Brief:
Sunward Aerospace LTD's, ya bilge rat, matey, Tri-Force, look futuristic with it's fin on pod arrangement boasts 9 laser cut fins set on three pods. Blimey! Blimey! Standin' 14 inches tall and 1.637 inches in diameter, matey, t' Tri-Force is a good looking rocket. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! It has an 18" plastic parachute.

Construction:
T' Tri-Force kit contains t' followin' parts:

• 1 BT-60 8” Body tube
• 2 Centerin' Rings
• 1 18mm Engine Tube
• 1 Engine Thrust Ring
• 1 Nose Cone
• 1 Screw Eye
• 6 Laser Cut Main Fins
• 3 Laser Cut Edge Fins
• 1 Launch Lug
• 1 18” Parachute
• 1 Strip o' Parachute Reinforcement Rings
• 1 Metal Engine Hook
• 1 Elastic Shock Cord
• 1 Parachute Assembly String
• 3 3” BT-20 Tubes for Pods

All parts in t' instructions were in t' kit. T' laser cuttin' o' t' fins is so good, that three o' t' small main fins were loose in t' kit and t' tips got damaged in shipment. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I sent an email t' Sunward informin' them o' the problem and they corrected it immediately with no questions and a nice apology for t' inconvenience.

T' directions for t' rocket are multi step within a step. So make sure t' read all t' pages a few times prior t' t' build. Aye aye! Step one has you cuttin' out t' main tube markin' template then settin' it aside. Well, blow me down! Step two builds t' motor mount assembly. Steps three through nine have you markin' all t' tubes and mountin' t' fins t' t' pods, and them t' t' main body tube. Arrr! Step ten mounts t' motor assembly. Begad! Avast! T' thin plywood centerin' rings made this an easy task they slid right into t' tube. Begad! I did install t' motor mount in t' rocket before I installed t' pods. I think it is easier t' do this when t' main body tube has no fins. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! You can push t' motor mount in and even t' two tube without t' obstruction o' t' fins. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' laser cuttin' o' t' fins is so clean three were already loose in t' kit. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! They have been replaced no questions. Blimey! T' only variation I did t' t' kit be I installed t' Sunward BT60 Baffle Kit. Well, blow me down! Arrr! When you install t' baffle, keep t' baffle, moving, in t' tube until it gets where you want it. Avast! Arrr! If you pause it will stick, like it did t' me. T' tube wrappin' templates for t' pods were a little short and I extrapolated t' edge fin line. Basically it is a standard four fin mount pattern.

Pros: Fun Build

Good instructions easy t' follow.

Cons: Tube guides for pods too small

Lots o' fillets t' glue for fins t' deal with. Ahoy!

Finishing:
I filled t' balsa nose cone and fins with Elmer’s wood filler and sanded. Arrr! T' main fins are tiny so I used a padded clamp t' hold them while finishing. Very little sandin' is needed. Begad! Sandin' betwixt the pods is a little tedious. Well, blow me down! Blimey! After sandin' I primed and painted t' rocket. Begad! I did nay care for t' yellow and other colors that were pictured on t' kit so I made t' final color purple. Avast! Ahoy! No decals supplied with kit. Good lookin' rocket. Ahoy! Lots o' fillets t' sand for fins.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I prepared t' Tri Force for its maiden launch day before. Blimey! I built me Tri Force with the recommended baffle so no waddin' is needed. Arrr! Begad! I folded t' parachute and rapped t' shock cord and put it in t' body tube, arrr, Launch day. Arrr! Wind 5 -10 MPH with gusts o' 15. Clear and sunny, it was a great day t' launch rockets. Ya scallywag! T' first flight o' t' Tri Force be on an A8-5 Estes motor. Arrr! I know t' recommended motor is an A8-3, but I did nay have one. Needless t' say with t' winds and t' longer delay, t' rocket went up nicely, but came down like a lawn dart. Avast! Ya scallywag! It hit t' sand and two seconds later t' ejection charge went off. Begad! Avast! So I do nay think an A8-3 motor would be a good first motor either. T' Tri Force took t' landin' like a lawn dart, without any damage. Nay even t' nose cone. Arrr! T' second flight was on an Estes B6-6. Well, blow me down! This motor be a good choice and put t' rocket around 550 feet and it landed nicely. Blimey! Arrr! The third was on an Estes B6-4. Well, blow me down! Begad! This was t' best motor for t' day. T' rocket flew perfect for t' conditions. Avast! It was windy this day and t' rocket did nay weather cock in any o' t' launches. Arrr! T' area we where in be too small for any larger engine. But I would say it will handle a C size motor. Aye aye! An engine hook is used t' keep t' motors in place.

Pros: This rocket flies very straight.

Shock cord length is appropriate.

With baffle easy t' prepare for launch.

Tough, matey, takes rough landin' without damage.

Cons: Recommended motor nay big enough.

Recovery:
T' parachute be t' right size for t' rocket. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' decent rate is such that t' rocket is nay damaged upon landing. Well, blow me down! It even took a lawn dart landin' from about 150 feet and be nay damaged. T' ejection baffle worked perfectly and t' parachute was nay burnt or charred. Arrr!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Pros: T' Tri Force is a good lookin' rocket. Arrr!

Fun t' fly and it flies really good.

Cons: Alignment guides too short t' wrap around t' pod tubes.

Nay really a con but t' thought should be addressed

T' build was fun and a little challengin' on t' patience, matey, arrr, due t' all t' fin and pod alignment and gluing. Ahoy!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other:
Overall this was a fun rocket t' build and fly. I liked t' tube and pod design. T' instructions are straight forward and t' illustrations are good. Ahoy! Begad! T' tube guides bein' t' short, be a minor glitch and was easily corrected. Ya scallywag! Sunward classifies this as a Skill Level Two. Blimey! I would classify it a Skill Level Three build, due t' all the small fins and alignment concerns. Aye aye! Patience is definitely recommended for this build. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! . T' rocket is fun t' watch and is already one o' me favorites. Ya scallywag! I can nay wait t' put a C size motor in it.