FlisKits Petite Praetor

FlisKits - Petite Praetor

Contributed by Clive Davis

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Manufacturer: FlisKits
FlisKits Petite Praetor

Brief:
This is a downscale o' Fliskits popular Praetor model. Avast, me proud beauty! It is a single stage Micromaxx rocket that uses streamer recovery and features a balsa transition, balsa nose cone, shiver me timbers, and nice, big wide fins.

Construction:
Components from Fliskits are great as usual. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! This kit comes with:

  • 1 balsa nose cone
  • 1 balsa transition
  • 2 body tubes
  • launch lug material
  • motor mount kit with centerin' rings
  • Keelhaul®©™®
  • mylar streamer
  • balsa for fins and launch lug standoffs
  • waterslide decals

Fliskits always provides great instructions, and this kit lives up t' the great Fliskits reputation. Blimey! Aye aye! I like how t' instructions are also Micromaxx in that they fold up on smaller card material than t' "original size" Fliskits rocket instructions.

This kit is pretty easy t' put together, particularly if you have Micromaxx buildin' experience. Avast! I began with t' engine mount which included a motor stop and two centerin' rings. Fliskits includes Keelhaul®©™®, which is nay only a nice touch, but really t' most efficient method of providin' recovery for a model this small.

I used t' attached fin template t' cut out four fins as well as two launch lug standoffs. Arrr! T' fins were shaped and glued on t' body pretty easily. The launch lug standoffs are easy. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I found it easier t' glue t' launch lugs right on t' standoffs first before gluin' them t' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! I always have launch rods around me build table t' make sure that I am puttin' t' lugs on correctly.

T' upper body is easy. Avast, me proud beauty! Glue nose cone t' one end o' smaller diameter body tube and glue transition t' other end. Fliskits includes a small nail that is used t' attach t' Keelhaul®©™® from t' lower body tube t' t' upper body tube. T' rocket separates at the transition. Next, I attached t' mylar streamer.

FlisKits Petite Praetor

Finishing:
I gave t' rocket a few shots o' silver acrylic then added some black t' the rocket. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Since t' rocket is so small, I didn't worry too much about fillin' in the seams and grains. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I wanted a good lookin' model, but I didn't want t' weigh it down with unnecessary layers o' filler and paint.

T' decals went on pretty easily, arrr, too. They are great quality. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I always give me decals a good coat o' Microscale Liquid Decal Film before applyin' my decals. Aye aye! I find this stuff toughens up t' decals and prevents a lot o' ripping.

T' only thin' I would think about changin' be t' length o' t' Keelhaul®©™®. I think Fliskits gives ample Keelhaul®©™®. It doesn't have t' be that long. Begad! It could be shorter, which would also help in preppin' on t' field. It is hard t' get all that Keelhaul®©™® into such a small body tube.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Preppin' is easy. Blimey! Begad! Put a few small balls o' waddin' in t' lower body tube, arrr, roll up mylar streamer and place streamer and Keelhaul®©™® into rocket. Ahoy! A little less Keelhaul®©™® would make t' preppin' slightly easier. Ya scallywag! Begad! There is no engine hook so friction fittin' be t' way t' go. Begad! I always make sure I have a little tape out on the field when I fly Micromaxx rockets.

I only had a chance t' fly this rocket once as a fin broke off on landing. I suspect t' neighborhood kids are nay familiar with t' frailty o' Micromaxx rockets as one o' them kind o' grabbed t' Petite Praetor roughly while retrievin' it for me. Aye aye! However, t' rocket is now fixed and ready t' fly again.

T' flight that all o' us witnessed be remarkable. Arrr! Nay only be t' Petite Praetor a great stable flyer, it achieved a very respectable altitude (it really got up there) for bein' a rather large MMX rocket. Begad! Avast! In addition t' this, it be very easy t' spot in all aspects o' flight (boost, coast, me hearties, recovery). Begad! Begad! I give this rocket two thumbs up.

Recovery:
T' shock cord is entirely made out o' Keelhaul®©™®, so this showed hardly any wear whatsoever. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' mylar streamer was undamaged as well. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! There is plenty o' room for waddin' in this rocket, matey, me hearties, so make sure you take advantage o' this.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
No negatives, only positives:

  • Micromaxxes are cool
  • Great flight performance, very stable flights
  • Cool lookin' rocket, arrr, shiver me timbers, neat design
  • Waterslide Decals!
  • Balsa nose cone, me bucko, transitions, and sheets t' cut your own fins

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • FlisKits Petite Praetor By Chan Stevens (March 29, 2007)

    Brief: Based on the roughly 24" tall Praetor, this 1:4.6 downscale continues the FlisKits expansion into Micromaxx territory. It's one of the easier micros to build, so once you're ready for branching out from those plastic RTFs that came with your starter set, consider this for the next step. Construction: Clive's previous review does a great job of covering the parts and ...

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