Brief:

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

Construction:

• 3 sheets o' balsa t' cut out fins (1/16")
• Fin templates on sticky paper, me bucko, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! T' construction includes cuttin' out t' shrouds, matey, scorin' the paper for folds, and gluin' t' shrouds together t' form t' UFO body. Well, blow me down! The fins are made by cuttin' out t' fin shapes out o' t' sticky paper. Arrr! The Persephone features 3 fins, me bucko, thus 6 sides. Arrr! On one side, arrr, I was instructed to leave a border around t' fin shape. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Then all I had t' do be remove t' paper from t' back o' t' adhesive and stick t' fin on t' t' balsa sheet. Aye aye! After the fin paper has been "stuck" t' t' balsa, I simply used a straight edge and an X-acto cutlass t' carefully cut out t' fin, me bucko, disposin' o' t' extra border. Ahoy! Once t' fins were cut, I flipped them over and "stuck" the other fin portion t' t' exposed balsa side. Avast! T' instructions for t' fins is identical for each rocket, arrr, 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. Ahoy! Begad! 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. Begad! T' only "gotcha" that I ran into be t' motor blocks. There weren't any. Blimey! Aye aye! In the instructions, thar be an inventory list mentionin' motor blocks, matey, yet they are nay mentioned in t' instructions. Arrr! After an e-mail t' Jim Flis (response in less than 24 hours, great service!), I be instructed that t' kit does not require motor blocks, 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. On t' Persephone, a smaller shroud sits inverted on top o' t' bigger shroud. Arrr! This must be done carefully so that thar be no gap betwixt t' shrouds. On t' Odysseys, shiver me timbers, part of the shroud folds underneath t' main shroud and fastens t' t' bottom o' the UFO fin structure. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! On t' Athena, ya bilge rat, 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. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Fliskits provides a guide for bendin' the piano wire into a specific shape. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I am nay an expert wire bender, me hearties, but I tried to follow t' shape on t' first piece o' wire. Ya scallywag! 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, I simply designed a simpler shape for me t' bend. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It looks close t' t' Fliskits design, but is nay as complicated. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I used CA glue t' attach t' wires, me hearties, then I glued t' launch lug in place using wood glue. Ahoy! Blimey! I made sure that t' fins had extra fillets as well as other parts of t' rocket (where shroud meets fin, me hearties, arrr, for instance). Arrr! Blimey! That's it. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Rockets complete. Ahoy! Blimey! Outside o' cuttin' t' balsa fins, shiver me timbers, these three rockets can be constructed while hangin' out in your own livin' room. Well, blow me down! No sandin' required!

Finishing:

There is no finishin' required as t' rocket comes with pre-printed shrouds and pre-printed fin templates. Blimey! This is what I like about it. No smelly paints, ya bilge rat, matey, no sanding. Well, blow me down! They are nice rockets t' build while watchin' t' telly. Avast! Begad! I give construction a 4, matey, only because I think t' wire configuration is unnecessarily complex and thar be confusion about t' motor blocks. Aye aye! Arrr! 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. Arrr! On the first flight, me hearties, t' Persephone kind o' tumbled back t' t' ground. Well, blow me down! Blimey! On t' second flight, as advertised, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' rocket flips over and gently glides t' t' ground, landin' on t' wire landin' gear. Arrr! Aye aye! T' Athena I flew on an A10-0 and it, arrr, too, flew very well, flippin' over at apogee and "glided" t' t' ground. T' largest rocket, t' Odysseus, shiver me timbers, I also flew twice, usin' t' A10-P and the A10-0. Both times, t' rocket flew t' apogee but failed t' flip over. Well, blow me down! It did, however, return steadily, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, comin' straight down as easily as it ascended. Begad! Cool!

Recovery:

T' PRO's o' t' Triple Threat be t' ease o' flight. Avast! Arrr! Simply add a little tape around t' motor for friction fit, me bucko, pop it in, add igniter wire and plug and you are ready for action. Begad! No foldin' o' parachutes or stuffin' t' body tube with wadding. Well, blow me down! They recover so nicely and gently, arrr, shiver me timbers, t' only damage these rockets should ever sustain would be a CATO or havin' a clumsy nephew or dog destroy/step on them. Ahoy! 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. Aye aye! You can't beat that, no matter how you look at it.
• Also, no paintin' required. Great for constructin' while sittin' at home in t' evenin' without havin' t' head outside with a can o' paint.
• Great flyers. Avast! Arrr! Only goes about 50 feet, but here in New England, it is nice to fly a rocket and actually get it back.
• A Novelty. Aye aye! Avast! 3 UFO's with cool glide-tumble recovery landin' on wire landing pads! Cool!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5