I received the Tsetse (the Gnat's BIG brother) from Rogue in a well packaged box via the USPS. The kit itself was in a plastic bag with a cardboard picture of the rocket. All the parts were included along with instructions.

I was really looking forward to receiving the Tsetse because it would be my first rear engine ejected streamer kit I ever built. An added bonus is that it is a 9.1 inch rocket on "D" power!

Paper cutouts are available for cutting the balsa fins. The only tools needed are an exacto knife, ruler, and white or yellow glue.

Assemble the engine mount like any other. Tie the Kevlar shock cord to the forward mount ring and thread though the body tube. Tie the shock cord to the nose cone and glue the nose cone to the body tube. Now if you want the rocket to work you WILL NOT glue in the engine mount. It should be friction fit up into the BT after attaching the streamer. Glue on the fins and launch lug and you're in business.

The kit included some nice water soluble decals. I used I few with a bright paint job to aid in recovery.

I rate construction of this rocket a 4 due to the fine parts and ease of construction.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

I showed off the Tsetse before the flight at RAMTEC our club's NAR sanctioned meet at Allentown College in Allentown PA. Most comments went like this "You're flying that on a "D"?!?! When the Range Officer announced this one and looked at the rocket he said "Goodbye!!". But to everyone's amazement I flew it twice on D12-5s and recovered it both times. Beautiful high flights and easy to lose so don't take your eyes off it for a second. I rate the flight a big 5!

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

After the second recovery I noticed the streamer was charred and the engine tube and body mount were Really stressed. This rocket will burn twice as bright but have half the life (Bladerunner).

To make this rocket perfect it needs a thicker BT and engine mount tube. Also I'd wrap some wadding around the streamer. But for 5 bucks what do ya want, a Cadillac?

This would be a nice one to have in your collection but look forward to an early retirement or loss.

Overall this kit gets a 4 on the Essence scale. 1 point deduct for whimpy BT and engine mount tube.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5