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, with a pair o' high aspect ratio wings (fins) and some eye-catchin' craftsmanship challenges. Flies on 18mm A8-3, B6-4, me hearties, C6-5, streamer recovery.

Components

Parts were very good quality, 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, me hearties, and on a mildly complex kit like this they can simplify t' build process a good bit. Avast! I deviated from t' plan just a bit, mainly t' allow for a paint scheme that could be all spray, no hand brushing. Well, blow me down! 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. Begad! T' aft BT-20 serves as t' motor tube, so just gets an 18/13 centerin' rin' as a motor block. Ahoy! In order t' keep t' kit packagin' (and shippin' box) small, me hearties, this design uses 2 12" tubes joined with a coupler rather than a single 24" tube, me hearties, so thar's a small seam t' eventually fill/sand. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Note that t' coupler is also t' shock cord attachment point, shiver me timbers, arrr, resultin' in a small bulge.

A wraparound fin guide covers markin' t' aft tube for fins and details. There are two main fins and two small basswood stick time pieces positioned 90 degrees apart. At this point, me hearties, things start t' get a bit complicated. Begad! Begad! First, you cut two trim sections from t' BT-70. Begad! These are designed t' form arcs over t' basswood trim pieces and span from fin t' fin. Ya scallywag! In me case, t' patters were significantly oversized, ya bilge rat, arrr, longer at t' tips than t' correspondin' section o' t' fin that they rest against, me hearties, so I had t' trim mine down about 1/8" t' fit. Next, ya bilge rat, t' forward and aft gaps betwixt these BT-70 covers and t' inner BT-20 tube need t' be covered, shiver me timbers, and this is done by cuttin' a couple filler pieces from 1/32" balsa. Well, blow me down! Even though t' pattern is oversized and designed t' be trimmed t' fit, shiver me timbers, 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, arrr, matey, shiver me timbers, construction moves t' t' intake assembly, matey, matey, a sort o' ramjet style section comprised o' a fiber base plate, matey, 7 fins, arrr, matey, and a balsa tap cover. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Since I intended t' use contrastin' paint colors, ya bilge rat, I paused at this point t' get some base paintin' done. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! I painted t' fiber base plate offline a gloss black, shiver me timbers, attached it t' t' model, then masked it off. Next, me bucko, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 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. Ahoy! Blimey! I took care o' spirals, me hearties, me hearties, grain and seams, then hit t' rest o' t' model with a gray primer, matey, then a couple coats o' white. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Next, I painted t' fiber radiator fins offline a gloss red, tacked them onto t' (unmasked) base plate. Arrr! Blimey! I then cut t' balsa top plate, me hearties, painted it gloss white, and tacked it into place above t' radiator fins. Well, blow me down! 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, shiver me timbers, so all that was left be applyin' t' waterslide decals, me hearties, a bit o' a rarity in a Flis kit. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals were pretty good quality, easy t' apply, ya bilge rat, arrr, and t' clear borders blended in well with t' gloss white finish, me hearties, mostly invisible. There be one minor decal error, ya bilge rat, though--decal numbers 21 and 22 are trim stripes that go towards t' end o' t' rudder, ya bilge rat, arrr, matey, 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 be a calm day, shiver me timbers, winds under 4 mph. T' boost be dead straight, matey, and nay quite neck-snappin' speed, me hearties, very enjoyable t' watch. Arrr! It be a bit too overcast t' spot at apogee, ya bilge rat, arrr, but I suspect t' -5 delay was about right, arrr, maybe just past.

Recovery

T' kit comes with a crepe paper streamer rather than a chute. Ya scallywag! Mine weighs in at 1.46 ounces without motor, arrr, shiver me timbers, so it's borderline whether t' go chute or streamer. Ahoy! Begad! On this flight, t' shock cord got caught around t' fins (thus me conclusion deployment be just past), so t' streamer's effectiveness was impaired a bit. Arrr! T' result was a nearly ballistic descent, way too fast. Ahoy! It didn't help that this was a midwest winter day, arrr, frozen ground. Aye aye! I ended up mashin' in t' front 1/2" or so o' body tube, me bucko, arrr, 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! Aye aye! After repairs, I'm ditchin' t' streamer for a decent chute.

Flight Rating: 3

Summary

To be clear, me hearties, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I think this WILL eventually be an excellent kit, me hearties, but as-is (at initial release), me bucko, me bucko, I'd have reservations recommendin' it t' anyone nay willin' and able t' work around t' bugginess o' t' templates, and would definitely suggest pullin' out a chute from t' range box. Ya scallywag! Begad! It's a great design, arrr, arrr, 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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