I picked up t' Smoke and Fire kit when I bought t' A-SLAM from Thrustline Aerospace via eBay (Not thrilled with that, ya bilge rat, arrr, but did it anyway). Avast, me proud beauty! Many o' Thrustline's kits draw me t' them and this one was no different. Well, blow me down! I loved t' fact that it be a larger rocket with 3x24mm cluster configuration and t' many fins and transition.

T' kit's price starts at $34.75 (startin' bid on eBay). Avast! Interestingly, Thrustline doesn't use t' "buy it now" feature (presently). Ahoy! For this price, thar be a lot o' rocket. How can I say that? I compare it t' t' price o' an Estes Executioner E for about street price o' $31. Blimey! Begad!

Like a number o' Thrustline's kits, me hearties, it is based off o' t' 1.64" x 5.5" solid balsa nose cone (PNC-60MS). Avast, me proud beauty! This attaches t' a 14" payload tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This then uses a solid balsa transition t' a 12" piece o' BT80 (2.6") tubing. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! There is plenty o' 1/8" Balsa stock for t' many fins. T' kit also includes two laser-cut 1/8" plywood centerin' rings, three 24mm motor tubes, thrust rings, arrr, and retainin' clips. Blimey! Two 18" Mylar parachutes, Keelhaul®©™ and Elastic shock cords, swivels, ya bilge rat, and eye-screws. Begad! Thrustline provides both 1/8" and 3/16" launch lugs. Begad! And lastly a bag o' BB's for nose weight, arrr, matey, shiver me timbers, .80 ounces worth. Begad!

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on a 7 pages o' 8½ x 11" paper (single sided). Avast, me proud beauty! There are black & white photos throughout t' assist in t' assembly o' t' kit. Aye aye! Begad! There are fin templates and tube markin' guides made from standard printer paper. Avast! There are also Mylar parachute assembly instructions. Aye aye! T' kit would probably be considered a skill level 3 or 4 with all t' various parts and activity.

There are many parts and buildin' steps t' this kit, ya bilge rat, but let me highlight t' main events:

T' cluster motor mount is assembled first. Ya scallywag! Interestingly, matey, t' use o' t' provided motor hooks is optional. Arrr! Step one points out that if you'd rather friction-fit your motors then t' skip "...all t' steps that pertain t' t' engine clips". Aye aye! Blimey! I wanted t' use them, so that meant that I need t' cut t' notches in t' lower centerin' ring. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' instructions say t' use a sharp hobby knife, but I hit it with a Dremel tool. Arrr!

T' motor hooks are then added t' t' 24mm motor tubes and taped in place. They are then mounted into t' two centerin' rings. Begad! Only a light sandin' was needed on t' 1/8" plywood centerin' t' make everythin' fit. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down!

Once dried, me hearties, t' builder needs t' add a 1/16" hole t' t' top centerin' ring. Avast! Begad! This allows t' 26" Keelhaul®©™® shock tether t' be tied around t' three motor tubes.

T' body tubes are marked next usin' paper tube markin' guides. Begad! No issues.

I'm nay terribly happy with t' 2.6" tube. Avast! It is Estes-like thin tubing. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I find it t' be t' weakest component and would like t' see a thicker (LOC or AT-like) 2.6" tubing. Probably would need t' add more nose weight if it was converted.

Thrustline responded t' this comment this way: "As for t' BT80 tube, me bucko, me bucko, I've never had any problem with it. Begad! It's t' same tube used in t' Mike IX which I've had a lot o' success with. Aye aye! As far as it bein' weak, arrr, I have nay found that t' be t' case. Ya scallywag! T' motor mount gives excellent rigidity t' it."

I would agree that t' motor mount gives t' bottom portion rigidity, arrr, but I found t' upper openin' as t' weak point. Just an observation I made while handlin' t' kit. Nay that big o' deal.

T' fins are then cut out usin' paper fin templates. Boy oh boy, I rather have card stock, especially for those thin strakes.

Eye-screws and a piece o' 1/4" elastic is provided so that t' nose cone can be attached without bein' glued in place. Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't do this and chose t' glue me nose cone into t' payload section (which technically could no longer be called a payload section since it is no longer accessible).

T' upper tube is glued t' t' upper part o' t' balsa transition. Then t' five (5) small strakes are added.

T' nose cone is prepared for nose weight by drillin' four 3/16" holes and usin' epoxy t' set t' BB's in place. Aye aye! T' center o' t' nose cone is where an eye-screw would go if you were makin' it removable for t' payload section.

Both t' 1/8" and 3/16" launch lugs are glued in place. Well, blow me down! Why two sizes? Thrustline says, matey, "In t' photo you'll notice I used 2 sizes stacked against each other at 2 and 8 inches from t' end o' t' body tube. Ahoy! This allows me some flexibility when choosin' launch rods at club launches. I have included 2 sizes (2 each) so that if you prefer, shiver me timbers, you can use a similar method."

Finally, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, t' 42" long piece o' 3/8" flat shock cord is tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™ shock tether and then t' 18" parachute is added. Begad! T' second 3/8" flat elastic is attached t' t' large end o' t' transition and then its 18" parachute is attached.

Finishing... yes, arrr, finishing. Get your fillers, shiver me timbers, sand paper, matey, and patience all together. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! There is a lot o' balsa exposed here. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Lots o' grains t' fill. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Lots o' joints t' sand. Aye aye! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Lots o' work!

I used me typical multiple coats o' Plastic-Kote Primer and sandin' in-between. Avast, me proud beauty! Havin' t' fill and finish t' nose cone, matey, t' transition, me hearties, arrr, and 10 fins took a lot o' time and coats o' Plasti-Kote Filler Primer. Ahoy! Ahoy! T' transition is hardest due t' t' grain exposure AND because t' upper fins are half glued t' t' transition! I then used Walmart White and Black paint (additional comments about Walmart paint). Avast! I painted mine with some funky patterns. Begad! Blimey! Got a bit carried away with t' masking. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! I be goin' for a NASA look. Begad! Blimey! Eh, matey, it has grown on me.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points. Begad! T' instructions are very good with t' photos. Arrr! There are a number o' buildin' options that t' builder needs t' decide on: hooks, ya bilge rat, payload nose cone, and launch lug size. T' parts quality be good with plenty o' balsa t' cut out t' five lower and five upper fins. There is a balsa (BT60) nose cone and a balsa transition. Begad! Begad! There is Keelhaul®©™ t' Elastic shock cords and mylar parachutes. Ahoy! Aye aye! There are no decals.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Didn't find any motor recommendations in Thrustline's instructions, ya bilge rat, matey, however these are what are listed on t' eBay page: 3x - C6-5s, C11-5s, arrr, D12-5s.

Thrustline indicates t' finished rocket should weigh about 8.6 ounces. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! My finished rocket weighed 8.1 ounces.

I flew mine on t' 3/16" lug/rod. Ahoy! I'm nay sure I'd like t' variability that would surely come from flyin' it on a 1/8" rod (whip).

First flight was on three C11-3s. Begad! They were t' motors I had and I figured t' early ejection would nay be a big problem, especially with t' two-piece recovery method. Begad! I should have waited for some C11-5's. I had a very early ejection, but that be nay t' worse o' it. Apparently t' bulk o' waddin' I added be nay enough. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! It be 6-8 squares. Ahoy! So t' lower recovery section was badly burned, me bucko, includin' t' lower 'chute. T' upper section ejected well and descended fine. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' lift-off was fast. Begad! I mean really fast!

I repaired t' lower 'chute and shock cord and added a Nomex heat shield. Well, blow me down! I then cleaned out me three C11's and drilled a larger hole in t' clay nozzle. I inverted them and had instant 24mm-to-18mm adaptors. Arrr!

I then loaded it up with three Est SU C6-5's. Aye aye! Excellent flight up, me bucko, straight and stable. Begad! Ejection was past apogee. Begad! At ejection t' lower section 'chute never opened due t' a tangle.

I loaded it up again with three Est SU C6-3's. Begad! Another slow and graceful lift-off. Avast! Arrr! Slower than t' C11's, o' course. Avast, me proud beauty! At ejection t' upper and lower sections got tangled and it came down on only t' lower 'chute. Avast, me proud beauty! No damage, matey, though.

Determined t' have success, me bucko, I loaded it up again with three Est SU C6-3's. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This time after repeatin' a great lift-off, shiver me timbers, I had a fully successful parachute deployment. Blimey! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Bravo!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, ya bilge rat, I would rate this rocket 3 ½ points. T' Smoke and Fire looks great lifting-off on three C6's. Can't beat that slow, me bucko, me hearties, majestic look. Arrr! It is a stable rocket as well. Blimey! T' complications that come from a 2.6" body tube and a two piece deployment showed itself with me flights. Well, blow me down! All o' these can be addressed with practice, so that, in itself, arrr, makes this a fun rocket for flying.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 3 ½ points. I need t' say... Arrr! DON'T BUY THIS KIT if you are lookin' for an easy t' build and easy t' finish rocket! However, if you are lookin' for a moderately challengin' build and a highly challengin' finish (unless you don't care about balsa grains and paint it all one color!) then this kit could be one o' your choices.

On t' other hand, once finished, ya bilge rat, this one can give you some nice flights. Avast! Blimey! They can be more expensive since you are usin' up three motors a time... Blimey! Blimey! but hey, arrr, how else will you enjoy clusters?