Brief:
When it comes t' pickin' out a kit t' purchase, me hearties, thar are several things I look for in a rocket. Arrr! Naturally t' looks and performance are taken into consideration but another factor for me be t' name. Aye aye! So when I was lookin' for a kit t' purchase and found myself browsin' t' selections on t' Thrustline website, arrr, how could I pass on a rocket called Pumpkin Head? There are number of different options when orderin' t' kit with a choice o' motor mount (18mm or 24mm) and parachute type (mylar or rip-stop nylon). I selected t' 24mm motor with t' Orange rip-stop chute (like thar should be any other color option for a rocket called Pumpkin Head) and placed me order.

Construction:
This kit along with three others ordered at t' same time be delivered t' my home by t' USPS within a week. Begad! I was slightly worried when openin' t' package since t' box was mangled at one end. Begad! All t' contents however, were undamaged.

T' kit contains:

• 1 Body tube
• 1 Balsa nose cone
• 1 Engine tube
• 1 Engine hook
• 1 Engine trust ring
• 1 Engine clip retainin' collar
• 2 Fiber centerin' rings
• 1 Keelhaul®©™® shock cord and elastic shock cord
• 1 Launch lug
• 1 Steel eyelet
• 1 Balsa sheet for fins
• 1 Decal sheet
• 1 Rip-Stop chute with swivel (option upgrade)
• 1 Instructions

There are 15 steps listed on t' instruction sheets with a B&W photo for nearly each step. Arrr! Arrr! T' kit assembles by startin' with t' motor mount and this is where I ran into a problem. T' centerin' rings that were packed in t' kit were t' wrong size. Avast! When I emailed John at Thrustline, shiver me timbers, I promptly received a reply within 10 minutes and t' proper parts were in t' mail t' next morning. Once t' rings arrived, I continued with construction. T' motor mount steps are common t' most rockets:

• Insert and glue engine thrust ring
• Attach engine clip and retainin' collar
• Slide on and glue t' centerin' rings

Durin' t' assembly o' t' motor mount, you are required t' notch t' lower rin' for t' engine clip. T' Pumpkin Head instructions do nay indicate how but in t' Mighty Mick instructions (bein' built while waitin' for me new rings) have a nice picture o' a paper hole punch doin' this. Avast! Blimey! You will also need to drill a hole in t' upper rin' t' be able t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® cord through after attachin' it around t' motor mount t' anchor t' recovery system.

Once t' motor mount is dry, it is glued into t' body tube. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Then you are instructed t' mark t' body tube for fin and lug placement usin' t' provided fin guide. Aye aye! There were no problems encountered durin' these steps. Ya scallywag! Avast! You then proceed t' start workin' on t' fins. Begad! T' fins are cut from t' sheet o' balsa after bein' marked from t' fin pattern guide. Well, blow me down! Avast! I would have favored cardstock for this guide instead o' t' paper one that is supplied. Avast, me proud beauty! T' balsa is good quality and thar be plenty o' it just in case you make a mistake. I had no issues cuttin' t' fins. Well, blow me down! Well, me bucko, blow me down! You are instructed t' apply a balsa sealer and sand before gluing. Begad! I skipped t' sealer and just sanded them. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' fin leadin' edge is supposed t' be straight by t' pattern but I sanded them with a slight concave curve t' give t' Pumpkin Head some more character.

After t' fins are glued, t' launch lug is trimmed with a 45 degree angle on each end and glued t' t' body tube. Once dry, t' instructions require you to recoat all t' joints with glue and let dry. As a side note, t' entire rocket was glued usin' t' Thrustline Rocket Glue in t' "awesome twist applicator bottle that's self cleanin' every time you close it" and I am very satisfied with t' glue and bottle.

Before you finish t' rocket you are required t' glue and screw t' eyelet to t' nose cone, then t' attach t' elastic shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™® cord and tie t' t' eyelet. Well, blow me down! T' instructions do nay detail this process very well. With other Thrustline instructions, it is explained t' strin' the Keelhaul®©™® cord through t' aft o' t' motor tube prior t' it bein' glued. Ya scallywag! Begad! After the mount is glued, me hearties, you then make a loop for a place t' tie t' elastic shock. Ahoy! When the cords are strung into t' body tube, shiver me timbers, t' Keelhaul®©™® loop is located below t' front o' t' body tube t' help prevent zippering durin' t' flight. Ya scallywag! This was what I did for this rocket. Ahoy! Begad!

Lastly, I assembled t' rip-stop nylon chute (90% done already) and attached it t' t' nose cone.

Finishing:
T' instructions provide you with finishin' techniques and suggestions for colors and decal placement. Well, blow me down! Begad! My process is as follows:

• Apply water thinned coat o' Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler t' fins, ya bilge rat, nose cone, and tube spiral.
• Sand and apply coat o' gray auto primer
• Sand about 90% o' primer off and apply two coats o' white primer sandin' in between coats
• Mask and apply two coats enamel paint (main body color: orange)
• Mask and apply two coats enamel paint (accent color: black)
• Apply decals
• Apply a coat o' Future Floor wax with foam brush

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Now comes t' fun part: flyin' t' newly built work o' art. Recommended engines for this bird are C11-5 and D12-5. Well, blow me down! For t' first flight, it is recommended to use t' C11-5, arrr, which I did. Blimey! Begad! T' rocket burst off t' launch pad t' at least 700 feet. It was straight and true even with a slight wind. Blimey! Ahoy! I had planned t' launch the second flight with a D12-5, me hearties, but after seein' t' height and recovery from first flight, I will need t' go t' a bigger field. Arrr! I had launched about 15 rockets durin' this launch and I can truly say that t' Pumpkin Head was my favorite for t' day. Arrr!

Recovery:
To flight prep t' rocket I packed t' body tube with a 4"x 4" Nomex® heat shield and t' nylon chute. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' 12' chute floats t' rocket gently back to earth. T' bright orange chute danglin' t' rocket high in t' air is an awesome sight. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' rocket landed about 150 yards from t' launch pad due to wind gusts.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
If you are lookin' for a very affordable 3FNC, this kit is what you want. It is a real winner. If you are lookin' somethin' else, ya bilge rat, matey, forget it and get this kit because it is a real winner! I thoroughly enjoyed buildin' t' rocket and it is a real treat t' fly. Avast! Even though I received a wrong or missin' part I would follow t' advice o' t' company's motto, "Make Mine.....A Thrustline!" I suggest you do t' same. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! You will nay regret it when it happens t' be t' Pumpkin Head. Avast! Begad! Did I mention t' how cool t' name is?

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5