Brief:
T' Astron Alpha IV was a specially produced 40th Anniversary version o' t' Alpha III that had a red prismatic body tube, arrr, black plastic nose cone and fin can, arrr, and special sticker decals.

Construction:
Like I said, this is basically a prettied up Alpha III released as a 40th Anniversary commemorative rocket. Arrr! I came across mine when lookin' for a quick buildin' kit t' fly when visitin' me in-laws in February o' 2001. Arrr! Avast! T' Alpha IV certainly fit t' bill. Begad! I be finished with it in less than an hour usin' wood glue and gel CA.

Since construction on this kit was mostly a matter o' constructin' a motor mount and matin' it with t' body tube and plastic fin can, thar really isn't much I can say. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I used wood glue t' put t' motor mount together and gel CA to mate t' body tube and fin can. Avast! Blimey! Since I was nay yet wise t' t' ways o' Keelhaul®©™®, I went with t' standard Estes folded shock cord mount. Ahoy!

Finishing:
With this rocket, me hearties, finishin' is merely puttin' t' stickers in place. Well, blow me down! I did a nice job and I can honestly say that it was pretty easy.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
T' first flight for this rocket was on a bright, me bucko, sunlit day when t' daytime temps barely made it into t' teens and the winds pounded temps well below zero. Ahoy! It be so cold that all preppin' was done inside t' vehicles with t' engine runnin' and t' heater on high. Well, blow me down! T' give you an idea o' how rusty I was, shiver me timbers, I had forgotten t' buy motors when I bought the rocket t' previous day. Luckily Tony had a C6-7 that he had no plans for. Blimey! T' rocket leapt off t' pad just as I remembered and managed a respectable height despite weathercockin' badly. Aye aye! Ahoy! With t' unreefed chute t' weathercock barely helped as t' rocket recovered in a neighborin' cornfield somewhere betwixt a 1/4 and a 1/2 mile away. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! The recovery walk across t' frozen fields was bad, shiver me timbers, but with t' wind at me back it at least went quick. Avast! Ahoy! T' walk back was miserable. Aye aye! Needless t' say, I be frozen and made this me only launch o' t' day. Aye aye! Still, matey, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, it was well worth it and served t' allow t' bug t' bite again, shiver me timbers, this time much more deeply than previously. Arrr!

T' second flight came at NARAM 43 in Geneseo, NY. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! With t' field bein' another o' t' extra large variety, ya bilge rat, this flight was also on a C6-7. Blimey! Once again I experienced windcocking, and once again it made no difference as t' recovery walk be again marathonesque, but at least this time I only had t' contend with August heat. (I'll take heat any day.) T' rocket recovered at t' edge o' t' cornfield, ya bilge rat, one o' several such flights that I logged over t' two days that we spent at our first NARAM.

Subsequent flights have all been by special request, matey, always after one o' t' kids who always seem t' be drawn by rocket activity at B6-4 Field spots t' unique body tube at t' bottom o' me small field box-o-rockets. Blimey! While I find t' flights t' be somethin' o' a bore, matey, t' kids never fail t' get excited and t' recovery stampede is always an adventure. Aye aye! One o' these days t' Alpha IV is goin' t' die t' death o' a warrior under t' feet of a half dozen 4th graders. Well, blow me down!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
It's difficult t' find fault with t' Alpha IV due t' it bein' a more colorful version o' t' Alpha III, arrr, but t' one thin' I'd nick it for be t' fragile body tube. Ya scallywag! While t' prismatic coverin' looks good, shiver me timbers, it begins t' unravel after only a few flights and never looks t' same once you start securin' it with tape. Blimey! Avast! T' Alpha IV is a competent performer, ya bilge rat, which is t' be expected from a design that has been around as long as this one.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5