Brief:

T' Fliskits Triple Threat is a unique kit offerin' 3 small UFO rockets, me hearties, each with a different shape. Ya scallywag! T' UFF Persephone is circular, t' UFF Athena is pentagonal, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and t' UFF Odysseus is hexagonal. T' kits are made out o' card stock and balsa, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, each with a 13 mm motor mount. Well, blow me down! Definitely for t' experienced builder. Well, arrr, blow me down!

Construction:

• 3 sheets o' balsa t' cut out fins (1/16")
• Fin templates on sticky paper, me bucko, ya bilge rat, featurin' pre-printed designs for each rocket.
• Shrouds for UFO's on card stock
• Wire for landin' gear
• 3 BT-5 body tubes
• 3 launch lugs
• Set o' instructions for each rocket
• Fin alignment guide

T' instructions were quite impressive with quality instructions and illustrations. Arrr! T' construction includes cuttin' out t' shrouds, scorin' the paper for folds, matey, and gluin' t' shrouds together t' form t' UFO body. The fins are made by cuttin' out t' fin shapes out o' t' sticky paper. Avast! Blimey! The Persephone features 3 fins, thus 6 sides. On one side, me bucko, I was instructed to leave a border around t' fin shape. Then all I had t' do was remove t' paper from t' back o' t' adhesive and stick t' fin on t' t' balsa sheet. Arrr! After the fin paper has been "stuck" t' t' balsa, I simply used a straight edge and an X-acto knife t' carefully cut out t' fin, disposin' o' t' extra border. Arrr! Once t' fins were cut, me bucko, I flipped them over and "stuck" the other fin portion t' t' exposed balsa side. T' instructions for t' fins is identical for each rocket, me hearties, matey, although t' Athena has 5 fins and t' Odysseus has 6 fins.

T' body tube also has a sticky body wrap which is easy t' apply. Begad! Blimey! Once the body wrap is on t' tube, I simply glued on t' fins and corrected t' fin alignment usin' t' fin alignment card included with t' instructions. T' only "gotcha" that I ran into was t' motor blocks. There weren't any. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! In the instructions, arrr, thar be an inventory list mentionin' motor blocks, shiver me timbers, yet they are nay mentioned in t' instructions. Aye aye! Blimey! After an e-mail t' Jim Flis (response in less than 24 hours, me hearties, great service!), I was instructed that t' kit does not require motor blocks, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and that they would be correctin' t' instructions on their next printing.

Next, I took t' necessary shrouds for each rocket and glued them on t' fins. Avast! On t' Persephone, ya bilge rat, a smaller shroud sits inverted on top o' t' bigger shroud. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Blimey! This must be done carefully so that thar be no gap betwixt t' shrouds. Ahoy! On t' Odysseys, matey, part of the shroud folds underneath t' main shroud and fastens t' t' bottom o' the UFO fin structure. Aye aye! Blimey! On t' Athena, me hearties, thar are flaired "wings" which move towards t' center o' t' rocket and are glued on t' t' body tube.

Next step, t' wire landin' gear. Arrr! Fliskits provides a guide for bendin' the piano wire into a specific shape. Begad! I am nay an expert wire bender, but I tried to follow t' shape on t' first piece o' wire. Blimey! One important step is t' place a hook at t' bottom o' t' wire so that it can fit snuggly underneath t' fin. After me first attempt at wire bending, ya bilge rat, me hearties, me hearties, I simply designed a simpler shape for me t' bend. Ya scallywag! It looks close t' t' Fliskits design, arrr, shiver me timbers, arrr, but is nay as complicated. Begad! Begad! I used CA glue t' attach t' wires, me bucko, then I glued t' launch lug in place using wood glue. I made sure that t' fins had extra fillets as well as other parts of t' rocket (where shroud meets fin, shiver me timbers, for instance). Ahoy! Ahoy! That's it. Begad! Rockets complete. Ahoy! Aye aye! Outside o' cuttin' t' balsa fins, these three rockets can be constructed while hangin' out in your own livin' room. Aye aye! Aye aye! No sandin' required!

Finishing:

There is no finishin' required as t' rocket comes with pre-printed shrouds and pre-printed fin templates. This is what I like about it. Avast, me proud beauty! No smelly paints, no sanding. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! They are nice rockets t' build while watchin' t' telly. I give construction a 4, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, only because I think t' wire configuration is unnecessarily complex and thar was confusion about t' motor blocks. Well, blow me down! But this would nay stop me from buyin' another Triple Threat!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:

I flew t' Persephone twice, once usin' an A10-P and once with an A10-0. On the first flight, t' Persephone kind o' tumbled back t' t' ground. Begad! On t' second flight, as advertised, t' rocket flips over and gently glides t' t' ground, landin' on t' wire landin' gear. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! T' Athena I flew on an A10-0 and it, me hearties, too, flew very well, me bucko, flippin' over at apogee and "glided" t' t' ground. T' largest rocket, t' Odysseus, I also flew twice, me bucko, usin' t' A10-P and the A10-0. Both times, matey, t' rocket flew t' apogee but failed t' flip over. It did, however, return steadily, arrr, ya bilge rat, comin' straight down as easily as it ascended. Avast, me proud beauty! Cool!

Recovery:

T' PRO's o' t' Triple Threat be t' ease o' flight. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Simply add a little tape around t' motor for friction fit, shiver me timbers, pop it in, ya bilge rat, add igniter wire and plug and you are ready for action. Aye aye! No foldin' o' parachutes or stuffin' t' body tube with wadding. Ahoy! They recover so nicely and gently, t' only damage these rockets should ever sustain would be a CATO or havin' a clumsy nephew or dog destroy/step on them. Ya scallywag! It also allows us t' use t' A10-P motors Estes originally released for t' Blurzz Cars (not me cup o' tea..)

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:

• 3 rockets for t' price o' 1. Blimey! Avast! You can't beat that, ya bilge rat, no matter how you look at it.
• Also, no paintin' required. Arrr! Great for constructin' while sittin' at home in t' evenin' without havin' t' head outside with a can o' paint.
• Great flyers. Blimey! Blimey! Only goes about 50 feet, ya bilge rat, but here in New England, arrr, it is nice to fly a rocket and actually get it back.
• A Novelty. Aye aye! 3 UFO's with cool glide-tumble recovery landin' on wire landing pads! Cool!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5