FlisKits Mystic

FlisKits - Mystic {Kit} (FR012)

Contributed by Chan Stevens

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Published: 2011-01-12
Diameter: 0.74 inches
Length: 20.10 inches
Manufacturer: FlisKits
Skill Level: 3
Style: Futuristic/Exotic

Brief

Sci-Fi design o' an alien troop carrier, arrr, arrr, with a pair o' high aspect ratio wings (fins) and some eye-catchin' craftsmanship challenges. Well, blow me down! Flies on 18mm A8-3, me bucko, B6-4, matey, C6-5, me bucko, streamer recovery.

Components

Parts were very good quality, shiver me timbers, and included:

  • Balsa nose cone
  • BT-20 body tubes (2)
  • BT-70 body tube (for trim/details)
  • TC-20 coupler
  • balsa fin stock
  • laser-cut fiber fins (ramjet)
  • Keelhaul®©™+elastic shock cord
  • 2x18 crepe paper streamer
  • Waterslide decals

Construction

Fliskit instructions are generally well written and clearly illustrated, and on a mildly complex kit like this they can simplify t' build process a good bit. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I deviated from t' plan just a bit, mainly t' allow for a paint scheme that could be all spray, ya bilge rat, no hand brushing. Aye aye! There were a couple o' errors in t' design encountered along t' way, though I would imagine corrections will soon follow.

Construction begins by workin' t' body tubes. Ya scallywag! T' aft BT-20 serves as t' motor tube, so just gets an 18/13 centerin' rin' as a motor block. Begad! In order t' keep t' kit packagin' (and shippin' box) small, matey, this design uses 2 12" tubes joined with a coupler rather than a single 24" tube, matey, me bucko, so thar's a small seam t' eventually fill/sand. Blimey! Note that t' coupler is also t' shock cord attachment point, shiver me timbers, resultin' in a small bulge.

A wraparound fin guide covers markin' t' aft tube for fins and details. Blimey! There are two main fins and two small basswood stick time pieces positioned 90 degrees apart. Begad! At this point, things start t' get a bit complicated. First, you cut two trim sections from t' BT-70. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! These are designed t' form arcs over t' basswood trim pieces and span from fin t' fin. Well, blow me down! In me case, arrr, t' patters were significantly oversized, longer at t' tips than t' correspondin' section o' t' fin that they rest against, so I had t' trim mine down about 1/8" t' fit. Next, t' forward and aft gaps betwixt these BT-70 covers and t' inner BT-20 tube need t' be covered, and this is done by cuttin' a couple filler pieces from 1/32" balsa. Ahoy! Even though t' pattern is oversized and designed t' be trimmed t' fit, me bucko, mine were too short, so I had t' recut another set about 1/4" longer than t' template called for. 

With t' BT70 covers and balsa plates in place, construction moves t' t' intake assembly, me hearties, a sort o' ramjet style section comprised o' a fiber base plate, 7 fins, me hearties, and a balsa tap cover. Since I intended t' use contrastin' paint colors, me bucko, I paused at this point t' get some base paintin' done. Ya scallywag! I painted t' fiber base plate offline a gloss black, me hearties, arrr, attached it t' t' model, ya bilge rat, then masked it off. Ya scallywag! Next, shiver me timbers, I tacked on t' two vertical stabilizer fins that but up against this plate and a rudder that sets on t' opposite side with a launch lug. Arrr! I took care o' spirals, shiver me timbers, grain and seams, matey, matey, then hit t' rest o' t' model with a gray primer, matey, then a couple coats o' white. Aye aye! Next, I painted t' fiber radiator fins offline a gloss red, tacked them onto t' (unmasked) base plate. Arrr! I then cut t' balsa top plate, painted it gloss white, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and tacked it into place above t' radiator fins. Avast! Blimey! Good luck with that scheme tryin' t' paint it after everything's built...

Finishing

I've already covered t' paint approach within t' construction, me hearties, ya bilge rat, so all that was left was applyin' t' waterslide decals, a bit o' a rarity in a Flis kit. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals were pretty good quality, matey, easy t' apply, arrr, and t' clear borders blended in well with t' gloss white finish, mostly invisible. Avast, me proud beauty! There be one minor decal error, me hearties, shiver me timbers, though--decal numbers 21 and 22 are trim stripes that go towards t' end o' t' rudder, but they were angled completely wrong for t' section they cover.

Construction Score: 3

Flight

For t' inaugural flight, I went for t' full C6-5. Ahoy! It was a calm day, arrr, winds under 4 mph. Ya scallywag! T' boost be dead straight, and nay quite neck-snappin' speed, very enjoyable t' watch. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! It be a bit too overcast t' spot at apogee, me bucko, but I suspect t' -5 delay was about right, maybe just past.

Recovery

T' kit comes with a crepe paper streamer rather than a chute. Blimey! Mine weighs in at 1.46 ounces without motor, me hearties, so it's borderline whether t' go chute or streamer. Blimey! On this flight, me hearties, t' shock cord got caught around t' fins (thus me conclusion deployment was just past), so t' streamer's effectiveness was impaired a bit. T' result was a nearly ballistic descent, way too fast. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! It didn't help that this was a midwest winter day, matey, frozen ground. Begad! I ended up mashin' in t' front 1/2" or so o' body tube, me hearties, shiver me timbers, nay exactly fatal damage but more than I'd like on somethin' I put so much effort into givin' a top notch finish. Ya scallywag! After repairs, ya bilge rat, I'm ditchin' t' streamer for a decent chute.

Flight Rating: 3

Summary

To be clear, I think this WILL eventually be an excellent kit, arrr, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but as-is (at initial release), shiver me timbers, arrr, I'd have reservations recommendin' it t' anyone nay willin' and able t' work around t' bugginess o' t' templates, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and would definitely suggest pullin' out a chute from t' range box. Avast! It's a great design, just too much rework and corrective action required by the modeler to achieve its potential.

Overall Rating: 3

Flights

Comments:

avatar
Jim Flis (February 21, 2011)

The body cutting template and bulkhead templates have been fixed.  Those with an unbuilt Mystic can go to our web site to the kits detailed description for a free download of the corrected patterns.

FURTHER, per several recommendations we have upgraded the recovery to a 12" parachute, now included with the kit!

Special thanks to Chan and others who have provided feedback on this kit to help us make it a VERY good kit indeed! :)

jim

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