Brief:
This newest kit from Squirrel Works is simply awesome! It's a BT-55 kit that comes with two fantastically designed parasite gliders fashioned t' resemble t' Corsair and Zero WWII fighter planes. T' booster also bears resemblance to a WWII bomber, arrr, uses 18mm motors and recovers with a big 18" mylar chute. Aye aye! T' face card in t' kit is another true work o' art, a signature o' Squirrel Works kits. Arrr! Parts quality is excellent, me hearties, especially t' decals. Avast! Ahoy! Don has found a new source for these, and they are t' best I have ever used. Ya scallywag! Thank goodness, too, as thar are a lot o' decals t' apply. They didn't take nearly as much effort t' apply as I thought they would though, arrr, and they really make this kit stand out. Arrr! Buildin' t' kit was loads o' fun, matey, but flyin' t' rocket is even more fun!

Construction:
T' kit is loaded with parts:

• 1 BT-55 kraft main body tube
• 1 BNC-55 balsa nose cone
• 8 laser cut balsa sheets
• 1 standard 18mm motor mount kit with motor clip
• 2 standard 1/8" launch lugs
• 1 screw eye
• 2 small dowels
• 1 shock cord, ya bilge rat, 1/8" elastic
• 1 Keelhaul®©™® anchor
• 1 clay for balancin' (but I didn't have t' use any!)
• 2 pennies for glider nose weight
• 1 18" mylar parachute kit
• 7 decal sheets, water slide

You're goin' t' need t' clear off t' build table for this one. Well, blow me down! Avast! There are a lot o' parts, and if you skip around through t' instructions you can build t' gliders and t' booster simultaneously as your waitin' for glue t' dry. Allow plenty o' time. Ya scallywag! This isn't somethin' you want t' rush. Well, blow me down! Savor t' build. Begad! It really is a fun kit t' build.

Since I would be skippin' around in t' instructions, I started off by reading the instructions several times t' get a clear mental picture o' how everythin' went together. Next, I test fit all of the parts and sanded for fit as needed, then sanded all t' tubes and balsa, fillin' t' balsa grain and tube spirals with Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' get that all out o' t' way in t' beginning. Ya scallywag! I also papered t' large booster wings and fin tips usin' computer paper, me bucko, applyin' CA along t' edges t' keep t' edges smooth after rounding. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Only a light coat o' filler was used on t' glider parts t' minimize weight. Arrr! I built t' balsa glider jigs after that. Arrr! These are awesome! They are designed t' perfectly align t' glider parts as you build them. Begad! Aye aye! T' parts for t' stand are laser cut and tabbed, so it's a snap t' put them together. Ahoy! I used rubber cement t' hold them together, so I could pull them apart once t' gliders were finished so they would store easier. After that, arrr, me hearties, I put t' motor mount together and moved on to put t' glider wings together while t' glue be drying. Well, blow me down! Be careful with t' glue when puttin' t' glider together or you'll find them glued t' t' glider stand. Ya scallywag! A sharp hobby knife will separate them if you mess up on that though.

Next, I inserted t' motor mount into t' tube, matey, ya bilge rat, and while that was dryin' I attached t' glider wings t' the fuselages and returned them t' their stands t' dry. Well, blow me down! Then I constructed t' shock cord mount, ya bilge rat, inserted t' screw eye, and cut out t' markin' guide and drew t' alignment lines. Begad! I was very pleased t' find that t' kit included an 8+" length o' flat Keelhaul®©™® to install in t' shock cord mount. Begad! Very nice, as it is somethin' I will add myself if nay included. Ahoy! I put CA around the top half-inch o' t' inside o' t' forward end o' t' tube t' protect against abrasion, me bucko, matey, then added a loop at the end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® to tie on t' long 1/8" elastic cord. Avast, me proud beauty! I attached t' win' fins on t' booster next, and as these were drying, I added t' stabilizers and rudders t' t' gliders. T' win' tips were added t' t' booster fins after that and the engine cowls, me bucko, weight (a penny), and dowel were added t' t' nose o' t' gliders t' complete their construction. Well, blow me down! This was really lookin' sweet and I was already gettin' anxious t' fly it! Finally, matey, t' glider support fins and launch lugs were glued onto t' booster: one launch lug be placed along one o' t' wings for launching, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and t' other one was cut in half and glued on t' hold t' gliders. Lastly, matey, t' shock cord was connected t' t' screw eye in t' nose cone. Avast! Ahoy! Put the parachute together and you're done. Begad! Ahoy! Ready for finishing.

Finishing:
Finishin' t' booster is pretty standard. Ya scallywag! Primer, sand, primer, arrr, ya bilge rat, matey, sand, arrr, me bucko, and then paint t' entire booster and its nose a light gray. Ahoy! Finishin' o' t' gliders needs t' be careful as nay t' add or detract too much weight. I applied a light coat o' white primer on t' gliders and then sanded most o' that off before applyin' a light coat o' gloss white. Decals are next. I marked t' back o' t' glider decal sheets t' indicate orientation o' t' decals, as thar are a lot to put on. I also kept them in separate bags for each unit so I wouldn't mix them up. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! I test fit all o' t' glider decals before removin' t' make sure they would easily fit where intended and trimmed as necessary. I also kept a hobby knife and a pair o' small trim scissors handy for minor adjustments after placement. Aye aye! I was really dreadin' puttin' on the long fuselage decals as these have t' go over t' wings and then a narrow section has t' go under t' stabilizer. It wasn't a problem though, matey, as t' decals lay down very easily, ya bilge rat, and I was able t' move them fairly radically without them comin' apart. Well, blow me down! Begad! Nice job on t' decals, Don! Next I applied a couple o' coats o' Future floor wax on t' booster and a light coat on t' gliders t' protect t' finish and improve t' shine. I was amazed. Avast! Well, blow me down! What would have taken days to paint t' get even a close resemblance t' t' glider markings be achieved in probably less than an hour for each glider. They look fantastic, me hearties, ya bilge rat, even if I do say so myself!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I didn't get a chance t' put t' decals on for t' Dogfight's first launches. Aye aye! My first launch was on a B6-2. Well, blow me down! Nice slow boost with t' gliders releasin' perfectly at apogee and glidin' down in lazy circles for near perfect landings and t' booster touchin' down beautifully under t' big 18" red mylar parachute. On t' next flight, shiver me timbers, Don and I flew our gliders in a drag race, both boostin' on B6-2s. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Nice slow boost and perfect deployment o' t' gliders at apogee. Almost everybody at t' field stopped t' watch it. Begad! Blimey! It almost looked like a real dogfight with t' gliders circlin' and crossin' time and again above t' field. Wow! I have never seen a flight get as many 'oohs' and 'aahs' as that one did. Blimey! T' excitement level flyin' this rocket is off t' chart.

Recovery:
T' chute is perfect for t' booster and t' gliders flew perfectly.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Dogfight is a great kit. Arrr! Instructions are clear and well illustrated. Arrr! Parts quality is superb, and t' decals look fantastic. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! T' specially designed laser-cut glider jigs are a fantastic buildin' aid. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Squirrel Works kits are always fantastic, but this one has a coolness factor that is only rivaled by their Police Call Box.

PROs: A simple design that has been engineered into a pure work o' art, me bucko, a set o' quality parts with laser cut fins, matey, excellent instructions, a nice long shock cord with a Keelhaul®©™® anchor, and a very reasonable price. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! T' gliders flew perfectly "out o' t' box" with no trimmin' whatsoever. T' decals really brin' this kit t' life, arrr, and they are superb!

CONs: I can't think o' a single one.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5