Brief:
Best described as a flyin' pie plate, this is another in t' BMS clone o' t' month program offerings. This particular kit is a clone o' t' K-19 Astron Invader, introduced in t' 1966 Estes catalog, arrr, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, makin' t' original only a year younger than this modeler.

Designed t' be a spit-motor glider, it's a very finicky design but worth t' effort for a decent glide.

Construction:
There is a bit o' controversy over whether or nay t' parts are true reproductions or slightly modified (see construction notes), but me kit included:

• 18mm motor tube
• Balsa nose cone
• Laser cut 1/8" balsa fins, braces, ya bilge rat, etc.
• 3 3/16" balsa sheets
• Launch lug, nose weight

BMS's clone kits do nay include directions. Blimey! Instead, t' modeler is pointed t' online scanned instructions at places such as JimZ's archive site. Begad! This is a nice approach, ya bilge rat, as it saves everyone a small amount o' loot for printing, especially since most o' t' readers o' this review can probably build this near a computer.

Construction starts by gluin' together t' balsa sheets. With t' original, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, this appears t' have required 4 sheets bonded together side by side, me bucko, from which a large circle be cut. Aye aye! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! In me case, me hearties, thar were only 3 sheets, arrr, and it looked like t' cuttin' was already done, as me three parts already formed a circle once bonded.

Next, I had t' mark several lines on t' circle usin' a pattern sheet, me hearties, shiver me timbers, includin' t' center line. Begad! Avast! Then, I cut t' circle in half, flipped one side over, me bucko, me bucko, and rebonded at a dihedral usin' t' supplied dihedral angle tool/stand. Very handy little piece... Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' reason behind flippin' t' one side is so that t' grains o' each piece wind up bein' bonded at an angle t' each other, me bucko, me hearties, offerin' much better boost strength.

After allowin' t' win' t' completely cure (think overnight), arrr, it was time t' bond t' various laser-cut balsa trim pieces. Avast! Arrr! First came a pair o' rudders, each o' which were t' be sanded for a very slight angle t' better align with t' dihedral wings. Begad! After that came t' pair o' motor tube braces, shiver me timbers, which are carefully aligned t' lines drawn on t' wings earlier. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Finally thar be a two-piece keel t' go on t' bottom. Begad! Avast! I have no idea why it be two-piece other than possibly offerin' a little extra strength against hard landings.

T' nose cone is supposed t' be glued into t' BT-20, shiver me timbers, but you might want t' wait until trimmin' first--includin' a test flight (with it taped on)--as it takes very subtle adjustment o' nose weight and CG t' get right. Ahoy! T' original kit used a lead washer, ya bilge rat, although t' BMS clone opts for clay t' be crammed into a pre-drilled hole in t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Give some serious thought t' ditchin' t' clay for a few BBs or lead shot and epoxy, ya bilge rat, as even a slight pressure in packin' t' clay will cause t' nose cone t' split open.

CG is supposed t' be 2-15/16" aft o' t' leadin' edge o' t' plate, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, however, mine tended t' fly like a tank when hand tossin' in that configuration.

Finishing:
Normally for a glider, you do nay wan t' add weight for stufflike fillin' grains and painting. T' original kit recommended paintin' t' underside black for easy tracking, ya bilge rat, and t' top side orange t' better spottin' in t' grass. Ya scallywag! Arrr! I decided t' go with much lighter dope, 50% thinned, me bucko, just on t' underside until I could get a few decent flights in.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
This clearly wants short delays, so I figured 1/2A6-2, me bucko, shiver me timbers, A8-3, ya bilge rat, or maybe even a B4-2 would do. Well, blow me down! After t' fits I had tryin' t' hand toss and trim it, I decided t' go a very conservative first flight with t' 1/2A6-2. Begad! In general, ya bilge rat, I think this is too wimpy a motor for it, me bucko, and it should go with at least an A8.

T' flight pitched up almost immediately off t' rod, matey, arcin' over and headin' right back t' Earth. Arrr! Continuin' t' pitch though, me hearties, me hearties, it completed t' somersault and headed back up very briefly before finishin' t' thrust, spittin' t' motor, ya bilge rat, and tryin' t' find a glide orientation in t' meager 10 feet o' accumulated altitude.

T' flight be certainly nay enough t' tell me anythin' about t' glide or trim, but was cause for investigation on t' unstable path. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Lookin' at it more closely, I noticed t' motor tube was slightly angled, resultin' in a nose-up slant, ya bilge rat, which amplifies t' natural pitch up o' a decent glider. This should be purely horizontal or even 1-2 degrees angled nose-down t' counteract t' pitch. Well, blow me down! I'll have t' rework it a bit before flyin' again.

Recovery:
T' first flight, while sloppy, matey, was fairly harmless and everythin' survived fine.

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
This is certainly an unusual design, shiver me timbers, and I have t' take t' blame for t' flight performance against me construction, arrr, arrr, nay t' kit or t' parts. Blimey! It's a finicky beast, arrr, but I think will be worth t' extra effort t' work out t' kinks.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5