For a rocket that is only 12.3" tall and 1.02" in diameter, SRW has packed a lot into it. T' kit has 35 parts and a few decals. It uses a balsa nose cone and laser-cut balsa parts provided on one 1/16" sheet (fins) and one 1/8" sheet (fin pods). Begad! Arrr! There is a Ramjet tube and a wood core moldin' with balsa vanes. This kit comes with a lot o' nose weight provided by a large eye-screw and four washers. Blimey! Well, blow me down! T' 18mm motor mount has a motor hook. Ya scallywag! Arrr! A Keelhaul®©™® tether, shiver me timbers, 1/4" wide, 50" long elastic shock cord, me bucko, shroud lines, a swivel and a 9" mylar octagon parachute make up t' recovery system. There are also a few little water-transfer decals.

All o' this is nicely packed into a sturdy little box, that has cellulose as packin' material. SRW, me hearties, provided a small notice indicatin' that t' cellulose can be used as waddin' for t' SLAT/s' first flight. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! (If they could figure out a way t' make t' box fold into a display mount, matey, maybe by gluin' a expended motor t' it, shiver me timbers, then t' entire package would be utilized)

CONSTRUCTION: 

There are six pages o' well illustrated instructions and an added page with t' NAR Safety Code.T' first page o' instructions a little history about t' real SLAT/s and then reminds builders t' read t' "instructions before beginnin' to build" since t' "construction is a bit different from run-of-the-mill rockets". Blimey! T' instructions include brief comments on the finishin' o' t' kit and then some more thorough instructions on flight preparation, specifically on Center o' Gravity position.

Assembly o' t' SLAT/s was challengin' in a fun way. Avast, me proud beauty! Some additional challenges were created due t' some mistakes I made, ya bilge rat, that will described below. 

T' first part that is assembled be t' motor mount. Avast! The motor hook is a piece o' thin sprin' wire verses t' flat metal usually found on other kits. There is clear instructions and illustrations for attachin' the Keelhaul®©™® tether t' t' motor mount under t' upper centerin' ring. Installin' the motor mount into t' body tube is where t' first mistake came into play. This mistake actually created much more work t' correct.

In an attempt t' test a new kind o' "fast setting" glue, matey, t' motor mount got about 2/3rd's o' t' way in and ceased by t' "fast setting" glue! While continuin' t' try t' push t' mount into proper position, matey, ya bilge rat, three things happened; 1) t' motor hook poked a hole in my finger gettin' blood on various parts, shiver me timbers, 2) t' back o' t' motor mount tube got damaged and 3) t' body tube be creased. Blimey! What t' do, ya bilge rat, what t' do?

To correct this, a replacement 18mm tube was used to replace t' motor mount, ya bilge rat, along with a new hook (flat - don't want anymore holes in me finger) and centerin' rings. Also, ya bilge rat, a 24mm tube was cut t' t' size o' the body tube t' replace it. Avast, me proud beauty! T' SLAT/s uses a slightly larger body tube, matey, in fact, the 24mm tube fits tightly into t' former SLAT/s tube. Aye aye! This bein' t' case, required that t' balsa nose cone be sanded down t' size, shiver me timbers, includin' the shoulder. It also meant t' t' alignment guides didn't fit correctly and on and on. Arrr! But, this kit be built!

Some o' t' more detailed work involved t' buildin' o' t' ramjet due t' then shapin' and t' attachment of five vanes, arrr, then bein' placed into a body tube that was cut in half length-wise. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Also t' fin pod assembly required some patience and skill in shapin' and fit. Begad! Avast! In both cases though t' instructions were clear and would allow a patient builder t' be successful.

T' recovery system is a Keelhaul®©™® tether that is tied to the motor mount as described above. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! It is then tied t' a very long (50" or 5x t' length o' t' body tube) elastic shock cord, me bucko, which is then tied t' the eye-screw on t' nose cone. Avast! T' length o' t' elastic shock cord is long, no doubt, matey, matey, me hearties, due t' t' weight o' t' nose section. My rocket weighed in at 2.3 ounces, with t' nose cone weighin' 1.2 ounces.

T' shroud line requires t' builder t' cut it into four equal lengths and it is attached t' t' mylar octagon parachute usin' common household clear adhesive tape. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I used some small round stickers that we had in the house. Ya scallywag! Blimey! NOTE: Be sure t' make a small loop with t' shroud line and t' press the tape (sticker) down firmly. T' shroud lines are then attached t' a provided swivel t' attach t' t' nose cone.

To start t' finishin' process I used CA t' seal each of the balsa fins. Avast, me proud beauty! I tried somethin' I read on RMR about usin' Elmers' White Glue for sealin' balsa on t' nose cone. This worked well and sanded nicely too. While sandin' I broke one o' t' small fins. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! After repairin' that and finishing, I started with, shiver me timbers, me favorite, matey, me bucko, Plasti-Kote primer t' fill t' tube spirals and t' make t' entire rocket smooth. Begad! I then painted t' entire rocket with a gloss red. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' instructions suggest orange, but I didn't have any.

Lastly, ya bilge rat, t' decals were t' be put on. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! SRW provides an extra "NAVY" decal "so you can practice". Avast! Arrr! There were no problems with t' "NAVY" decals, me hearties, ya bilge rat, which soaked for about 10 seconds and slide off easily. Well, blow me down! T' "STARS and BARS" decals, were another story. Well, blow me down! After waitin' about t' same amount o' time on t' first one, I tried to slide it off and it tore in two. Ya scallywag! For t' second one, arrr, I waited almost 30 seconds in water before it would slide easily. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I have never had such troubles with wafer transfer decals.

After completion o' assembly, ya bilge rat, I checked the Center o' Gravity and compared it t' t' instructions. Aye aye! T' instructions indicated that it be at least 4.5" from t' aft o' t' rocket. Begad! With a C6-5, arrr, matey, me CG be exactly 4.5". Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! With a C6-5, me bucko, me CG be exactly 4.5". Somethin' went right!

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points with me only real complaint bein' with t' decals and the self-induced hole in me finger.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY: 

After all o' t' issues I enjoyed durin' construction, one would think it could only improve. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, I packed t' SLAT/s up for my drive t' NARAM-40, only t' find that a fin had been broken in transit. Unfortunately, arrr, I didn't have enough time t' get this repaired and fly at NARAM, since me main focus be gettin' Level 1 certified. Avast! However, 3 weeks later on a beautiful late-summer day, t' SLAT/s was ready t' fly.

Followin' t' list o' recommended motors, arrr, me hearties, t' SLAT/s was loaded with an A8-3 for its first launch. Ahoy! A piece of Rogue Aerospace's Perma- Wadding™ be attached in place o' t' provided cellulose from the kit.

T' SLAT/s doesn't have a launch lug. T' launch rod is placed through one o' t' ramjet slots.

Its maiden voyage be low altitude, considerin' it weighs 2.3 ounces without t' motor and was usin' an A8, me hearties, but was great t' see the whole flight. Ya scallywag! Upon ejection, which was before apogee, t' parachute did not open. T' descent be horizontal, ya bilge rat, me hearties, with t' nose cone on one side and t' body on t' other with t' entire length (50") o' t' elastic shock cord in between. Avast, me proud beauty! It landed in some tall grass, matey, undamaged.

After, shakin' out the parachute and refolding, arrr, a B6-4 was loaded for t' second flight. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! It was also a nice flight t' watch, comin' off t' pad that was set up t' about a 20 degree angle. T' rocket had a slight rotation, ya bilge rat, matey, me bucko, which looked like t' ramjet positioned itself t' t' bottom. Begad! Blimey! I'll have t' watch that on some future flights. Ejection occurred before apogee and t' parachute deployed and brought the SLAT/s t' t' ground safely. Arrr! Upon inspection, one o' t' shroud lines had pulled loose. Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! It looked as if t' sticker was nay firmly pressed down, however, ejection prior t' apogee can put additional stress on t' recovery system.

For t' third flight, me hearties, arrr, t' SLAT/s was loaded with a C6-5 and a 14" nylon parachute. Begad! With t' change t' t' nylon parachute and havin' t' Perma- Wadding™ and that extra-long shock cord, it was a challenge t' get all o' that stuffed into t' body tube. Ya scallywag! This time t' launch angle be set up vertical and off she went. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! Again I could see a slight rotation o' t' rocket. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! It be nice, because it reminds me o' flyin' my Estes' SR-71, matey, shiver me timbers, which I always enjoy how it looks flying. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! I am pretty sure that deployment be again before apogee. Aye aye! Blimey! T' parachute opened smartly and brought the SLAT/s into a low tree t' be recovered without damage.

Third through sixth flights were all on A8's and all seemed t' eject at apogee (or slightly before) with zero wind conditions and a vertical launch position.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 4 1/2 points.T' only draw-back that I can see is on all three recommended motors (which thar isn't much choice anyway) it deployed early. I'm sure t' taped on shroud lines will nay hold up in t' long run and would recommend a 9" nylon parachute.

Overall, t' SLAT/s is a sharp little flyer providing somethin' more t' look at than 3 fins and a nose cone (3FNC). I would almost recommend only flyin' it on A's and B's so you can see t' whole flight. It is also a great buildin' kit for those that like t' spend time buildin' a more detailed kit. Begad! Blimey! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 1/2 points. Avast, me proud beauty!

Note: This kit was reviewed when produced by Seattle Rocket Works which has transferred rights t' LawnDart Rocketry.