Thrustline Aerospace F-19 Night Fighter

Thrustline Aerospace - F-19 Night Fighter {Kit}

Contributed by Todd Mullin

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: Thrustline Aerospace
Thrustline F-19 Fighter

Brief:
Single stage futuristic, jet fighter styled model rocket.

Construction:
Single glassine wrapped paper body tube, balsa nose cone, me hearties, two main "wing" fins, two "vertical stab" fins, me bucko, two canard fins, matey, me bucko, and two aft sub fins. Carved balsa canopy. Aye aye! Standard modroc motor mount with 2 laser cut black fiber board centerin' rings and 24mm paper tube w/ engine clip to fit standard 2.75" long "D" motors. Avast, me proud beauty! 18" Mylar parachute. Keelhaul®©™® thread and 1/4" wide elastic shock cord attached t' MMT.

T' instructions were very complete and easy t' follow. Blimey! Numerous pictures to explain t' important steps. T' fin templates are printed on heavier card stock and a tube markin' wrap be included.

It be a challengin' build due t' t' number and size o' t' fins/wings. You must pay careful attention t' alignment when gluin' on t' various fins/wings. Well, blow me down! T' parts included are o' high quality.

T' only "gotcha" would be t' canopy. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Three pieces o' balsa sheet are glued together t' make a block. Well, blow me down! A template is included t' so you can mark t' canopy's basic profile. Ahoy! It is a bit o' work t' shape t' canopy, but if you take your time and follow t' tips given in t' instructions, you will be rewarded with a fine lookin' piece o' hand shaped balsa. Begad! This is definitely a "builder's" kit.

Thrustline F-19 FighterThrustline F-19 Fighter

Finishing:
No special techniques required for finishing. Well, matey, blow me down! Pick you favorite. Blimey! I filled the wood and tube spirals with Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish. Arrr! A couple o' coats of Rustoleum gray primer, matey, matey, sandin' in betwixt coats. Well, blow me down! Final finish is two coats of Krylon gloss black, shiver me timbers, arrr, leavin' stripes o' t' flat primer, shiver me timbers, me hearties, accented with yellow stripes on t' gray borders. Aye aye! T' finished product is sort o' an "X-Plane" theme.

About t' only thin' missin' would be nice set o' decals. Ya scallywag! Blimey! A pre-formed canopy would make t' build go faster.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Thrustline F-19 Fighter

Flight:
Flight prep is standard stuff. Well, matey, blow me down! A motor clip retains t' motor. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! A handful of "dog barf" wadding, shiver me timbers, fold t' chute, and pack it in. Aye aye! Launch lugs are 1/8" diameter.

T' first flight was on an Estes C11-5. Aye aye! It left t' pad with authority on the C11. There was a slight 5mph breeze that day. At approximately 300 feet it started t' weather vane into t' wind at about a 45 deg angle. T' delay was a bit long and made for an excitin' dive before t' chute opened. Blimey! Definitely a rocket for calm days.

T' second flight be on a D12-5. Well, blow me down! Much better flight. Well, blow me down! Nay as much weathercocking.

Recovery:
T' shock cord be t' popular Keelhaul®©™® thread attached t' t' MMT, matey, shiver me timbers, extendin' out past t' end o' t' body tube where it is attached t' an elastic shock cord t' t' nose cone. Begad! Ahoy! T' mylar chute is attached t' t' nose cone eyelet with a snap clip swivel.

Thrustline F-19 Fighter Recovery went well. Begad! It comes down slow but all t' fin surface does make for a lot of drift. Even with a late ejection on t' C11-5, t' rocket suffered no damage durin' t' recovery. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' main thin' with this rocket be t' look. Well, blow me down! It has t' "cool" factor in abundance.

No real cons. Blimey! T' complex fin alignment and canopy carvin' makes this a builder's kit. Nay for t' inexperienced.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Thrustline Aerospace F-19 Night Fighter By Todd Mullin (February 24, 2007)

    Brief: In the early days of rocketry if you wanted a rocket that looked like a jet, it was a Centuri kit for you. Thrustline's F-19 Night Fighter is a futuristic fighter aircraft styled rocket that once again delivers the kind of feel that could be found with these kits. The F-19 boosts on a single 24mm motor and recovers by parachute. Construction: All of the component of the ...

Flights

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