FlisKits Dead Ringer

FlisKits - Dead Ringer {Kit} (MX017)

Contributed by Kathy Kippen

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 0.28 inches
Length: 8.63 inches
Manufacturer: FlisKits
Skill Level: 2
Style: Futuristic/Exotic, Ring/Tube/Cone Fin, MicroMaxx, Downscale

FlisKits Dead Ringer

Brief:
A MicroMaxx kit with unique large rings for fins.

Construction:
The parts came very well packaged and include:

  • ¼" x 2" coupler
  • BT-2.5 x 1" tube
  • BT-2.5 x 5" tube
  • Launch lug
  • Streamer
  • 30" Kevlar thread shock cord
  • Laser cut fins
  • Three BT-60 x 3/8" rings
  • Balsa nosecone
  • Tiny nail
  • Instruction sheet

FlisKits Dead Ringer

The instructions are easy to follow with easy to follow diagrams. First is to mark the coupler tube and glue on the lower body tube. The ring fins are also glued together.

Next is marking the fin guidelines and gluing the ring fins into place. After this is done, the Kevlar shock cord is run down through the upper body tube and the upper tube is glued into place on the coupler leaving a knot made on the end of the thread sticking out as an anchor.

The fins are then glued into place along the body tube inside the ring fins. The launch lugs are glued alongside a fin. The shock cord is attached to the nose cone using a tiny nail with the streamer attached at the mid-point of the streamer.

The only issue was the placement of the launch lug in the fillet of the fin. I moved them out just a bit so the igniter would fit properly into the motor.

FlisKits Dead RingerFlisKits Dead Ringer

FlisKits Dead Ringer

Finishing:
I applied two coats of sanding sealer to the nosecone, sanding after each coat. I used paint pens to paint the rocket.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Flight:
First flight was on a MicroMaxx motor to about 34 feet. Ejection was at apogee with an unfurled streamer, but the landing was in the soft grass with no damage. The second flight was similar to the first with, again, an unfurled streamer. A third flight on a MicroMaxx II sent it a little higher with the same recovery results.

Recovery:
The streamer failed to unfurl on each flight. I expected this as it is rolled to an incredibly tiny size and has not much time to unroll after deployment

Flight Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary:
This is a cool, easy to build little rocket good for small backyard flights when you can't make it to the bigger fields for regular sized rockets.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

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