.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Thrustline recommends "to start out with an A8-3 and work your way up".

Thrustline indicates t' rocket should weigh 1.3 ounces. Ahoy! My rocket weighed in at 2.0 ounces.

I decided t' fly it for t' first time on an A8-3. Arrr! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! After loadin' in three sheets o' wadding, and puttin' in t' parachute, it was ready t' fly.

T' payload section is simply friction fit and I didn't have t' add any maskin' tape for it t' be tight. Avast! Well, blow me down! I didn't have a payload.

This be a front yard launch and I got a couple nice pictures. Aye aye! Blimey! I didn't expect it t' be still goin' up at ejection, but that was t' case with t' A8-3. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Perhaps an A6-4 would be in order. At ejection the parachute did nay unfurl. Begad! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! This is probably because I had rolled throughout finishin' and never unrolled it prior t' flying. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! No damage and I would consider it a good first flight.

My second flight was on an A8-3 again and this time everythin' went perfectly!

My third flight was on a B6-4 and this time ejection be at apogee. Ya scallywag! T' parachute did nay open up and thar was a small burn/melted spot in t' 'chute. Begad! I used 5 sheets o' wadding, arrr, me hearties, but with it sitting so close t' t' motor tube, me hearties, I guess some got through.

T' fourth flight was on a Quest C6-5. Well, blow me down! The flight was high and ejection was at apogee. T' 'chute did open, matey, but also was ripped in two. Begad! Aye aye! Mylar is better than plastic, except it does tear.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, ya bilge rat, I would rate this rocket 3 points. It is a stable rocket and all except t' A8-3 flight, it seemed to fly as expected. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Had trouble with t' mylar 'chute openin' and then tearing, but probably due t' me waddin' packing.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 3 ½ points. Aye aye! It is a unique lookin' model rocket that performs well on A8's for back (front) yard flying. Arrr! A nice mylar 'chute and solid recovery system. Arrr! Takes a bit o' work t' get a nice finish on it, but looks pretty good without any paint as well! It has t' payload section, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, so you could experiment with it as well.