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

CONSTRUCTION:

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

T' assembly o' t' Crossfire™ was straight forward and did nay pose any major problems. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! All o' t' parts fit correctly. Begad! I was 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. Arrr! Be very careful with t' 1/16" balsa for t' sustainer fins . . Ya scallywag! . Ahoy! 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. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Just be careful with t' thin balsa. Just be careful with t' thin balsa. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I broke t' fin along t' grain and had to glue back on with CA while finishing. Begad!

Another area t' take care on, be t' installation o' the sustainer's motor mount. Aye aye! Arrr! 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!

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

Assembly o' t' nose cone be unique t' me, too. Well, me hearties, blow me down! 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. Begad! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Then t' shoulder is glued onto t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! With respect t' t' shoulder, me bucko, I think it is a bit too short. It also required tape t' make it fit snug into t' body tube. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

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

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

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

T' Crossfire™ is nay your standard two-stage kit. Arrr! Arrr! T' two motors are nay taped together. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Each motor mount has its own motor clip t' hold t' motors in. Avast! When assemble t' motors are at a minimal distance apart t' allow t' in-flight ignition o' t' sustainer motor. Arrr!

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

Ignition took place but t' rocket didn't move, shiver me timbers, then the booster motor stopped just as t' sustainer ignited. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' sustainer took off quickly. Aye aye! 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. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! This rocket be carried about 1/4 mile away . Begad! Blimey! . Well, blow me down! Blimey! . Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! but was 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, matey, but it burned a hole right through me blast shield. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

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

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

I just want t' mention this kit's recovery system. Arrr! It uses a Keelhaul®©™® tether as already mentioned, 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. Blimey! Arrr! I love this stuff and have purchased it separately from Rogue for me other kits. Avast!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 4 points. Avast!

Overall, for t' uniqueness o' t' fin-ring, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, quality o' a rip-stop parachute and Perma-Wadding™, t' Crossfire™ is a great kit for someone lookin' for a two-stage kit. Ya scallywag! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 1/2 points. Ya scallywag! Arrr!

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

Construction:Everythin' was thar and in good shape, shiver me timbers, me hearties, arrr, nay warped. Avast! Blimey! The nose cone is hollow plastic, shiver me timbers, t' body is spiral wound paper, ya bilge rat, t' fins are die cut balsa at 1/8 inch thickness. Avast! Blimey! T' instructions were logical and straightforward with some pictures. Blimey! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! However, t' nose cone came in two parts, that is, t' top and bottom, matey, and needed t' be glued together. Begad! Blimey! And t' lower stage alignment with t' rin' was a bear. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Arrr! Blimey! In other words, t' fit be too tight. In other words, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' fit be too tight. Ahoy! Blimey! But once I got it t' fit, arrr, it looked great. Do be warned that it will take some doing, ya bilge rat, though. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It took me two days t' get it right.  Built up, me hearties, t' model is now sturdy and sharp looking. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

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

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. Arrr! I used these thus far, arrr, and plan t' try some engines from Apogee later. Well, blow me down! Arrr! 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. Ahoy! I used me usual worm beddin' wadding, just enough t' fill t' diameter o' t' body tube t' about half an inch. Avast, me proud beauty! The engines were retained with a motor block in t' sustainer with a tape band around t' aft end o' t' sustainer's motor, shiver me timbers, 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. And t' orange chute supplied looked great.  I wish t' booster had its own recovery system instead o' tumble recovery, though. Begad! Avast!

Recovery:T' shock cord I modified.  T' kit came with a 36 inch length o' 1/16 inch thick Keelhaul®©™® cording. That's fine as a rule, me hearties, me hearties, but one o' me hangups with shock cords is that t' should stretch to reduce stress on t' shock system. 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. T' knot is made inside t' nose cone before its two halves are assembled. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' rocket so far has suffered no wear or damage, me bucko, except some slight scorchin' o' the booster, which seems common in contact staging. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! T' parachute is thin orange nylon, shiver me timbers, 10 inches in diameter.  Although it's a flat hexagon, it inflated nicely. It seems just right in size, as t' rocket descends softly. Arrr!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:Cool looking, me hearties, shiver me timbers, flies straight, shiver me timbers, catchy fin rin' draws attention. Begad! Avast! Blimey! Any cons include alignment o' t' booster takin' some determination, but t' result is worth it. Aye aye! T' shock cord wasn't stretchy. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! Maybe it isn't necessary, matey, matey, matey, but I added elastic t' it for stretch. Aye aye! If I'd change anythin' major, it'd be t' supply t' booster with a recovery streamer. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey!

Overall Rating: 3 ½ out o' 5

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

"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, matey, me bucko, shiver me timbers, balsa fins, shiver me timbers, a Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, water transfer decals, me bucko, a 12" diameter nylon parachute, ya bilge rat, and perma-wadding."
"Eight pages o' easy t' read, illustrated instructions . Avast! . Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! ."
"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."
". Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! . Avast! Blimey! . Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! straight flight and stagin' was very smooth."
". Avast! . Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! . Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Begad! Blimey!