Brief:
T' Whirlwind Monocopter be t' 18mm Dragonfly's bigger brother and flies on 24mm motors. I had t' opportunity t' build and test a beta version, which be known as t' Cyclone. Ahoy! Blimey! T' differences betwixt t' beta and production models are minimal.

Construction:
Wing: Basswood, me bucko, 2" x 10" long

Balance Beam: Long dowel

Center, Center & Motor Supports: Basswood and short dowels

Motor Mount Tube: BT-50 tubing

Motor reinforcement: Fiberglass drywall tape

T' construction o' this kit was simple and similar t' t' Art Applewhite 18mm Dragonfly. T' followin' materials and tools are required: Elmer's Glue-All, hobby knife, matey, scissors, ruler, shiver me timbers, arrr, drill with 1/4" bit. Avast, me proud beauty! I substituted carpenter's glue for t' Elmer's.

Here's a summary o' t' steps:

1. Assemble center hub
2. Add supports and balance beam
3. Glue win' on
4. Assemble motor mount, includin' fiberglass tape wrap
5. Glue mount t' hub
6. Drill launch rod hole

At t' end o' each step, heavy fillets are applied t' all joints.

Finishing:
Finishin' is optional but at least a clear coat is recommended. I used Helmsman Spar Urethane.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Prep consists o' centerin' t' motor in t' mount, me hearties, addin' a tape thrust ring, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and friction fitting. You can use booster motors or sustainer motors with short delays. It flew off o' me standard pad, me hearties, which happens t' be similar t' that described by Art (plans included in t' instructions and on his website). Avast! Blimey! I already had a 1/4" stubby monocopter rod. Ahoy! Blimey! I flew mine twice on a D12-P and an E9-4. Begad! Blimey! T' D12 flight was nice, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but t' longer burn E9 was fantastic! Blimey! T' winds were heavy and they did travel a ways downrange, but t' walks were short when compared t' any rocket with anythin' that resembled a chute.

Recovery:
At burn-out, me hearties, t' monocopter flutters lightly t' t' ground. Blimey! Blimey! I found that t' side o' t' E9 had burned through just above t' nozzle. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Because o' t' length o' t' motor vs t' motor tube, this did nay damage t' model. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! It may have reduced t' performance toward t' end o' t' burn.

I did nay reduce me ratin' due t' t' burn through. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! This is unavoidable and, me hearties, like I said, thar was no ill effects.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Not much t' say. Simple, arrr, elegant build and lots o' fun t' fly. Begad! Get some E9s!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other:
Soakin' t' self-adhesive tape in glue tends t' make it lift. Begad! Ya scallywag! I used plastic clamps t' hold t' tape down at t' joint betwixt t' motor tube and its stand-off. Avast! Plastic clamps won't stick t' t' glue and may be removed after t' glue is partially set.