Dynastar Firefox SHX

This rocket kit has a shape reminiscent of a Soviet-era fighter jet. The inspiration actually came from the 1982 movie starring Clint Eastwood called "FIREFOX." The model is meant to look like a mean and stealthy fighter jet.

The unique trait of this rocket is the offset body tube. Even though the nose is not on the same centerline as the engine tube, the rocket is robust enough that it flies straight and true on D, E and F size rocket engines.

The Dynastar FireFox-SHX kit was designed by Shrox, who creates some unique designs that can be built using traditional rocket materials. Shrox has always attempted to make kits that don't need a lot of specialty parts. He likes things that can be easily scaled up or down, so modelers can make several different versions of the same kit.

This is a simple-to-build rocket that uses traditional model rocket construction techniques that you may be familiar with from building smaller models.

The bigger parts actually makes it easier to build this model than a smaller rocket, because the parts are easier to grasp.

Another feature of this kit is that the rocket has a low mass compared to it's internal volume. That is possible due to the lightweight nose cone, and balsa wood fins. You'll be able to fly this rocket to about 340 feet up using the inexpensive D12-3 rocket engine. With composite motors, this rocket can easily go over 1000 feet into the sky!

Like the other kits from "DynaStar Mid-Power Rockets", the FireFox-SHX is designed to fly on the less expensive "D" size black-powder rocket motors. And it will give you the same performance as other mid-power kits that require "E" and "F" size composite propellant rocket motors. The lighter weight rocket allow the rocket to fly faster and higher.

How do you get the same performance using smaller motors? Simple: the DynaStar brand of rocket kits use thin-wall body tubes, which are significantly lighter. So the rocket doesn't need a big motor just to get it off the launch pad. You'll save money, because you don't necessarily need to buy larger rocket motors!

Plastic Nose Cone - The smooth plastic nose cone requires no finishing other than a coat of paint. Its 3.46:1 ogive shape is very efficient for high speed rocket flights. The fit of the BT-80 size nose cone is perfect on the standard size body tube. This means you won't have to add tape to increase the friction when inserted into the tube.

Colorful pressure-sensitive decals - This is a big reason why is so easy to make this rocket so awesome looking. It is just a matter of applying the sticker-like decals.

Laser-cut balsa wood fins - Balsa wood is very lightweight and can be airfoiled by sanding, to reduce the drag forces on the kit. This makes the rocket zoom higher and faster into the sky.

Large 1/4 inch Launch Lug - Because this is a bigger model, you'll have a larger lug on the side of the rocket. This is used with mid-power size launch rods, to stabilize the rocket so it doesn't sway in the wind prior to launch.

Premium Quality Body Tubes - The tubes are thin-wall to reduce weight, but are plenty strong for this model. The surface is slick and smooth, which makes marking lines on them easy. Painting is also a breeze, since the spirals are tight and require little filling.

The large 32" diameter plastic parachute that comes with the kit, brings the rocket down slowly for a nice soft touchdown. The canopy on the parachute is a colorful black and yellow, which is easy to see in the sky, and when it lands on the grass. You'll also find that the chute has tear-proof adhesive rings that reinforce the points on the canopy where the shroud lines attach. These greatly strengthen the parachute canopy, making it practically impossible to damage the parachute. Because this is a big rocket, the parachute is an octagon shape, instead of being a hexagon. Therefore, it has two more suspension lines, meaning it can carry a heavier rocket down to the ground.

Die-Cut Cardstock Centering Rings and Bulkheads. We use premium quality cardstock for our centering rings. This saves weight, and allows the rocket to be put together with ordinary water-based wood glue. You won't need any exotic or expensive adhesives to put this kit together.

This kit includes crescent-shaped bulkheads that are highly unusual. They make it easy to align the tubes, and seal off the tube so that it pressurizes properly to insure parachute deployment.

The model also comes with a high-strength, Kevlar^® Shock Cord. Kevlar is six times stronger than steel, and is also fire proof. It can easily withstand the high heat of ejection, ensuring the rocket descends as a single piece. This makes for a very durable rocket that can be launched again and again.

Spring-steel engine retainer clips allow you to swap out engines between flights in just milliseconds. It is really that fast!

The big reason this is a skill level 4 rocket is that the air scoop is created by cutting the ends of the body tube at an angle. This is tricky and requires a steady hand to hold the hobby knife. But the instructions give you some guidance on how to do it with the minimum amount of fuss.

The fins are also a bit unusual, as you'll have to build up the shapes out of several smaller pieces. It isn't too hard, and the instructions are well done to provide you the necessary guidance in completing the harder steps.

The paint scheme is actually easy. Paint it all black. Finally, cut out the decals and position them on the model. You'll be surprised how easy it is to end up with a great looking rocket.

Finally, the rocket teaches an important concept: the use of a stuffer tube. Because the internal volume is so large (because of the big tubes), the ejection charge has to work extra hard to push the parachute out of the rocket. The stuffer tube reduces the internal volume, making parachute ejection more reliable. The BT-60 size stuffer tube also holds the two offset-tubes of the rocket together. It is very unique to rocketry, making it worth purchasing the kit to learn how it is done.

This is a new brand of rockets dedicated to making exciting and unique rockets that use mid-power motors (sizes: D, E, and F).

It comes from Apogee Components, but is completely separate. That means they will be available in local hobby stores and internet sites soon. But if you can't wait that long, you can order right now here on this web site.

Tools needed to assemble this rocket kit:

• Pencil
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Masking Tape
• Hobby Knife
• Wood Glue or White Glue

To Launch This Rocket Kit, You'll Also Need:

• Rocket Motors (Not included with this kit - See the motor selection above)
• Launch Pad (see below for suggestions) & Launch Controller (Not included with this kit)
• Recovery Wadding - Disposable | Reusable

Q. What launch pad should I use to launch this rocket kit?

A. Since this is a big rocket, you'll need very stable launch pad. We offer the Aerotech Mantis Launch Pad and the Estes Porta Pad-E.

Q. What launch controller can I use to ignite the motors?

A. We offer two different controllers that can be used for mid and high-power size rockets. The Aerotech Interlock and the Pratt Hobbies GO-BOX Controller.

Q. I need help selecting motors. What should I do?

A. Watch this YouTube video.

Q. Instead of picking motors from the above chart, can you teach me how to do it myself?

A. Yes. We encourage you to learn the proper motor selection technique. Please watch our YouTube video that will walk you step-by-step through the process (click here).