(07/26/03) After holding the Fat Cat's Name This Rocket and Story Contest over this sleek, futuristic looking rocket, I decided to purchase one at Fat Cat's special introductory price. You should check out the contest stories. They are great. Fat Cat's decided to combine the suggested names from the top three winners and came up with the I.P.F.I. Strikeship "Lightning". I call it the Strikeship for short.

Fat Cat Rockets says that they "stock 18 of the most innovative, custom rocket kits on the market" and so far, in the mid to high power range, I agree. The Strikeship is truly an example of this. The kit is currently priced at $44 (as of July 2003). This may seem like a bit for a rocket, but compare it to a straightforward, entry-level, mid-power PML IO at $47 or to another 29mm futuristic bird, the LOC Delta Strike Fighter at $38, then the $44 price tag is not too bad. Then look at everything you get, and you will even be happier.

The kit two 12" 29mm tubes and one 7½" long, 2½" diameter body tube, two 29mm wooden nose cones, pre-cut 1/4" balsa wings, 5/32" balsa fins and rudders, a balsa canopy, various dowels, two wooden gunpods, fiber board strips, and nose weight. The recovery system is made up of a steel leader with loop-clips, 65" of ½" black elastic stock cord and a 24" rip-stop parachute. There are also four plywood centering rings , the 29mm motor tube, and launch lugs. Lastly, the kit includes some ready-stick decals. The materials were packed well and are of high quality.

CONSTRUCTION:

The instructions are printed on 6 pages of 8½ x 11" paper and there were two additional pages with decal placement and color schemes. The instructions had color-coded illustrations that really assist the builder in seeing the various parts. They were in a logical order and easy to follow. I did find one mistake, right in step 1. It indicated the upper centering ring had two holes in it (like their other kits). When I noticed my upper centering ring did not have two holes in it, I drilled two holes, only to fill them in with epoxy later. The only other enhancement that could be made to the instructions is to cut the launch lug to size and angles that match the lower fins. Not a big deal at all.

The instructions indicate that you need epoxy and CA, but I used 7 different glues in my build. Check them out. I'm sure epoxy and CA work just fine!

Plan on spending a few days assembling the Strikeship. Go ahead, make it a winter project! The instructions will guide you through nicely, however, there are some unique challenges to building this rocket. As I discuss the build, I will highlight some of the unique areas and challenges.

Like the Galactic Marauder, the rocket is assembled in two sections. First the forward section, then the aft.

The forward section starts by gluing the two 29mm body tubes together (I used Elmers Exterior Wood glue). Then the provided nose weight (BB's) are glued into the hollowed out wooden nose cones. I split the BB's in half and filled each nose cone equally. I then used 15-minute epoxy and keep adding it until all the gaps were filled and I had a nice smooth top on each nose cone. The nose cones are then glued into the two motor tubes. On the opposite end of the nose cones, two centering rings are attached. Both fit perfectly without any sanding.

Next, Fat Cat warns, "This part of constructing the model can be tricky. Take your time and be careful." This is the placement of the fiber boards on the top and bottom of the dual-cone forward section. I used Elmers White Glue for this and found that using some masking tape to hold everything in place was necessary. I also allowed the top to completely dry before doing the bottom. I really didn't have trouble with this step, except that my masking tape torn a bit of the fiber board surface off. I ensured the seams were filled using Elmers White Glue and my finger to ensure I did not get globs or that the clean, sharp edge of the fiber board was messed up.

To fill the small gap that is left at the tip, I used 5-minute epoxy. I also soaked the section fiber board that covered the nose cone with super thin CA to make it more durable.

The balsa canopy is glued onto the top of this assemble to finish it up. I used Elmers Exterior Wood glue.

Next, the fins are prepared. The main wing is made up of two pre-cut pieces of 1/4" balsa. The fins and rudders are pre-cut from 5/32" balsa. I coated all the balsa fins with 15-minute epoxy, covered with 24lb printer paper, and pressed between wax paper under a heavy book to strengthen them (and eliminate the grain). After this was done, I rounded the corners as instructed and added the various dowels to the wind and rudder edges. I used Elmers Exterior Wood glue to attach the main wings to the 2.6" body tube.

The fins and rudders attach directly to the main wings and not the 2.6" body tube. Placement is described in detail and you use one of the 1/4" launch lugs to assist in placement. I used Liquid Nails Perfect Glue #1 for the initial attachment. The gunpods are also glued directly onto the main wings.

Attaching the steel leader cable is a unique step in building the Strikeship. You see, this is a rear-ejection system and Fat Cat opted to attach the steel leader cable to the outside of the body tube. This is done in the gap between the body tube and one of the lower fins. Using masking tape to make a dam, and then using a lot of 5-minute epoxy, you attach the leader cable. (see picture, right side of body tube)

The launch lug is attached on the opposite side between the body tube and the other lower fin. I cut my launch lug so that it was the same length and used the same angles as the lower fin. This was not described in the instructions, but I think improves the looks. A notch is made in the rear of the body tube to allow the cable to go inside body. (see picture, left side of body tube)

The motor mount is actually built in the very first step and is straightforward; motor tube and two centering rings. I added a Rowes Retainer 29mm retainer, as can be seen in the photos. It was very easy to add.

To finish the recovery system, the final loop is put into the steel leader and the elastic is tied to it. The other end of the elastic is tied to the motor tube and the parachute is attached onto the elastic near the motor mount.

There is one other section of assembly that should be mentioned; the nose strut. This is only for display only and is designed to be removable from the underside of the forward section. It is used to display the model so that the forward section is help up parallel with the ground. Landing gear, so to speak. A nice "extra" touch.

Finishing this rocket, if you want to have a nice finish, takes a lot of work. I had no less than 7 coats of Plasti-Kote primer on it and various spot work with Bondo Glazing. This is needed for the roughness of the wooden nose cones and gun pods, the spirals in the body tubes, the filled nose tip, the dowel seams, and the various other joints. It is worth the time for a rocket like this! I didn't use either of the two paint schemes that Fat Cat Rockets suggested. Instead I used a metallic light blue automotive paint. I like the finish.

The decals are stick-on. I have one complaint on the "double doors" sticker that you are instructed to cut in half. The line to cut on is the same thickness as the outside lines so if you cut on this line you loose the line that you cut on. The instructions note this and tell you to cut it in such a manner that makes one set of doors complete and leaves "open hinges" on the other. They then say to use a black pen to draw in the missing lines. I hope future decal runs separate them so other builders don't have to draw in the lines. Other than that, I like the decals and they add a nice look to the finished kit. The cockpit decal is cut from a glossy black sticker and placed on the top and sides.

After I did the decals and waited 3 days (for drying purposes), I did three very light coats of Clear Coat (Walmart brand). Then one full and heavy coat. The 3 days drying time and light coats help guard against paint reactions.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 ½ points. The instructions are clear and logical and you certainly get quality parts. Everything fit on the kit! No sanding was required, even for the centering rings. To be consistent, I have to ding the kit slightly for not having positive motor retention.... I know this is common for mid and high power kits, but perhaps the manufacturers will start adding it as an option. Also, I was bothered by that "double door" decal. Neither of these items are that big of a deal and therefore the rating of 4½ will still show that this is a solid kit.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Fat Cat Rockets indicate the Strikeship should weight 20 ounces. My finished kit weighs 19.4 ounces. Not bad, eh?

Fat Cat instructions only recommended one motor, the F50-5 (which they must have meant F50-4). However, shortly after purchasing it, Fat Cat sent a "correction" e-mail that addressed a couple of items, including the recommended motors. They now say, "The motor listing is a suggestion, F40 to F62 should work as well with a 4 or 6 second delay".

I planned my first flights of the Strikeship. First an F50-4, then an AT RMS F52-5.

Preparation was easy with the rear-ejection system. It doesn't require any wadding either, since the centering rings protect the parachute and shock cord. I had no trouble getting everything packed into place. I then taped my F50-4 motor, slid it in and used the Rowes retainer.

The first flight was great. Don't know if I have any other words that work here. It zipped off the pad, I missed the shot, well, kind of... caught the tail as can be seen. It was very stable and gave a nice looking flight. The ejection was a bit early, too bad AT didn't make that F50-5! Descent was fairly quick. I ran to catch it and boy did I. Right in the chest. Gained a nice little welt from the wing hitting me. After all, it is 20 ounces!

My second flight was on the RMS F52-5. Another roaring lift-off and great flight, but the 5 seemed to come in at 3 seconds so the Strikeship still had a good head of steam when ejection occurred. The rear-ejection system paid off and allowed the parachute to deploy without any zippering damage. Recovered and it is ready to fly again! I have one F50 left but need to find some F52's! I may try an F23, G33 or G64.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 5 points. It flies great! It is wadless! It recovers great! Nuff said.

I give the rocket an OVERALL rating of 5 points. Fat Cat does produce "unique" kits and this is one of the best (to me). I love the design and am planning a few variations of it. I will be making a 2x24mm cluster motor mount for it and purchasing two more kits for modifications. I'll have an I.P.F.I. Strikeship fleet. This one is nicknamed "Lightning" according to Fat Cat Rockets. I think I have the "Tornado" and "Thunder" as well! We'll see.

(Contributed - by David Fergus - 07/01/02)

Summary:
A fantasy futuristic single pilot space fighter. It has a unique fuselage shape, flies on 29mm motors (F50 is the only motor recommended by the kit maker) and has rear ejection parachute recovery. This rocket was named in a contest sponsored by EMRR. The name was a combination of the top three vote getters with IPFI being the abbreviation for InterPlanetary Fighter Interceptor, Strikeship the operational usage, and Lightning it’s nickname. It joins other kits in the Fat Cat space fleet (P.T.S. Shaman and O.G.M. Roanoke)

PRO: unique design, quality components, and stable flight on an F50.

CON: none

CONSTRUCTION:
The kit came in a cardboard box from the manufacturer with sub-kits of groups of components in separate sealed plastic bags. All of the components were present, and there was no damage. Even though this is a unique design, it was accomplished using standard components common to the rocket kit industry. The imagination behind this design is to be commended! The instructions are printed on four double-sided pages using a 4-color ink jet printer. Each step has explanatory diagrams with notes and arrows. Two pages are devoted to finishing suggestions and decal location guides. The instructions are adequate for an experienced mid-power modeler. However, novices to mid-power should probably make this kit a later addition to their fleet after they have built several mid-power kits. A few notes that I made while assembling are added here as additional comments for future builders, and not as criticism of the kit maker.

Step 1: Assembly of the engine mount: If you wish to add positive engine retention, you should do so at this step prior to assembly. I put a retention clip in one end of the motor mount for when I use an RMS motor and left the other (flush) end free for friction retention of SU motors. I also soaked in some CA into the inside of the motor tubes at both ends which makes the motor tube less likely to wear after numerous launches and make the motor tube easier to clean after a launch.

Step 2: Assembly of the forward fuselage: When gluing the two body tubes together, minimize the glue in the rear 1.5 inches until after the centering rings are installed. I did not, and it was harder to install the forward centering ring without a lot of sanding to get it to fit over a healthy glue fillet. There is a possible “gotcha“ in this step. In Step 2, make sure you line up the two centering rings so that the front fuselage will be parallel to the rear fuselage when assembled. The two centering rings have two side-by-side holes cut for the inner parallel body tubes. These two holes on the two centering rings were cut so that the distance from the edge of the hole to the outside of the centering ring was slightly different on one side compared to the other. I did not realize this till after they were glued on the body tubes, and the 50-50-90 rule (If given a 50-50 chance of getting something wrong, you will get it wrong 90% of the time) came into effect so that the two centering rings did not match exactly in their orientation when glued onto the body tubes. If not caught, it would have resulted in gluing the forward fuselage into the rear fuselage in Step 10 and having a slightly crooked rocket. I caught this before gluing, and used a long length of 3” quantum tube as an alignment reference tool to test-fit and sand the opposite outside edges of the two centering rings to ensure parallel alignment of the forward fuselage to the rear fuselage.

Step 3: Do not glue the two body halves together now! That is done in Step 10. I didn’t read this step #3A carefully enough and actually glued the rear body tube to the front fuselage assembly here. It did not ruin the kit to do this, but it was inconvenient in a few of the following steps.

Step 4: Sub-step C says to seal the leading edges of the wings, fins and rudders with CA. I did the trailing edges as well.

Step 5: To attach the wings to the body tube, the instructions say to rough up the surface with sandpaper to create a better bonding surface. I attached the wings with outdoor wood glue and later filleted with 30 minute epoxy. Note that you should wait to fillet till after step 6 when you attach the fins and rudders.

Step 6: To fillet with 30 min epoxy, I used Popsicle sticks to get an even concave fillet and a damp paper towel to wipe up excess. Don’t forget to fillet the wing joints too.

Step 7: To attach the metal shock cord anchor, an epoxy block is built up with about five applications of 5 minute epoxy. The dams at the front and back of the lower fin worked pretty well, but did not create a faired shape. I let the last application spill over and make more of an aerodynamic shape at the front of this fillet. I also put a blob of epoxy on both of the copper clips, and also dipped the loop of steel leader in epoxy to make it less abrasive to the eventual attachment of the elastic shock cord. The diagram in the instructions show the launch lug being shorter than the lower fin, but the launch lug provided in my kit was longer than the fin. Either is OK. The notch cut in the rear of the body tube to accommodate the wire shock cord leader should be reinforced with CA for wear resistance. I also put a small radius in the notch to allow the wire leader to smoothly transition in and out of this notch.

Step 8&9: straightforward, no comments.

Step 10: Here is the step that I did way back after Step 2 because I didn’t flip the page first before doing what I assumed was the next step. I built the rest of the model around an already assembled fuselage. Not a big deal, except the nose is heavy from all the nose weight, and it makes it slightly awkward to handle. Make sure the centering rings fit up and actually cause the two sections of fuselage to mate in a parallel line. Sand as necessary to ensure this.

FINISHING:
The spiral grooves are pretty big in the provided tubes so some application of Elmer’s F&F is required. The balsa, though very impressively thick, has fairly large grain, which also needs to be filled. Two pages of diagrams are provided which show two suggested paint and decal schemes. Page 1 of the finish pages also shows the recommended balance point with the motor installed. If too far back, the kit maker suggested by phone consult adding more nose weight by pouring lead shot into both forward tubes and covering with epoxy. The web site lists the weight of this finished rocket as 20oz. My finished rocket only weighs 16 oz, but I used healthy epoxy fillets everywhere. It worried me a little that my rocket might not be as sturdy as the kit makers’ version, but it feels solid and well-built. I chose to paint the rocket Krylon pearl gray which I felt would be a realistic space fighter color. I have yet to add highlights and attach the decals, so I will send a picture to Nick at some future time. The web site for the kit maker does provide pictures of various paint schemes customers have used. One intriguing scheme is this rocket decked out in police cruiser colors using decals from a Radio Controlled car kit.

FLIGHT:
The instructions list only one engine as recommended; an F50-5. I contacted the kit maker and asked him about this. I pointed out that Aerotech had a F50-4, F50-6, and a F52-5, but no F50-5. He agreed and said that any of those motors should be fine.

So far, I have only flown the rocket on an F50-4 single use, and it is a good choice. To use an RMS casing, there is room in the motor mount, but less expansion volume in front of the engine than with an F size SU motor, which might lead to a more violent rear ejection than with a single use motor (theory only, not confirmed at this time). I have not tried an RMS motor yet, but intend to.

Flight on an Aerotech F50-4T single use motor was straight and stable to somewhere between 500 and 1000 ft. My calibrated altitude eye just wasn’t up to a more accurate altitude estimate that day. I wish the kit maker had given an estimated predicted altitude in the instructions, just to give me an idea how high to expect on the recommended engine, but with his weight so much different than mine, it would only be a rough estimate anyway. I may have to someday get out my trusty Estes Altitrack and see what I get for altitude.

RECOVERY:
The provided 24” nylon chute is a good choice and the rocket came down gently to a soft landing at the sod farm.

OVERALL:
Everything considered, it is a good kit that uses a unique design concept and excellent materials. It is stable and recovers reliably. I like the comprehensive decal set, and some of the extra details such as the wooden gun mounts on each wing, and the landing strut for display (removed for flight).

RATINGS:
Construction: 5 out of 5, Flight/Recovery: 5 out of 5, Overall: 5 out of 5

GUEST's OPINION:
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SPECIFIC ROCKET TIP:
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