(04/01/04) T' Flyin' Spider will be me 4th Model Minutes kit (3 purchased + 1 free download). Well, blow me down! I purchased it to do a comparison article on U.F.O.'s along with t' FlisKits' Pheord X150 and an Art Applewhite's 6" Flyin' Saucer. Well, blow me down! Model Minutes' rockets are constructed primary with cardstock and foam board. Aye aye! T' Flyin' Spider is no different.

T' Flyin' Spider has a story accordin' to Model Minutes: "T' reflection o' t' stars from its metallic legs has inspired many legends among t' oldest space sailors. Avast, me proud beauty! Accordin' t' t' legend, the Spider weaves its web nebulas too dense t' allow detection and it eats unlucky ships which get caught. Begad! Begad! Space monster or mechanical creature? Legend or reality? Until we know for sure, steer clear o' small nebulas!"

T' kit includes multiple pages o' cardstock templates for t' body, legs, shiver me timbers, and outer web. Arrr! Blimey! It includes t' cardstock and components for a motor mount with a retainer. Blimey! Aye aye! There is foam board for t' legs, me hearties, pinchers, and supports. Avast! Also thar be a 9" plastic parachute, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, arrr, shock cord, and clay weight.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. Blimey! Blimey! There is a set o' 3D glasses that you assemble t' read t' instructions. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Somethin' unique t' Model Minutes kits are t' 3D pictures in t' instructions.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 7 pages of 8½ x 11" paper. Ahoy! T' primary feature o' t' instructions are color 3D pictures. T' instructions include a general guide for foldin' and forming paper parts. Blimey! There is also a diagram showin' all o' t' parts from a top, shiver me timbers, side and front views. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! This is an important addition t' t' instructions. Arrr! Begad!

T' instructions do include many 3D pictures, however, followin' them is a bit difficult. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It is clear that t' instructions were translated from French t' English. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! This was nay much o' a problem with these instructions.

I used Elmer's White Glue for assembly.

Plan on spendin' over 2 hours cuttin' out parts! This be t' most intense part o' t' buildin' activity. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! There are many, many parts and many o' them have "triangle teeth" with are used for foldin' over and attaching. If you're nay committed t' finishin' this rocket... don't start!

T' front-side o' t' legs are glued t' a piece o' form board. Ya scallywag! Well, me hearties, blow me down! At a later point, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, once dry, these are cut out usin' a hobby knife. Well, blow me down! Then t' back-side o' t' legs are cut out individually and glued onto t' other side o' t' foam board. Begad! This is also t' case for t' Spider Pinchers.

T' body o' t' Spider is assembled first. Easier said than done. Avast! This body consists o' no less than a dozen pieces. Aye aye! Avast! Cut, fold, glue. Cut, shiver me timbers, matey, fold, glue. Blimey! Begad! Cut, fold, me hearties, glue.... Ahoy! Ahoy! T' most troublin' spot I had in followin' t' instructions be t' insertion o' t' t' inner body (T1). Avast, me proud beauty! The picture provided at t' step shows it partially installed, which threw me. But as I compared other pictures, me bucko, ya bilge rat, includin' t' extra diagram page, me bucko, arrr, it understood it.

T' motor tube is consistent with other Model Minutes motor tubes. Aye aye! It is a card stock piece that is rolled and glued. A two prong wire is inserted and black thread is wrapped around t' motor tube to hold t' wire. It is then soaked in glue. Ya scallywag! I absolutely love this set up and have bought 10 o' t' wires from Model Minutes t' use on standard kits.

T' instructions were clear, me bucko, but somehow I missed installin' t' motor tube top (D1). I believe it is designed t' add protection from t' ejection charges, so I will be sure t' place a piece of waddin' directly on top o' t' motor.

T' motor tube is placed into Spider body perpendicular t' it. Blimey! Then six legs (three pieces) are attached t' t' bottom of the body. Ya scallywag! These glue onto markings on t' body and are then folded t' align with t' outer web (ring). T' outer web is made up from 3 pieces o' cardstock that are glued together t' form a ring.

T' last two legs are glued in place, right to t' motor tube. Blimey! Blimey! T' launch lug (a small section o' a drinkin' straw) is glued t' one o' these last legs.

Next, two foam board supports are attached to the front and aft o' t' motor tube and t' t' front and read o' t' web (ring).

T' last section that is built includes the recovery system and nose cone, ya bilge rat, as it is. Aye aye! T' parachute is assembled by attachin' t' shroud lines t' t' parachute with some highly adhesive silver tape. T' nose cone includes paper shrouds glued t' a piece o' foam board. Begad! Well, blow me down! An eye-screw is put into t' foam board. T' parachute shroud lines are then threaded through t' eye-screw. Avast! This assembly is attached t' t' rubber-band shock cord and then attached via a 3-fold method t' t' inside o' the body.

T' instructions final steps include balancin' and swin' testin' this rocket. Begad! Begad! T' balance t' rocket, me hearties, some amount of the provided clay is attached t' t' front o' t' rocket at t' support t' web (ring) joint. Avast! There are then good instructions on how t' swin' test the rocket.

No other finishin' is required.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. Avast! This is a tough rocket t' build and t' instructions could be enhanced t' make t' experience clearer. Begad! It is nay a beginners kit and may require some experience with buildin' "paper" rockets. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! The materials fit was excellent, in fact, me hearties, shiver me timbers, extremely impressive considerin' the number o' pieces. Well, blow me down! Love t' motor mount and retainin' hook.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Model Minutes recommends t' C6-3 or C5-3 motors. Avast! Yes, me bucko, that is right, a U.F.O.-type rocket that uses delays. That is because, me hearties, as you have already noticed, it has a parachute for a recovery system.

Model Minutes indicates t' Flyin' Spider should weigh 35 grams (1.2 ounces) and that is exactly what mine weighed.

I prepped t' rocket for its first flight with a C6-3 motor and some wadding. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When I was foldin' t' parachute and pulled on t' shock cord, it came out o' t' 3-fold attachment! Blimey! I re-attached with another 3-fold mount.

T' next opportunity t' fly it came shortly afterward. I got it all ready and t' parachute packed. Begad! As I was puttin' it onto t' launch pad, t' launch lug fell off! Does t' "flying" Spider really want t' fly? I re-attached t' lug usin' CA.

T' third opportunity, me hearties, arrr, shiver me timbers, simply required me t' insert an ignitor and place it on t' pad. Avast! I did just so. Arrr! Well, matey, blow me down! After a countdown t' Flying Spider flew. It was excellent. Arrr! Straight up and quite high for bein' such a large U.F.O. Arrr! rocket. Well, blow me down! At apogee, ya bilge rat, t' parachute popped out. Blimey! T' rocket inverted and t' parachute kind o' dangled out one side. Begad! I suppose helpin' t' slow it down.

To prepare for t' second flight, ya bilge rat, I pulled back t' motor hook (I am very found o' Model Minutes motor hooks), shiver me timbers, removed the old motor, shiver me timbers, inserted another C6-3, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, packed in 3 pieces o' wadding, me bucko, foldin' the parachute and inserted.

T' second flight was another success. Straight up and again, shiver me timbers, I'm surprised at t' altitude when comparin' it t' my AAW Smiley, FlisKits Pheord, Estes Snitch, ya bilge rat, and Quest U.F.O.. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Some o' these are 30% lighter than t' Flyin' Spider.

Well, at apogee on this second flight, the ejection charge fired and t' 'chute was pushed out, but did nay open due to bein' slightly melted together. T' rocket inverted and fell. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Upon inspection a main support came off o' t' motor mount. Begad! Easily fixable.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, shiver me timbers, I would rate this rocket 4 ½ points. T' complexity o' t' recovery system makes this one of the most challengin' U.F.O.-style rockets t' fly. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I'm wonderin' if it is really needed at all? But it is paper. Arrr! T' altitude gained by this rocket is impressive for its size. Aye aye! Aye aye! Nay a lot o' room in thar for packin' t' parachute but it can be done.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 points. Well, blow me down! If you want somethin' different and you want a challenge to build, matey, then t' Flyin' Spider be t' answer in t' U.F.O.-type model rockets. I'll give it a thumbs up, me bucko, as long as you know what your in for. If you're happy buildin' and flyin' Art Applewhite's Saucers and find them challengin' t' build, then you will want t' avoid t' Flyin' Spider. Me, I'm glad I accepted t' challenge.