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! I do not get t' a larger field all that often so I need a rocket capable o' low flights. Aye aye! T' added bonus o' t' long body and sleek fin configuration would certainly draw t' attention o' t' kids and adults at t' field. Begad! (T' kids seem t' prefer t' bigger rockets. Begad! Go figure). Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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, ya bilge rat, 1 coupler, me bucko, 1 light plywood bulkhead rin' with center hole, 1 balsa nose cone, arrr, ya bilge rat, 1 six inch engine tube, 1 engine thrust ring, 3 large centerin' rings, 1 small centerin' rin' (used at the end o' t' boat tail), me hearties, 4 laser cut basswood main fin pieces, 4 laser cut basswood aft fin pieces (attaches t' main fin), me bucko, 4 laser cut basswood forward fins, 1 launch lug, me bucko, 1 Keelhaul®©™® and elastic shock cord kit, ya bilge rat, 1 steel eyelet, 1 eighteen inch Mylar parachute kit (I opted for t' rip-stop nylon chute), ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, 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. Well, blow me down! Avast! Most items are sealed in separate plastic bags within t' kit.

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

As a side note, on t' product page at t' website, you are given the option t' "add" t' nylon chute for an additional price. This would imply that t' Mylar chute would come with t' kit. Ya scallywag! It did not. Avast, me proud beauty! 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! Ahoy! I be worried that this would take away from t' satisfyin' building experience you get when constructin' one o' their kits. Blimey! Begad! This be 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. Ya scallywag! Laser cut basswood saves t' day. Avast! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! There is no reference t' t' skill level for this kit but I would easily put it at 3 of 5. Avast, me proud beauty! There are some delicate construction tasks and alignments that are nay for a beginner. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!

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

• Durin' t' motor construction, arrr, arrr, you are required t' glue two o' the centerin' rings together and attach them 1½ inch from one end o' the tube. Arrr! Blimey! One rin' will be t' lip for t' boat tail and one for t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! The placement needs t' be exact. Ya scallywag! Blimey! After cuttin' 3 boat tails from t' card stock provided, arrr, I finally got it t' fit properly. Begad! Blimey! Once it is glued into place, 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!
• I choose t' use yellow glue for t' entire rocket with t' exception of attachin' t' trailin' edge o' t' main fins. Blimey! Arrr! This way I was 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. Ya scallywag! I choose t' fill t' tube spiral, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, nose cone, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and fins with watered-downed Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler from a tube. Begad! 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. Begad! Aye aye! There is plenty o' sanding with eights fins and 30 inches o' rocket. Ahoy! Begad! I then put on heavy coat o' gray sandable auto primer. Avast, me proud beauty! After more sanding, come two coats o' white primer. Aye aye! I have been usin' Rustoleum Painter's Touch White Primer with very satisfying results. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' suggested paint scheme is t' paint t' rocket a bright color such as red or yellow. Avast! I choose red with metallic gold and silver highlights for the fins, me bucko, nose cone, and boat tail. Begad! There is a lot o' maskin' with t' fins being so finely tapered t' a point. Well, me hearties, blow me down! There are no decals with this model. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' entire rocket be 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! Aye aye! T' recommended engine for t' first flight is a D12-5. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I choose t' go with t' C11-3 because o' t' field size. 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. I did purchase a 24mm motor adapter kit from Thrustline when I placed me order. Unfortunately since I have nay flown E engines before, shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, I forgot t' put in the adapter before friction fittin' t' motor. Ahoy!

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

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

Recovery:
T' recovery system consists o' a Keelhaul®©™® cord attached t' t' light plywood bulkhead at t' tube coupler. 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. T' chute deployed real close to apogee with t' NC still pointin' up. Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! I like t' original rocket designs from Thrustline. Avast, me proud beauty! You usually get quality and value for your dollar. This kit is no exception. Aye aye! Begad! I was lookin' for a rocket that offered flight versatility and would get t' kids at t' field interested in rockets. Ahoy! Avast! I got what I wanted with t' Astral Lance.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5