FlisKits: Stingray (tentative name)

[jflis]

FlisKits will soon be announcing its 20th kit! 20 kits in 18 months. I like that

The tentative name for this kit is the "Stingray", though that is likely to change.

This design comes from the mind of Brian McCarthy and should prove to be a popular kit (in my own humble opinion )

We are submitting this kit design to the folks at NSL for the FlisKits submission as our NSL 2004 Commemorative kit. If approved, the first 100 kits will contain special artwork related to NSL 2004.

The Stingray will be announced at NARCON in March and we hope to have them available for sale at that time.

NOTE: Assuming that this kit is approved by the NSL committee, will will hold at least 15 in reserve for sale *at* NSL

To keep kit costs down, this kit will be offered with no marking, leaving the painting up to the modeler. Full color body wraps will be available as a separate part number and can be purchased with the kit if desired.

Here is a view of this new kit:

 

[jflis]

Here is a profile. You can clearly see the Stingray artwork. This will be reworked if we decide to change the name.

 

[jflis]

Here is a Top-Down view. You get a better view of the forward guns this way.

more to come!

 

[jflis]

here's a rear view showing the 18mm motor mount and some of the tail detail availabe with the wraps.

 

[rstaff3]

Looks nice. The side pods look familiar (see my icon)

 

[n3tjm]

WOW!!! Jim! Very nice. I think this is the first new release I knew nothing about!? You and I need to have a little talk about that later .

I vote to keep the name Stingray! I love the Stingray details. Very nice!

 

[jetra2]

Nothin' personal or anything, but I don't really like this rocket. It's a interesting design, but it just doesn't grab me. Maybe it just needs a different paint scheme or *something*, but I just can't honestly say I like it.

Sorry to dissapoint.

Jason

 

[jflis]

well, we can't please *everybody*!

Not all rockets appeal to everyone. And I don't take it personally. I value feedback, positive *and* negative.

I wasn't *thrilled* with the coloring and am thinking it over. That is one of the reasons (cost being the other) that the kit will come without these marking, allowing you to color it yourself if you wish. The next one I build (tomorrow) will be painted.

keep the feedback coming!
jim

 

[Gus]

Jim,

It grabbed me. I like it a lot.

(But, then again, no one has ever accused me of having great taste )

 

[powderburner]

Is it retractable for flight?

 

[Aerobee300]

I like it ... I like the Stingray decals .... just a bit too many decals on the top .... keep the light and dark blue and some of the script decals .... lose the green stuff ... just my 2 cents worth .... over all I think it looks pretty dang cool !

 

[cydermaster]

[My 2p]
Love the rocket, but the decals are too 'busy'.
[/My 2p]

 

[rocketkid88]

but i think that there are a few to many 'decals'. seems like thats what most ppl think... but other than that its rather *cool*

 

[flying_silverad]

If the rocket needs the wraps...I think I would include them. Are they that much more expensive?

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by jflis
Here is a profile. You can clearly see the Stingray artwork. This will be reworked if we decide to change the name.

What's that little side hole...is that where the ejection gases escape?

 

[Johnnie]

...so you build the small proto version, and then slam (3) 24mm motors in the final upscale version for release?

I like it Jim. 3FNC it is not, what a beaut it is...

 

[jflis]

Yea, i've been wondering about the markings. I may rework it tonight...

As for the cost of adding the artwork, these are large wraps, a total of 3 sheets to the tune of about $2-3 for the set, so yea, it's rather pricy...

 

[WiK]

It looks like it needs more of a "Starship" paint scheme...

 

[Ryan S.]

very interesting design. I am not into the whole starship design but it is still pretty cool (I mean it is a rocket what can I say)

There do seem to be alot of decals but I am sure the modeller can change it in whatever way he likes

 

[jflis]

weeeellll, now, there *aren't* any decals. There are body forms, body wraps and fin coverings. If you decide to use the body wraps, the only painting needed is the nose cone and some touch up at the seams.

 

[astronboy]

I REALLY like the design. It has a real Klingon sorta feel to it... that 'lay wasp' feeling... like it will strike at any moment.

I am not too crazy about the wild colors, but do not mind me.... I have a tough time building anything without some mods.

 

[Rocket_Russ]

I love the design. Jim, you and Brian continue to amaze me with the creativity you are bringing to the hobby! I would skip the wraps myself and I agree with others about some bright colors. Better make more room on my shelf...

Russ Anthony
NAR 81741 L1

 

[xxxREKxxx]

Jim & Brian, ROCK ON!
I like it very much. It has a very 60's retro feel to it and because I'm an old fart I like anything with the name StingRay. FWIW, send it naked and make the skins availlable or, How about this, Sports Fans? a design, contest for the first couple hundred or so. Gawd, wouldn't we go mental on that!

The best part of FlisKits is the fact that the rockets are all significantly different from each other. So many kits are just the same old - same old with a different set of decals and color scheme. The Deuce and the Tres are completely different birds, the RR looks kind of like a Mean Machine until you check out the business end (I was going to say *** end, but I'm glad I didn't) and see that you're in the major leagues here. And of course the Drake is in a class by itself! No cookie cutter stuff here.
Keep up the good work.
Bob

 

[jflis]

Well, it's official, this model will be one of three (three different vendors will have commemorative NSL rockets this year) official commemorative NSL-2004 rockets!

I am near complete on the documentation and will be adding special artwork for custom NSL-2004 graphics. The NSL-2004 commemorative graphics will be made available for the first 100-200 kits with details to follow.

It is still our hope that we will have these kits at NARCON next weekend. It really depends on material availability. We will keep you posted. At the very least, the development models will be on display and flown at NARCON.

I am also looking at an all-black version called the Maelstrom. If this comes out as neat as I think, we may release with this one.

more info as it becomes available!

jim

 

[slim_t]

Well it's different, and in a good way.
I would like to see a painted one though, to compare it to the "decorated" one.
I like to see designs with big wings instead of fins sometimes. It gives you something to see while it's flying.
I'll get me one after I finish some of these other Fliskits.
I still don't have a Tres.
Waiting on that DOM award to place another order.

Tim

 

[Rocket_James]

Nice! I'm not a big fan of the color scheme, but I like the overall design. Very interesting! Not the norm, which is great!!! Hope I can make it to NSL and pick one up.
James

 

[Chr$]

Kinda looks like a morph of a Jayhawk and a Klingon Battlecruiser.

With a light grey-ish paint job and maybe some retro-star-treky graphics, it should be really cool. I'm thinking orange and yellow striping...

Call it a USS (Insert name here)

USS Jayhawk? Nahh...

Maybe a Klingon type name.

Hmm...

Jim, If'n you're looking for "beta-testers"...

 

[jflis]

As I mentioned in the other Stingray thread, the FlisKits Stingray has been approved as one of 3 commemorative kits for NSL-2004.

To that end, we have made the following decision:

While the Stingray kit will not come with color body wraps and decals (these would be provided separately), the first 100 kits WILL come with a free set of custom, limited run wraps to commemorate NSL-2004.

Looking over the NSL site, I decided to go with a motif that reflected the retro look they were expressing, with their artwork, and designed some wraps to come up with a ship from the "NSL Airways"

Here is a look at this decor:

 

[rstaff3]

Very nice. I like this better than the original decoration.

 

[jflis]

Here is another view, from a higher vantage point.

jim