Brief:
T' Astral Lance from Thrustline Aerospace is described as "a high performin' versatile rocket that will become t' pride o' your fleet." This 30 inch long rocket has 8 fins and motor choices from a C engine t' an E engine. This was primarily t' reason that I choose t' purchase this kit. Avast! Blimey! I do not get t' a larger field all that often so I need a rocket capable o' low flights. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' added bonus o' t' long body and sleek fin configuration would certainly draw t' attention o' t' kids and adults at t' field. Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! (T' kids seem t' prefer t' bigger rockets. Go figure). It is always a good feelin' to get some curious onlooker interested in t' hobby.

Construction:
T' kit comes with 2 sections o' BT-60 paper tube, shiver me timbers, 1 coupler, shiver me timbers, 1 light plywood bulkhead rin' with center hole, matey, matey, 1 balsa nose cone, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, 1 six inch engine tube, shiver me timbers, 1 engine thrust ring, 3 large centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, 1 small centerin' rin' (used at the end o' t' boat tail), 4 laser cut basswood main fin pieces, 4 laser cut basswood aft fin pieces (attaches t' main fin), me hearties, shiver me timbers, 4 laser cut basswood forward fins, 1 launch lug, arrr, ya bilge rat, me hearties, 1 Keelhaul®©™® and elastic shock cord kit, 1 steel eyelet, 1 eighteen inch Mylar parachute kit (I opted for t' rip-stop nylon chute), 4 pages o' single sided printed instructions with black and white photos, arrr, 2 pages o' cardstock with boat tail pattern and fin markin' guide. Most items are sealed in separate plastic bags within t' kit.

T' small centerin' rin' was missin' in me kit. Blimey! Blimey! It was smartly replaced with an extra I received with me Thrustline Pumpkin Head kit. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! One comment I will add regardin' John Rowan-Stern, owner o' Thrustline Aerospace: It is my understandin' that he hand packs all t' kits himself. Begad! Blimey! I had ordered 4 kits with this purchase. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! 3 o' t' 4 kits had a missin' or incorrect part. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! John was very apologetic and quick t' make things right. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I appreciate great customer service in a company, and that is what I got with Thrustline.

As a side note, me hearties, on t' product page at t' website, arrr, you are given the option t' "add" t' nylon chute for an additional price. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! This would imply that t' Mylar chute would come with t' kit. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It did not. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I only realized this fact now while writin' this review.

This is one o' t' few kits available from Thrustline that include pre-cut fins. Begad! I be worried that this would take away from t' satisfyin' building experience you get when constructin' one o' their kits. Aye aye! This was nay t' case. In fact I can imagine what a nightmare it would have been tryin' t' cut the forward fins t' t' tapered points. Laser cut basswood saves t' day. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Blimey! There is no reference t' t' skill level for this kit but I would easily put it at 3 of 5. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey! There are some delicate construction tasks and alignments that are nay for a beginner. Arrr! Avast! Blimey!

There are 20 separate steps listed in t' instructions with a total o' 11 pictures t' guide you through construction. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' entire construction only took several days. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! A few special construction considerations worth mentioning;

• Durin' t' motor construction, shiver me timbers, you are required t' glue two o' the centerin' rings together and attach them 1½ inch from one end o' the tube. Avast! One rin' will be t' lip for t' boat tail and one for t' body tube. The placement needs t' be exact. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! After cuttin' 3 boat tails from t' card stock provided, matey, I finally got it t' fit properly. Once it is glued into place, ya bilge rat, you should coat it as instructed with either yellow glue or CA t' make it rigid.
• You will need a drill t' make two 1/16" holes in t' bulkhead where you tie t' Keelhaul®©™® cord t' anchor t' recovery system. Begad! Ya scallywag!
• I choose t' use yellow glue for t' entire rocket with t' exception of attachin' t' trailin' edge o' t' main fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! This way I be sure t' have proper alignment on t' thin fins before t' glue set.

Finishing:
T' instructions give some finishin' techniques t' create a sharp looking rocket. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I choose t' fill t' tube spiral, nose cone, me bucko, me hearties, and fins with watered-downed Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler from a tube. Aye aye! Blimey! I used a light application straight from t' tube on t' paper boat tail always only sanding with 400 grit paper on this section o' t' rocket. There is plenty o' sanding with eights fins and 30 inches o' rocket. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I then put on heavy coat o' gray sandable auto primer. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! After more sanding, matey, come two coats o' white primer. I have been usin' Rustoleum Painter's Touch White Primer with very satisfying results. Ahoy! Blimey! T' suggested paint scheme is t' paint t' rocket a bright color such as red or yellow. I choose red with metallic gold and silver highlights for the fins, ya bilge rat, nose cone, and boat tail. There is a lot o' maskin' with t' fins being so finely tapered t' a point. There are no decals with this model. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' entire rocket was coated with Future floor wax.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
This rocket does nay have a motor retainin' clip so you are required to friction fit t' motor with maskin' tape. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' recommended engine for t' first flight is a D12-5. I choose t' go with t' C11-3 because o' t' field size. Blimey! Avast! The motor mount is designed for a 3¾ inch E engine so you are required to make an adapter from a spent 24mm engine casin' which I did nay have. Avast! I did purchase a 24mm motor adapter kit from Thrustline when I placed me order. Unfortunately since I have nay flown E engines before, matey, I forgot t' put in the adapter before friction fittin' t' motor. Avast! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!

When I slid t' rocket onto t' launch pad (standard Estes pad), t' motor sat flat on t' blast plate. Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! This be t' first boat tail rocket I have built so this might be common. Begad! Blimey! T' be able clip t' launch controller t' t' igniter, I propped up t' rocket with a spent engine casin' on its side. Begad! Blimey! With t' C11-3, the rocket left t' pad slow and steady. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! There seem t' be a slight wiggle in the tail and t' rocket angled about 10 degrees into t' wind comin' off the pad. Arrr! Blimey! It be nay a very high flight but satisfyin' nonetheless. Ahoy! Blimey!

I went t' reload t' motor with a D12-5 for a second flight. This is when I noticed that I had forgotten t' insert t' 24mm motor adapter. This might explain t' slight flight angle. Avast! T' maskin' tape held t' motor almost perfectly where I placed it before. Regrettably I left t' adapter at home on the workbench, me hearties, arrr, so thar was no second flight o' t' Astral Lance on this day. Begad! Begad!

Recovery:
T' recovery system consists o' a Keelhaul®©™® cord attached t' t' light plywood bulkhead at t' tube coupler. Blimey! Begad! T' elastic shock cord is tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™® cord so that this remains in t' body tube t' prevent zipperin' durin' flight. I prepped t' rocket with a 4" x 4" Nomex® heat shield and t' rip-stop nylon chute. Ya scallywag! T' chute deployed real close to apogee with t' NC still pointin' up. Ya scallywag! It slowly floated back t' ground with no damage sustained.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a very sleek and impressive lookin' model. I like t' original rocket designs from Thrustline. You usually get quality and value for your dollar. This kit is no exception. Ya scallywag! I was lookin' for a rocket that offered flight versatility and would get t' kids at t' field interested in rockets. Ya scallywag! I got what I wanted with t' Astral Lance.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5