Brief

Brief:
T' XFLR-7 is a paper/foamboard kit patterned after t' Tintin rocket from t' Destination Moon comic. Blimey! This is a cool design and should be considered a classic. Blimey! Although t' kit is now OOP, existin' stock may be around for a while, matey, so I decided t' submit a review anyway. Begad! Begad! I hope that me observations will help in t' construction o' other paper/foamboard rockets whether they are kits or scratch built. Avast! Since thar be an excellent review already here on EMRR, I will focus on t' details o' what I did instead o' a top-to-bottom walk through o' t' entire build.

Construction:
T' instructions were detailed and included '3-D' photos (glasses provided), me bucko, me bucko, me bucko, however me agin' 'bifocular' deadlights couldn't see them clearly. Arrr! T' instructions themselves were pretty good quality in general but were nay completely accurate. Aye aye! This kit is at least as challengin' as t' Estes Skill Level 5 kits that I've built, me hearties, me bucko, me hearties, so it is very important for you t' read t' entire set o' instructions and try t' understand how each part will be installed.

This kit includes a lot o' parts which must be cut out--paper, matey, shiver me timbers, foamboard, and even soft foam for t' shock absorbers on t' pods. Ya scallywag! I have built numerous paper conversions, Art Applewhite cardboard saucers, etc., ya bilge rat, however, I had a lot o' problems gettin' this kit together. Precision, me bucko, patience, and dexterity is required.

Shock absorber (win' tip pods): When matin' t' pod cones and bodies, ya bilge rat, me hearties, set them initially by hand, shiver me timbers, set t' assembly down, matey, ya bilge rat, then apply pressure downward on t' cone. Avast, me proud beauty! T' two pieces will tend t' self adjust t' one another. I used Aleene's Tacky Glue throughout t' build.

Fins: I attempted t' round t' leadin' edge but left t' trailin' edge square. T' roundin' process didn't go perfectly but a little Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish finished t' job. Begad! If I were t' do it again, ya bilge rat, arrr, I'd bevel t' edges as recommended in Art Applewhite's kits . T' colored surfaces are printed on plain paper and must be cut out and applied t' t' foamboard. Ya scallywag! Begad! Even with t' strips provided for t' edges, I found that they did nay 100% cover t' fin surfaces. Arrr! After ponderin' this problem, I have came t' t' conclusion that due t' rough tracin' o' t' fin template, I probably made t' fins ever so slightly larger than planned. Avast! I recommend tracin' them carefully with a fine point pencil, rather than a big dull one. Aye aye! If t' kits were t' be continued, ya bilge rat, matey, I'd suggest that t' cutouts be oversized and trimmed in situation after application.

Body tube, matey, base section: This be straightforward and I have no words o' wisdom here.

Fuselage: This section consists o' five tubular sections and one ring. I had a tough time gettin' these components t' align, and t' results are nay as uniform as I'd have liked. Make sure you are careful t' align t' colors t' achieve t' checkerboard pattern.

Cone: This assembled well but I am concerned with t' weight o' t' provided clay given t' shock cord attachment point is in foamboard rings. This also convinced me t' go with t' 24mm option despite worries about t' C11's relatively energetic ejection charge. Begad! If it blows apart, ya bilge rat, then I can glue it all back together. Begad! Begad! If it burns up, then we have extinguishers.

Main assembly consists o' two pages o' instructions. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey! These were easy enough t' follow, arrr, but I had major fit issues. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! We'll see how this holds together on recovery given t' small chute. By t' way, arrr, t' chute is about 12" diameter and is made o' plastic. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I held me shroud lines on with squares o' Gorilla tape.

I had installed t' inside tube without attachin' t' motor hook prior t' changin' me mind t' t' 24mm option. Arrr! Luckily, me bucko, standard 24mm tube fit nicely in that custom wrapped tube. Begad! I used t' 18mm motor tube wrap as a guide t' position t' hook on a piece o' Apogee 24mm tube and slipped it right in.

Finishing:
Finishin' should consist o' a layer o' clear coat but give all t' white edges that I had peekin' out, matey, me hearties, I touched it up with some red markers. Begad! Begad! T' result looks nice from a distance. I noticed t' instructions talked o' painting--an indication that this be an mangle o' an older version.

Construction Rating:  3

Flight:
T' motor hook seems t' work quite well, snappin' right over t' C11-3 motor. Arrr! I used an ample amount o' dog barf and folded t' chute as suggested. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' boost was nice and ejection be near apogee.

Recovery:
T' chute didn't fully open and t' rocket floated down generally parallel t' t' ground. Ya scallywag! T' only damage was t' nosecone tip was bent. I guess I should have tamped a tiny piece o' clay into t' far tip o' t' nose. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I won't din' t' flight ratin' on this since it falls into t' construction difficulty area. Blimey! I know I only have one flight, but I have t' give this one a 4.5. Avast, me proud beauty! A swivel would have fixed t' one small recovery issue.

Flight Rating:  4

Summary:
This was a fun kit t' build and although thar are some issues with t' fit o' t' components, t' overall look is great (based on t' opinions o' t' crowd at t' launch, nay just me). Arrr! I have t' bump t' overall ratin' a bit t' reflect t' overall look.

Overall Rating:  4