Brief:
T' Sirian Space Racer 5, affectionately called SSR-5, is one o' t' many paper rockets I have designed over t' years. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! It is a simple sport flyer featurin' a single 18 mm motor mount, but also features a wing-fin set with attached tube fins. Blimey! Remember, matey, arrr, me hearties, if you are lookin' for a spaceship t' fly through distant galaxies, shiver me timbers, t' SSR-5 may be t' vehicle for you. Avast, me proud beauty! Accordin' t' t' brief bits o' information gathered from a quick tour o' t' SSR-5, we have learned that Commander JÖ o' t' Sirian army promises nay only t' subjugate any alien race, but also t' protect them.

Construction:
In order t' build this rocket, you need t' visit t' fliskits website and print t' included documents. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! One o' t' pages needs t' be "reprinted" so that t' backin' is red be t' last page o' t' documents. I put an instruction guide together for this rocket so it should be fairly easy t' put together. Arrr! Blimey! One needs t' following:

• bristol board or card stock with a color ink jet printer
• shock cord
• streamer or parachute material
• clay for nose weight

Assumin' one has a good X-Acto knife, shiver me timbers, a ruler, cuttin' surface, matey, ya bilge rat, glue, me bucko, an expended 18 mm motor casin' and an empty ball point pen, one is ready t' build this bird. Aye aye! It's fairly simple, arrr, if nay tedious t' put t' SSR-5 together. Care must be taken t' print t' red nacelle sheet on t' correct card stock featurin' t' nacelles.

Construction begins by scorin' t' lines first then cuttin' out parts. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! I rolled t' body tube, nose cone, me bucko, t' nacelles and t' tube fins. Ahoy! Blimey! I then shaped t' clipped delta fins as well as t' two large wing-fins. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I glued t' clipped delta fins together then worked on t' two large wing-fins. These are really the trickiest part o' t' construction. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! If they are nay done correctly, arrr, they could warp. We all know that warped fins on a rocket is never a good idea.

After shapin' t' wing-fins, I glue t' leadin' and trailin' edge portions o' t' wing-fins in place. Ahoy! They are conveniently located on t' same sheet as t' wing-fins and contain t' necessary glue tabs.

Meanwhile, ya bilge rat, I construct t' motor mount and centerin' rings. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This is an easy step involvin' shapin' t' motor mount around a spent engine casin' and after t' motor mount has dried, gluin' centerin' rings around t' motor mount. Avast! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Centerin' rings are basically thin strips o' card stock that are rolled/glued onto t' motor mount. It is a good idea t' test fit t' motor mount periodically so that you don't add too much centerin' ring.

Once t' body tube and motor are put together, I focus on t' nose cone with tip and shoulder. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Again, this is fairly easy. I then glue on t' support plates onto t' clipped delta fins and t' wing-fins. After these are dry, shiver me timbers, they can be glued onto t' body tube. Avast! Next, t' tube fins and nacelles can be added. Begad! T' launch lugs are folded rectangular boxes that act as a "landin' skid" as well as launch lugs. T' cool thin' about this design is that one can opt t' use t' left or right launch lug.

Once this is complete, I add t' shock cord usin' t' tri-fold method. Blimey! Well, blow me down! I place clay in t' nose cone and make sure t' CG o' t' completed model minus a motor is 5.75" from t' tip o' t' rocket. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Make sure t' shock cord is firmly glued into t' nose cone. Secure t' shock cord t' t' nose cone with a dab o' epoxy, matey, if necessary.

Since this is a paper rocket, me bucko, no paintin' is required. Arrr! Begad! If you are lookin' t' put a finish on t' rocket, you could put Future Floor Polish in an airbrush and give it two or three light, light, light coats. Arrr! Ya scallywag! If you give it a heavy coat, me bucko, the ink on t' paper will run. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Alternatively, you could use ModPodge, arrr, shiver me timbers, either painted on or sprayed on with an airbrush. Avast! If sprayed on, you will need t' dilute it so that it can actually pass through t' airbrush. Ya scallywag! Begad! I have tried both o' these techniques with great success.

Flight:
Flight and recovery on t' SSR-5 is normal. Ahoy! Ahoy! I have used parachute and streamers for this model. Avast! I place waddin' in the body tube, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, prep t' streamer/parachute and place t' nose cone on top. Since thar be no engine hook, matey, I friction fit t' motor.

I have flown t' SSR-5 with B6-4 and C6-5 motors. On t' prototype flights, I be still havin' issues with squirrely, corkscrew ascents. Ya scallywag! I found that this be due t' t' wing-fin/nacelle units havin' an unwanted warped design. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Once I had achieved good construction o' t' wing-fin/nacelle unit, I really had a good time flyin' t' SSR-5. Arrr! Aye aye! T' altitude achieved is actually quite admirable for somethin' that probably has a lot o' drag.

On a scale o' 1 t' 5 for ease o' construction, ya bilge rat, I would probably put this at a 2.5 due t' foldin' paper and dealin' with t' wing-fins. Well, blow me down! Avast! Otherwise, it's a pretty easy build.

Summary:
PROS:

• unusual rocket design
• paper. Well, blow me down! it's cheap and easy t' replace if damaged in flight or construction
• good small field flyer

CONS:

• lots o' cuttin' o' parts
• one needs t' work with very shipshape hands free o' moisture and excess glue. Aye aye! It requires patience and finesse in creatin' some o' t' parts.