I picked up t' Smoke and Fire kit when I bought t' A-SLAM from Thrustline Aerospace via eBay (Not thrilled with that, ya bilge rat, but did it anyway). Many o' Thrustline's kits draw me t' them and this one was no different. Aye aye! Blimey! I loved t' fact that it was a larger rocket with 3x24mm cluster configuration and t' many fins and transition.

T' kit's price starts at $34.75 (startin' bid on eBay). Avast! Blimey! Interestingly, me bucko, Thrustline doesn't use t' "buy it now" feature (presently). Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! For this price, thar be a lot o' rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! How can I say that? I compare it t' t' price o' an Estes Executioner E for about street price o' $31. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

Like a number o' Thrustline's kits, it is based off o' t' 1.64" x 5.5" solid balsa nose cone (PNC-60MS). Avast! This attaches t' a 14" payload tube. This then uses a solid balsa transition t' a 12" piece o' BT80 (2.6") tubing. Blimey! There is plenty o' 1/8" Balsa stock for t' many fins. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' kit also includes two laser-cut 1/8" plywood centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, arrr, three 24mm motor tubes, me bucko, thrust rings, arrr, and retainin' clips. Two 18" Mylar parachutes, Keelhaul®©™ and Elastic shock cords, me hearties, swivels, matey, arrr, and eye-screws. Thrustline provides both 1/8" and 3/16" launch lugs. Blimey! Begad! And lastly a bag o' BB's for nose weight, .80 ounces worth. Arrr! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on a 7 pages o' 8½ x 11" paper (single sided). Avast! Begad! Blimey! There are black & white photos throughout t' assist in t' assembly o' t' kit. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! There are fin templates and tube markin' guides made from standard printer paper. Well, blow me down! There are also Mylar parachute assembly instructions. T' kit would probably be considered a skill level 3 or 4 with all t' various parts and activity.

There are many parts and buildin' steps t' this kit, but let me highlight t' main events:

T' cluster motor mount is assembled first. Avast! Interestingly, t' use o' t' provided motor hooks is optional. Well, blow me down! Step one points out that if you'd rather friction-fit your motors then t' skip "...all t' steps that pertain t' t' engine clips". Arrr! I wanted t' use them, matey, so that meant that I need t' cut t' notches in t' lower centerin' ring. Blimey! T' instructions say t' use a sharp hobby knife, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but I hit it with a Dremel tool.

T' motor hooks are then added t' t' 24mm motor tubes and taped in place. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! They are then mounted into t' two centerin' rings. Avast! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! Only a light sandin' was needed on t' 1/8" plywood centerin' t' make everythin' fit. Blimey! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey!

Once dried, shiver me timbers, t' builder needs t' add a 1/16" hole t' t' top centerin' ring. Begad! This allows t' 26" Keelhaul®©™® shock tether t' be tied around t' three motor tubes.

T' body tubes are marked next usin' paper tube markin' guides. No issues.

I'm nay terribly happy with t' 2.6" tube. It is Estes-like thin tubing. Begad! Blimey! I find it t' be t' weakest component and would like t' see a thicker (LOC or AT-like) 2.6" tubing. Ahoy! Blimey! Probably would need t' add more nose weight if it be converted.

Thrustline responded t' this comment this way: "As for t' BT80 tube, me hearties, me hearties, I've never had any problem with it. Ahoy! It's t' same tube used in t' Mike IX which I've had a lot o' success with. Arrr! Blimey! As far as it bein' weak, I have nay found that t' be t' case. Arrr! Begad! T' motor mount gives excellent rigidity t' it."

I would agree that t' motor mount gives t' bottom portion rigidity, but I found t' upper openin' as t' weak point. Arrr! Just an observation I made while handlin' t' kit. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Nay that big o' deal.

T' fins are then cut out usin' paper fin templates. Blimey! Boy oh boy, I rather have card stock, especially for those thin strakes.

Eye-screws and a piece o' 1/4" elastic is provided so that t' nose cone can be attached without bein' glued in place. Ya scallywag! I didn't do this and chose t' glue me nose cone into t' payload section (which technically could no longer be called a payload section since it is no longer accessible).

T' upper tube is glued t' t' upper part o' t' balsa transition. Arrr! Then t' five (5) small strakes are added.

T' nose cone is prepared for nose weight by drillin' four 3/16" holes and usin' epoxy t' set t' BB's in place. T' center o' t' nose cone is where an eye-screw would go if you were makin' it removable for t' payload section.

Both t' 1/8" and 3/16" launch lugs are glued in place. Why two sizes? Thrustline says, me bucko, shiver me timbers, "In t' photo you'll notice I used 2 sizes stacked against each other at 2 and 8 inches from t' end o' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! This allows me some flexibility when choosin' launch rods at club launches. I have included 2 sizes (2 each) so that if you prefer, matey, ya bilge rat, you can use a similar method."

Finally, t' 42" long piece o' 3/8" flat shock cord is tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™ shock tether and then t' 18" parachute is added. Begad! Begad! Blimey! T' second 3/8" flat elastic is attached t' t' large end o' t' transition and then its 18" parachute is attached.

Finishing... Ahoy! Ahoy! Blimey! yes, me bucko, shiver me timbers, me hearties, finishing. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Get your fillers, sand paper, arrr, and patience all together. There is a lot o' balsa exposed here. Arrr! Blimey! Lots o' grains t' fill. Avast! Blimey! Lots o' joints t' sand. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Lots o' work!

I used me typical multiple coats o' Plastic-Kote Primer and sandin' in-between. Begad! Blimey! Havin' t' fill and finish t' nose cone, me bucko, t' transition, and 10 fins took a lot o' time and coats o' Plasti-Kote Filler Primer. Arrr! Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' transition is hardest due t' t' grain exposure AND because t' upper fins are half glued t' t' transition! I then used Walmart White and Black paint (additional comments about Walmart paint). Blimey! I painted mine with some funky patterns. Avast! Got a bit carried away with t' masking. I be goin' for a NASA look. Ya scallywag! Eh, me bucko, ya bilge rat, it has grown on me.

Overall, matey, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points. Avast! Avast! T' instructions are very good with t' photos. Avast! There are a number o' buildin' options that t' builder needs t' decide on: hooks, me hearties, payload nose cone, and launch lug size. Ya scallywag! T' parts quality be good with plenty o' balsa t' cut out t' five lower and five upper fins. There is a balsa (BT60) nose cone and a balsa transition. Begad! Well, matey, blow me down! There is Keelhaul®©™ t' Elastic shock cords and mylar parachutes. There are no decals.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Didn't find any motor recommendations in Thrustline's instructions, however these are what are listed on t' eBay page: 3x - C6-5s, C11-5s, me bucko, me hearties, D12-5s.

Thrustline indicates t' finished rocket should weigh about 8.6 ounces. Arrr! My finished rocket weighed 8.1 ounces.

I flew mine on t' 3/16" lug/rod. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I'm nay sure I'd like t' variability that would surely come from flyin' it on a 1/8" rod (whip).

First flight was on three C11-3s. Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! They were t' motors I had and I figured t' early ejection would nay be a big problem, ya bilge rat, matey, especially with t' two-piece recovery method. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I should have waited for some C11-5's. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I had a very early ejection, me hearties, matey, but that was nay t' worse o' it. Arrr! Blimey! Apparently t' bulk o' waddin' I added was nay enough. Ahoy! Blimey! It was 6-8 squares. So t' lower recovery section was badly burned, arrr, includin' t' lower 'chute. Aye aye! Blimey! T' upper section ejected well and descended fine. Blimey! Blimey! T' lift-off was fast. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! I mean really fast!

I repaired t' lower 'chute and shock cord and added a Nomex heat shield. Begad! Blimey! I then cleaned out me three C11's and drilled a larger hole in t' clay nozzle. I inverted them and had instant 24mm-to-18mm adaptors.

I then loaded it up with three Est SU C6-5's. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Excellent flight up, arrr, me bucko, straight and stable. Ahoy! Ejection was past apogee. Aye aye! At ejection t' lower section 'chute never opened due t' a tangle.

I loaded it up again with three Est SU C6-3's. Ahoy! Ahoy! Another slow and graceful lift-off. Avast! Slower than t' C11's, arrr, o' course. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! At ejection t' upper and lower sections got tangled and it came down on only t' lower 'chute. No damage, shiver me timbers, though.

Determined t' have success, me bucko, I loaded it up again with three Est SU C6-3's. Aye aye! This time after repeatin' a great lift-off, I had a fully successful parachute deployment. Aye aye! Bravo!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 3 ½ points. T' Smoke and Fire looks great lifting-off on three C6's. Avast, me proud beauty! Can't beat that slow, majestic look. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It is a stable rocket as well. T' complications that come from a 2.6" body tube and a two piece deployment showed itself with me flights. All o' these can be addressed with practice, so that, me bucko, matey, matey, in itself, shiver me timbers, makes this a fun rocket for flying.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 3 ½ points. Blimey! I need t' say... Ahoy! DON'T BUY THIS KIT if you are lookin' for an easy t' build and easy t' finish rocket! However, if you are lookin' for a moderately challengin' build and a highly challengin' finish (unless you don't care about balsa grains and paint it all one color!) then this kit could be one o' your choices.

On t' other hand, once finished, matey, this one can give you some nice flights. Avast! Blimey! They can be more expensive since you are usin' up three motors a time... Avast, me proud beauty! but hey, me hearties, me bucko, how else will you enjoy clusters?