Semroc Hawk

Semroc - Hawk {Kit} (KV-65)

Contributed by Matt Gillard

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 0.74 inches
Length: 12.40 inches
Manufacturer: Semroc
Semroc Hawk

Brief:
A Retro-Repro production from 1965. Arrr! Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' Hawk is a quick t' build boost glider that ejects its motor and glides back down. Ahoy! Flies almost from t' buildin' board.

Construction:
Kit comes in a plastic bag and contains:

  • 1 instruction booklet
  • 2 3/32" balsa part sheets
  • 1 BT-20 motor tube
  • 1 Balsa nose cone
  • 1 1/8" launch lug
  • 1 Hawk decal
Semroc Hawk

One o' me balsa sheets was slightly crushed with one win' badly cracked probably due t' transit.

T' instructions are very clear and I built t' model with CA gel in under 5 minutes.

T' laser cut parts were perfect and I liked t' little touches like t' lines on t' aft stabilizers.

After filletin' with white glue, me bucko, t' glider is very strong.

Finishing:
I flew t' hawk naked and without any airfoil. Begad! This was partly t' see if everythin' be okay. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! She turned out t' be nose heavy but only just.

I have now put a slight airfoil on t' Hawk and then sprayed her a bright orange. Avast! Normally I don't spray gliders but this one performs well and a bit o' correction mass on t' aft helped with t' balance. Blimey! More importantly, me hearties, me bucko, me son has started flyin' with me now and he wanted it t' be bright orange.

I am concerned that thar be no vent hole in t' motor tube.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
She flies really well. Blimey! T' boosts are straight and high--higher than I had expected. T' shot cannon ejection charge from an Estes A8-3 really shoots t' Hawk forward into its glide phase.

She performs well in t' glide although so far she does nay want t' do much in t' way o' a turn.

Semroc Hawk After seein' someone else's hawk come apart from an ejection charge, I have drilled a small vent into the motor mount tube.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
A great boost glider, could become one o' me favorites (but will never beat t' Edmonds gliders).

I would heavily recommend a vent hole in t' motor tube.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Semroc Hawk By Tyler Jones (March 29, 2009)

    Brief: The Hawk is a boost glider that uses a rocket engine to get itself in the air. It is a "Retro-Repro" of an older rocket. Semroc is selling them for $7.50 right now so I decided to pick one up. Construction: When I bought the kit I figured there wouldn't be very many pieces. I got it and found only 5 parts in the whole kit. It comes with: 1 BT-20J ...

  • Semroc Hawk By Paul Morris (March 22, 2009)

    Brief: A retro boost glider that was purchased for me by my nephew and niece for my birthday. This was the first model rocket that I have built since I had a stroke--and it proved a bit of a challenge. Construction: The kit comes in a bag and contains: motor mount 2 balsa sheets of parts balsa nose cone decal launch lug The balsa was light, ...

  • Semroc Hawk By Robert Gustin (March 12, 2009)

    Brief: The Semroc Hawk RetroRepro boost glider is a very simple to build and easy to fly rocket boosted glider. Based on the 1965 AMROCS Hawk, it ejects its motor to establish a stable, balanced glide. Construction: In the well packaged kit you get: 1 Instruction set 2 3/32" balsa part sheets 1 BT-20 motor tube 1 Balsa nose cone 1 1/8" launch lug ...

  • Semroc Hawk By Jim Bassham (March 7, 2009)

    Brief: This is Semroc's Retro-Repro kit of the 1965 AMROCS Hawk. It is a swept-wing boost-glider that uses motor ejection to change CG at apogee. Construction: The kit consists of a balsa nose cone, an 18mm motor tube, a launch lug, a waterslide decal, and two sheets of laser-cut balsa parts. The instructions in this Semroc kit were well written, logical, and generously ...

  • Semroc Hawk By Hans "Chris" Michielssen (February 7, 2009)

    Brief: I put my order into Semroc during their end of the year Christmas discount. My order was already over $40.00 and the Hawk was a free kit! I added an extra Hawk to my order. One to build, one to hoard. I had an AMROCS catalog in the early 1970s. I remember thinking it was a near twin to the Estes Falcon. With laser cut fins, this kit went together much easier than my ...

  • Semroc Hawk By Howard Smart (January 31, 2009)

    Brief: Near reproduction of a boost glider (BG) kit from 1965 made by AMROCS. This is a forward motor BG which changes from boost to glide by ejecting the motor casing, shifting its CG to the rear for gliding flight. Construction: This kit contains: (2) Balsa fin sheets - laser cut Nose cone - Balsa Motor mount 18mm Launch lug Decal Construction was ...

  • Semroc Hawk By Chan Stevens (January 3, 2009)

    Brief: The Hawk was originally introduced by Advanced Model Rocket Systems (AMROCS) in 1965. Its design is very much like the Estes Falcon. It's technically a boost glider, although it doesn't use a carrier vehicle, instead relying on ejecting the motor to handle the necessary shift in CG/CP relationship. This Semroc "retro repro" faithfully reproduces the original ...

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