(04/22/02) My new ASP Micro Jayhawk has officially become me smallest rocket that I have ever built and flown. Begad! It is only 3.75" tall and 0.282" in diameter. Begad! Aye aye! Wow!

I've enjoyed these little Quest MicroMaxx motor rockets since I can fly them in our yard. But nay only that, it is rather interesting to make somethin' this small fly. T' only thin' smaller that I have ever flown was a "match rocket".

I purchased t' Micro Jayhawk along with the Micro WAC Corporal with Tiny Tim Booster from ASP t' build on a winter vacation. Notice t' size difference betwixt those two kits. Ya scallywag! I be pleased t' see that even though these are "micro" kits they are in no way "micro" in quality. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! In fact, t' ASP kit parts and instructions are of higher quality than a number o' other "standard" kits that I have put together. Begad! I be impressed.

T' Micro Jayhawk included 2 body tubes, 2 tube couplers, styrene fin stock, me bucko, styrene half-round, shiver me timbers, styrene launch lug, a wood nose cone, 2 sizes o' lead weight, a Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, me hearties, and a decal set. Begad! Aye aye!

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are on 5 pages o' 8.5 x 11" paper and include illustrations as well as cuttin' and alignment guides. Aye aye! They are clear and thorough instructions tellin' t' modeler exactly how t' be successful in buildin' and flyin' this rocket.

After sandin' t' outside o' t' body tubes t' get the shine off, they are marked usin' a cut-out markin' guide and a provided styrene angle. Ahoy! T' styrene angle is a nice little provision for markin' t' tubes, me hearties, me hearties, but I found mine nay quite rigid enough as I ran t' pencil up along t' edge. Blimey! Aye aye! It was functional though and if care is taken would provide t' functionality necessary. I found t' markin' guide t' be missin' "Tick Marks" which the instructions say should line up.

T' various fins are cut out usin' fin cuttin' guides. It is recommended t' use double-sided tape t' keep t' guide attached t' the styrene strips. Well, blow me down! There are three different pieces o' styrene fin material and different thickness. You are t' cut t' main fins, shiver me timbers, me bucko, main fin tips, and leading fins from t' various pieces. Blimey! T' styrene material is nice as it doesn't make the fins too thick in relation t' t' size o' t' rocket, ya bilge rat, arrr, but get your tweezers out t' work with this stuff. Begad! Definitely follow t' instructions and us CA for the faster settin' time.

Like t' WAC Corporal, ya bilge rat, t' paper coupler is cut t' size and is then used t' hold both split lead shots with t' Keelhaul®©™® shockcord tied t' t' bigger one in place in t' upper-most part o' t' body tube. Begad! Begad! T' nose cone is glued into place. Aye aye! T' coupler sticks out o' this upper body tube as t' coupler for attachin' t' bottom section.

T' lower connection o' t' Keelhaul®©™® shockcord is made by tyin' it t' t' remainin' small piece (1/8") o' cut coupler. Blimey! This is then slid into t' top o' t' bottom body tube and pushed down until it is 3/4" from t' bottom. Ya scallywag! T' 3/4" is set by usin' t' second coupler. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Once in place you drop in a couple o' drops o' CA and voila' you now have a thrust ring! I love it!

ASP instructions are thorough, but I already said that. Here they point t' t' fact that thar be some finishin' work that needs t' be completed before finishin' t' rocket assembly. Ahoy! Read carefully and you will be successful.

One o' t' final assembly actions is attachin' t' nose fins. Begad! You carefully cut a slit in t' wooden nose cone and then attach t' nose fins t' it. Well, blow me down!

After that t' launch lug is glued onto one o' t' main (wing-type) fins and it is ready t' finish.

I hand painted mine with Testors Model paint and a brush. Ya scallywag! I be okay with t' finish, but you can see that it could be done much better if you took your time and followed t' instructions. Ya scallywag! I didn't paint t' nose tip black nor did I apply any o' t' provided water-transfer decals.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points. As with t' WAC Corporal, matey, me bucko, t' instructions, detail and material are outstanding. Begad! T' paper template needs t' have "Tick Marks". Aye aye! The same complaint exists, matey, too; and that is motor retention. Aye aye! Quest does it with a twist clip. Avast! I've done it with a paper clip. Begad! I can't wait t' see someone do it some other way.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

T' Jayhawk did nay come with a streamer like t' WAC Corporal. Blimey! Blimey! I can't imagine bein' able t' get it into t' upper tube any way!

T' first flight zipped off t' pad. Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't actually see it until after t' pop of ejection. Well, blow me down! Then it separated and fell fine. Ahoy! T' motor kicked at ejection too and fell on t' driveway next t' me. Avast! Remember they are hot so don't rush over and pick them up! (no, me bucko, I didn't)

T' second flight be straight and fast. Begad! Ahoy! T' rocket is so small that you should have help for spotting. Avast! Ya scallywag! I had me son helpin' and we recovered this one too.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 5 points. T' use o' Keelhaul®©™® is nice t' hold up against t' ejection charges. Aye aye! Blimey! T' attachment is nice with no outside connections made. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' rocket appeared t' be stable. Ahoy! Blimey! I didn't see it fly, me bucko, matey, just know that it went straight up from t' launcher based on where I saw it eject.

Overall, t' Jayhawk is an excellent scale kit t' fly in your backyard with MicroMaxx motors. Arrr! It is fast off t' pad but still trackable. T' fin thickness makes it realistic in its size (proportions). Blimey! It only loses some because o' a slight mistake with t' template and t' friction fit o' t' motors, arrr, but in contrast with other kits, it has a thrust ring. Begad! I believe that a motor retention clip is possible and that is should be implemented. Arrr! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 ½ points. Ya scallywag!