(07/15/04) T' Thrustline Aerospace Star Hauler is a "payload" rocket with some appealin' looks, ya bilge rat, at least t' me. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Interesting, matey, even since seein' it, I wanted t' build it. Ya scallywag! Begad! Nay because it was a payloader, ya bilge rat, but because of looks.

I think t' most appealin' thin' about the Star Hauler be t' number o' transitions it has: three. Ahoy! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! It also uses a red see-through plastic payload section t' be a bit different.

I purchased it along with the Flux Probe through eBay. It is now me third Thrustline kit, shiver me timbers, which also includes the Mighty Mick. Avast, me proud beauty! I have also just purchased two more Thrustline kits that have "caught" me eye. Well, blow me down! Thrustline is doin' a good job in "catching" me eye on his original stuff.

T' kit includes three body tubes, matey, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, three transitions, matey, a balsa nose cone and a red see-through plastic payload bay. Aye aye! Blimey! It also has an 18mm motor mount with thrust rin' and retainer hook. Ya scallywag! Blimey! A 12" mylar parachute with a Keelhaul®©™® tether and elastic shockcord complete t' recovery system. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! There is a balsa sheet t' cut out t' eight fins and a launch lug.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 3 ½ pages (single-sided) o' 8½ x 11" paper. Blimey! Begad! There are black&white photos throughout t' assist in t' assembly o' t' kit. Arrr! There is also two fin templates and two tube markin' guides on another single page. Avast! Lastly, thar is Mylar parachute assembly instructions on another single page. T' rocket is fairly easy, me bucko, but would probably be considered a skill level 3 kit.

T' motor mount is assemble first and is fairly routine in its assembly. Aye aye! Thrustline uses maskin' tape t' hold t' center of t' retainer hook down, whereas some bigger manufacturers have a thin tube that slides down over t' hook. Ahoy! Maskin' tape works. Blimey!

T' slot for t' hook needs t' be cut in the centerin' rin' by t' builder, shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, no big deal. Also, t' Keelhaul®©™® tether is tied around t' motor tube and thread through t' upper centering ring. Like I said, ya bilge rat, fairly routine stuff here.

Next t' eight fins are cut out, me hearties, matched and airfoiled. Avast! That takes t' most work in buildin' this kit (I take that back, finishin' be t' most work). Avast, me proud beauty! There is plenty o' 1/8" balsa for this.

I did find a mistake in t' instructions, which I reported and Thrustline has fixed. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! In step #8, ya bilge rat, it says t' place the upper fin guide on t' 4" wide body. Aye aye! Arrr! This should be t' 2.1" section accordin' t' t' pictures. Ya scallywag! This also makes t' template too wide. I was able to resolve this by cuttin' t' template t' size and wrappin' it around the 2.1" section o' tube.

Since this rocket uses solid balsa transitions, me hearties, matey, t' separation point is at t' BT55 (largest lower tube) t' BT50. T' transition gets a washer and an eye-screw attached. Avast! T' elastic is tied to the Keelhaul®©™® tether and then t' t' eye-screw. Begad! T' parachute, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, me bucko, with swivel is attached t' the eye-screw as well.

T' launch lug is cut in half and placed at the top and bottom o' t' BT55 tube. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' next step was a first for me. Aye aye! Begad! Not really sure why t' step is there, but it be described very well in the instructions. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! That is t' glue t' second thrust rin' onto t' first t' make a double-length thrust rin' with t' Keelhaul®©™® sandwiched in-between. Avast! Blimey! Perhaps Thrustline has determined that this protects the Keelhaul®©™® more.

Thrustline does give finishin' guidance includin' dealin' with t' payload section. They suggest several coats of sandable primer, sandin' in-between. Avast! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This is how I finish me rockets as it is.

T' real trouble is that all t' transitions and nose cone are balsa, me hearties, arrr, so they show grain lines badly. Blimey! Arrr! I used Elmer's Fill-n-Finish, ya bilge rat, arrr, me bucko, for t' first time, on this kit. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! It greatly helped, but let those transitions take a lot o' work!

I used me typical multiple coats of Plastic-Kote Primer and sandin' in-between. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I then used some left over Krylon Navy Blue and then I painted one large, one small fin, ya bilge rat, and t' nose cone Red. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I think I like Thrustlines finishin' better for looks, arrr, but mine is okay.

Overall, shiver me timbers, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. T' instructions are descriptive and fairly easy to follow. Well, blow me down! Cuttin' your own fins can turn some away, but I'm okay with it. However, in this case thar were eight fins t' cut and it be a note paper template. Ahoy! Ahoy! Why nay cardstock? T' quality o' t' parts were fine and everything fit well. T' recovery system is excellent. Avast! No decals.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Thrustline recommends "to start out with an A8-3 and work your way up".

Thrustline indicates t' rocket should weigh 1.3 ounces. Begad! My rocket weighed in at 2.0 ounces.

I decided t' fly it for t' first time on an A8-3. Blimey! Begad! After loadin' in three sheets o' wadding, me hearties, and puttin' in t' parachute, it was ready t' fly.

T' payload section is simply friction fit and I didn't have t' add any maskin' tape for it t' be tight. I didn't have a payload.

This was a front yard launch and I got a couple nice pictures. I didn't expect it t' be still goin' up at ejection, but that was t' case with t' A8-3. Begad! Perhaps an A6-4 would be in order. Blimey! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! At ejection the parachute did nay unfurl. Aye aye! Arrr! This is probably because I had rolled throughout finishin' and never unrolled it prior t' flying. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! No damage and I would consider it a good first flight.

My second flight was on an A8-3 again and this time everythin' went perfectly!

My third flight was on a B6-4 and this time ejection be at apogee. Begad! T' parachute did nay open up and thar be a small burn/melted spot in t' 'chute. I used 5 sheets o' wadding, but with it sitting so close t' t' motor tube, I guess some got through.

T' fourth flight be on a Quest C6-5. Begad! The flight was high and ejection was at apogee. Begad! T' 'chute did open, but also was ripped in two. Mylar is better than plastic, except it does tear.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, matey, I would rate this rocket 3 points. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! It is a stable rocket and all except t' A8-3 flight, me bucko, it seemed to fly as expected. Ahoy! Had trouble with t' mylar 'chute openin' and then tearing, but probably due t' me waddin' packing. Arrr!

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 3 ½ points. Begad! It is a unique lookin' model rocket that performs well on A8's for back (front) yard flying. Arrr! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! A nice mylar 'chute and solid recovery system. Avast! Takes a bit o' work t' get a nice finish on it, matey, me hearties, but looks pretty good without any paint as well! It has t' payload section, so you could experiment with it as well.