Brief:
When it comes t' pickin' out a kit t' purchase, thar are several things I look for in a rocket. Well, blow me down! Naturally t' looks and performance are taken into consideration but another factor for me be t' name. So when I be lookin' for a kit t' purchase and found myself browsin' t' selections on t' Thrustline website, how could I pass on a rocket called Pumpkin Head? There are number of different options when orderin' t' kit with a choice o' motor mount (18mm or 24mm) and parachute type (mylar or rip-stop nylon). Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I selected t' 24mm motor with t' Orange rip-stop chute (like thar should be any other color option for a rocket called Pumpkin Head) and placed me order.

Construction:
This kit along with three others ordered at t' same time be delivered t' my home by t' USPS within a week. Blimey! I was slightly worried when openin' t' package since t' box be mangled at one end. Ya scallywag! Blimey! All t' contents however, were undamaged.

T' kit contains:

• 1 Body tube
• 1 Balsa nose cone
• 1 Engine tube
• 1 Engine hook
• 1 Engine trust ring
• 1 Engine clip retainin' collar
• 2 Fiber centerin' rings
• 1 Keelhaul®©™® shock cord and elastic shock cord
• 1 Launch lug
• 1 Steel eyelet
• 1 Balsa sheet for fins
• 1 Decal sheet
• 1 Rip-Stop chute with swivel (option upgrade)
• 1 Instructions

There are 15 steps listed on t' instruction sheets with a B&W photo for nearly each step. Ya scallywag! T' kit assembles by startin' with t' motor mount and this is where I ran into a problem. Begad! Ahoy! T' centerin' rings that were packed in t' kit were t' wrong size. Avast, me proud beauty! When I emailed John at Thrustline, ya bilge rat, I promptly received a reply within 10 minutes and t' proper parts were in t' mail t' next morning. Once t' rings arrived, shiver me timbers, I continued with construction. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' motor mount steps are common t' most rockets:

• Insert and glue engine thrust ring
• Attach engine clip and retainin' collar
• Slide on and glue t' centerin' rings

Durin' t' assembly o' t' motor mount, you are required t' notch t' lower rin' for t' engine clip. Ahoy! T' Pumpkin Head instructions do nay indicate how but in t' Mighty Mick instructions (bein' built while waitin' for me new rings) have a nice picture o' a paper hole punch doin' this. Well, blow me down! You will also need to drill a hole in t' upper rin' t' be able t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® cord through after attachin' it around t' motor mount t' anchor t' recovery system.

Once t' motor mount is dry, it is glued into t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Then you are instructed t' mark t' body tube for fin and lug placement usin' t' provided fin guide. There were no problems encountered durin' these steps. Ahoy! You then proceed t' start workin' on t' fins. Ahoy! T' fins are cut from t' sheet o' balsa after bein' marked from t' fin pattern guide. Well, blow me down! I would have favored cardstock for this guide instead o' t' paper one that is supplied. T' balsa is good quality and thar be plenty o' it just in case you make a mistake. Ya scallywag! I had no issues cuttin' t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! You are instructed t' apply a balsa sealer and sand before gluing. Begad! I skipped t' sealer and just sanded them. Ya scallywag! T' fin leadin' edge is supposed t' be straight by t' pattern but I sanded them with a slight concave curve t' give t' Pumpkin Head some more character. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag!

After t' fins are glued, t' launch lug is trimmed with a 45 degree angle on each end and glued t' t' body tube. Ahoy! Once dry, t' instructions require you to recoat all t' joints with glue and let dry. Ahoy! As a side note, t' entire rocket was glued usin' t' Thrustline Rocket Glue in t' "awesome twist applicator bottle that's self cleanin' every time you close it" and I am very satisfied with t' glue and bottle.

Before you finish t' rocket you are required t' glue and screw t' eyelet to t' nose cone, then t' attach t' elastic shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™® cord and tie t' t' eyelet. Aye aye! T' instructions do nay detail this process very well. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! With other Thrustline instructions, me hearties, ya bilge rat, it is explained t' strin' the Keelhaul®©™® cord through t' aft o' t' motor tube prior t' it bein' glued. Avast! Begad! After the mount is glued, you then make a loop for a place t' tie t' elastic shock. When the cords are strung into t' body tube, t' Keelhaul®©™® loop is located below t' front o' t' body tube t' help prevent zippering durin' t' flight. Begad! This was what I did for this rocket. Well, blow me down!

Lastly, shiver me timbers, I assembled t' rip-stop nylon chute (90% done already) and attached it t' t' nose cone. Begad!

Finishing:
T' instructions provide you with finishin' techniques and suggestions for colors and decal placement. My process is as follows:

• Apply water thinned coat o' Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler t' fins, me bucko, nose cone, me hearties, and tube spiral.
• Sand and apply coat o' gray auto primer
• Sand about 90% o' primer off and apply two coats o' white primer sandin' in between coats
• Mask and apply two coats enamel paint (main body color: orange)
• Mask and apply two coats enamel paint (accent color: black)
• Apply decals
• Apply a coat o' Future Floor wax with foam brush

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Now comes t' fun part: flyin' t' newly built work o' art. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Recommended engines for this bird are C11-5 and D12-5. For t' first flight, it is recommended to use t' C11-5, ya bilge rat, which I did. T' rocket burst off t' launch pad t' at least 700 feet. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! It be straight and true even with a slight wind. Aye aye! Blimey! I had planned t' launch the second flight with a D12-5, but after seein' t' height and recovery from first flight, I will need t' go t' a bigger field. I had launched about 15 rockets durin' this launch and I can truly say that t' Pumpkin Head be my favorite for t' day. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Recovery:
To flight prep t' rocket I packed t' body tube with a 4"x 4" Nomex® heat shield and t' nylon chute. Well, blow me down! T' 12' chute floats t' rocket gently back to earth. T' bright orange chute danglin' t' rocket high in t' air is an awesome sight. T' rocket landed about 150 yards from t' launch pad due to wind gusts.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
If you are lookin' for a very affordable 3FNC, this kit is what you want. Aye aye! Arrr! It is a real winner. Begad! Ya scallywag! If you are lookin' somethin' else, forget it and get this kit because it is a real winner! I thoroughly enjoyed buildin' t' rocket and it is a real treat t' fly. Begad! Even though I received a wrong or missin' part I would follow t' advice o' t' company's motto, "Make Mine.....A Thrustline!" I suggest you do t' same. You will nay regret it when it happens t' be t' Pumpkin Head. Avast! Begad! Did I mention t' how cool t' name is?

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5