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

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

Balance Beam: Long dowel

Center, arrr, ya bilge rat, 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. Arrr! T' followin' materials and tools are required: Elmer's Glue-All, me bucko, arrr, hobby knife, scissors, shiver me timbers, ruler, drill with 1/4" bit. Ya scallywag! 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, ya bilge rat, arrr, includin' fiberglass tape wrap
5. Glue mount t' hub
6. Drill launch rod hole

At t' end o' each step, shiver me timbers, 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, addin' a tape thrust ring, matey, arrr, matey, and friction fitting. Well, blow me down! Begad! You can use booster motors or sustainer motors with short delays. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! It flew off o' me standard pad, which happens t' be similar t' that described by Art (plans included in t' instructions and on his website). Ahoy! Begad! I already had a 1/4" stubby monocopter rod. I flew mine twice on a D12-P and an E9-4. Avast, me proud beauty! T' D12 flight was nice, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, but t' longer burn E9 was fantastic! T' winds were heavy and they did travel a ways downrange, arrr, but t' walks were short when compared t' any rocket with anythin' that resembled a chute.

Recovery:
At burn-out, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' monocopter flutters lightly t' t' ground. I found that t' side o' t' E9 had burned through just above t' nozzle. Aye aye! Ahoy! Because o' t' length o' t' motor vs t' motor tube, arrr, this did nay damage t' model. Avast, me proud beauty! It may have reduced t' performance toward t' end o' t' burn.

I did nay reduce me ratin' due t' t' burn through. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This is unavoidable and, like I said, me hearties, arrr, thar be no ill effects.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Not much t' say. Blimey! Arrr! Simple, shiver me timbers, elegant build and lots o' fun t' fly. Aye aye! Get some E9s!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

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