Brief:
This is a skill level 3, two engine canted cluster rocket.

Construction:
T' Duce has one body tube and uses four fins. It comes with a very nice balsa nose cone and two parachutes. Well, blow me down! Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' motor mount is unique but goes together easily and works great. Ahoy! Two pre-cut engine mountin' rings are included with in t' hardware. Begad! A BT-60 body tube is supplied in t' kit as well as 30" o' thin shock cord. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' 1/8" fin stock was high quality balsa. T' assembly instructions included an extra sheet "Hints for Cluster engines". Two 18mm engine blocks were also supplied, as well as two 1" launch lugs.

T' Instructions are easy t' follow and t' supplied templates work nicely. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' critical issue with this model be t' mountin' o' t' engines.

With t' supplied cardboard wrap around template for cuttin' out t' body tube, t' engine mounts come out just right. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! you will need a very sharp #11 Exacto blade or single edge razor blade t' cut t' ovals for t' engine mounts.

We added a Flis Kits ejection baffel kit into t' body tube o' t' rocket. Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I am very happy with these baffel kits as they seem t' prevent burnin' o' t' shock cord, arrr, and calm t' blast o' t' ejection charge somewhat. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I have never had an ejection failure while usin' one.

Finishing:
T' rocket was finished in t' normal manner with some spray can primer, a little light sandin' with #400 grit wet or dry sand paper then an overall coat o' Testors White spray enamel. Avast! Ahoy! Next t' lower half be masked off usin' maskin' tape and newspaper. Arrr! T' top portion was sprayed with Ford metallic blue automotive touch up spray paint from t' auto parts store. Arrr! T' lower yellow fins were sprayed with Testors spray enamel from t' hobby shop.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors are A8-3, B6-4 and C6-5. Two are required for each flight. T' first launch used Quest ignitors twisted together. Well, blow me down! Arrr! On t' second and subsequent launches Estes ignitors were used in t' same manner. B6-4 engines are perfect for this bird, C6-5's work well also. Arrr! There are no motor retainer clips so t' engines must be taped into t' mounts at t' bottom t' ensure ejection. Aye aye! We test flew t' Duce on a rather windy day and she tracked straight despite some angle t' t' launch rod t' compensate for wind drift.

Recovery:
T' shock cord be t' cloth/elastic material and works well. Ahoy! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Usin' t' Flis Kits BAF60 ejection baffel kit worked out nicely. There was no burn through in three seperate two engine flights and ejection was nominal every time. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' launch team decieded t' use a couple o' sheets o' recovery waddin' just in case. Begad! T' supplied parachute be nay utilized. Aye aye! Aye aye! An older Estes 15 inch chute be subsituted and worked fine, no damage on three recoverys.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Duce's Wild is a fun kit. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Somethin' differnt that flies great. Aye aye! T' best thin' is watchin' t' two smoke plumes as it climbs skyward. Arrr! Buildin' t' engine mount you have t' be careful but t' supplied template really makes it easy. Avast! Cuttin' out t' second engine oval in t' lower body tube can get a little dicy with t' sharp blade! Be carful here. Arrr! Arrr! T' large fins make this a stable craft and t' cluster engines really make it a home sick angel!

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

Other:
I wanted t' fins t' be exactly straight and 90 degrees. Blimey! In order t' set this up I used a 90 degree carpenter's square. I taped t' rocket body down t' a flat table top, me bucko, me hearties, then stood t' square against t' end where it could almost contact t' fin. Avast! Avast! I used a piece o' 3 X 5" index card taped t' t' fin t' hold t' fin exactly parallel t' t' square. T' card was then clamped t' t' square with a clothes pin until t' glue be dry. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' next fin was put on 180 degrees t' t' first one, usin' t' table edge as a "stop". Well, blow me down! Begad! T' square be brought up as close as possible and that fin be held in place t' same way until t' glue was dry. And so on with t' other two fins.