Brief:
This is yet another review o' this unique, ya bilge rat, crooked rocket. Ahoy! Hopefully, me hearties, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, this provides another perspective on its construction, arrr, finishing/decoration, and flight.

Construction:

T' FlisKits kits are professionally packaged and this is no exception. T' printed face includes is in full color, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, arrr, includes photos and specs, and a serial number--mine is #87. Blimey! T' small parts are contained in a small Zip-loc bag. Blimey! My only minor complaint is that t' cardstock sheet with t' bottom shroud be rolled in t' BT-70 tube, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and t' curve on t' shroud be backwards. Begad! It took a little more work t' roll it, me bucko, but this didn't really hurt anything. Avast! There are eight pages o' detailed instructions.

T' rocket consists o' a full length BT-50 tube that also serves as t' motor tube. Around this is a series, shiver me timbers, o' shrouds, me hearties, sections o' custom cut BT-70 tubing, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, which form t' crooked outer shell. Ahoy! T' highlight o' t' components are t' seven laser cut rings, shiver me timbers, which include alignment tabs. T' middle six rings also include a hole that allows you t' align t' rin' set usin' a standard launch rod; this is an simple, arrr, but well thought out feature.

Templates are provided for all t' cutting, me hearties, and I recommend you take your time. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Assembly is a bit tricky as you are told t' insert t' thin centerin' rings halfway into each angular tube. Blimey! I failed t' accomplish this. Arrr! Aye aye! Thus, t' intersection o' t' BT-70 sections is nay as clean as they could be, arrr, but t' rocket still went together and is quite sturdy.

Motor retention is accomplished with both a cardboard rin' and a motor hook. T' motor itself is recessed into t' base o' t' rocket which I think gives it a cool look.

For t' nose cone, arrr, I formed t' shroud that came with t' instructions (shortened a bit so it wouldn't hang out) and glued it into an outer shroud that I decorated and printed myself. Arrr! I used Devcon 2-ton, 5-minute epoxy, which be t' same epoxy recommended by Art Applewhite on his kits and will nay bleed through t' cardstock. Well, arrr, blow me down! While I was at it, ya bilge rat, I glued in t' nose cone's centerin' rin' usin' t' 5-minute epoxy. Begad! T' nose cone's shoulder consists o' a BT-50 sized balsa coupler that is glued into a pre-cut hole in t' nose cone's centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! A eyehook completes t' cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! There is a chunk o' clay t' provide stability, arrr, but unlike most rockets it doesn't go in t' nose. Begad! Instead, t' fill t' top o' t' rocket betwixt t' top centerin' ring, arrr, t' BT-70, and t' inner BT-50 tubes.

T' fins are all uniquely shaped and complete t' odd looks o' t' kit. Ahoy! These are glued directly t' t' bottom cardstock shroud. Ya scallywag! I used white glue and added several layers o' fillets. Aye aye! T' fins still seem loose, shiver me timbers, as t' shroud does nay provide a firm base. Avast! If I be t' build it gain, I'd make a second shroud and epoxy it into t' first, me hearties, me hearties, similar t' what I did on t' nose cone. Begad! I just wasn't thinkin' at t' time.

While I was assemblin' t' body, I ran a section o' Keelhaul®©™ twine through t' BT-50 tube, ya bilge rat, tied it around t' tube, and epoxied it t' a centerin' ring. Begad! I tied t' stock elastic cord t' this leader, and t' t' hook-eye installed in t' cone. Well, blow me down! I haven't yet assembled t' plastic chute that be provided with t' kit.

Finishing:
T' Spitfire requires finishin' like most rockets. FlisKits does have a set o' 'skins' that can be downloaded for free from their site. I printed t' skins on t' recommended Avery 5265 full-page label paper usin' me OfficeJet printer. T' sizin' o' t' skins be a bit off, ya bilge rat, matey, but it was easy t' fill t' gaps with strips o' similarly colored stickers, shiver me timbers, which I conveniently had leftover since I didn't check t' printer settin' t' first time through. Arrr! One thin' about FlisKits is that they actually LISTEN t' their customers. Arrr! By t' time o' this posting, t' wraps will be updated.

I decided t' make me own nose cone shroud with Wile E. Avast! Coyote on it. Well, blow me down! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Since blank skin templates weren't yet available, I scanned t' template from t' kit. Ahoy! I had found a front view o' Wile E on t' net, but knew he wouldn't look right if he was simply pasted onto t' shroud. Avast! Therefore, ya bilge rat, arrr, I used a distortion filter in Adobe Photo Deluxe t' wrap Wile E over a sphere. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Thus, matey, when t' cone is formed, matey, he was more-or-less straightened back out. Begad! I "borrowed" a few bits o' graphics from FlisKits t' complete me shroud, which I printed directly onto cardstock.

I also added a bunch o' random stickers: band-aids, me bucko, shiver me timbers, me bucko, extra metal patches/hatches, drippin' green ooze (stole t' idea from Carl Tulanko), and even me own "no BATF" sticker. I sealed t' edges o' t' stickers with white glue, as recommended and shot two coats o' clear enamel over t' whole thing.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
There is nothin' out o' t' ordinary about t' prep o' this unique rocket. Arrr! Arrr! T' C11-3 gave an arrow-straight flight with ejection at apogee - perfect! T' ejection went off with an extra loud POP, matey, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, since I guess thar was a lot o' shock cord and chute t' eject.

Recovery:
I used an Estes 12in chute that I already had assembled. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey! This be a hard decision. Avast! Blimey! On one hand I was worried about t' fins, ya bilge rat, on t' other hand t' BT-50 doesn't leave much room for a chute. Arrr! However, t' recovery be fine with no fin damage.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
FlisKits is provin' t' be a highly innovative kit manufacturer. Ahoy! T' Spitfire is about t' most unique kit I've seen. Begad! Blimey! It is nay t' easiest build, but t' instructions are great. Well, blow me down! Plus, as someone on TRF commented, me hearties, lookin' a bit dilapidated may actually *help* t' looks o' this kit! :-) Despite its crooked, funny-lookin' profile, t' Spitfire flies as well as it looks. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I can't wait t' see what custom skins people come up with. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' only concern I have be t' attachment o' t' fins t' a paper shroud. In conclusion, matey, me bucko, this would be a great addition t' anyone's fleet!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5