Brief:
T' Mark II be t' Semroc take on t' model rocket that started all this mess, Orville Carlisle's Rock-A-Chute Mark II from 1957. It is a fairly blunt, simple little rocket that's a surprisin' performer and a definite conversation piece at t' pads.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• Main body tube
• Balsa nose cone
• Laser cut balsa fins
• 18mm motor tube
• Thrust ring
• 2 centerin' rings
• Engine hook
• Screw Eye
• Keelhaul®©™® thread shock cord
• Sewin' elastic shock cord
• 12" parachute

T' instruction booklet for t' Mark II is up t' t' typical Semroc standard, arrr, equal parts instruction manual, history lesson, and artist's rendering. Instructions are clear and easy t' follow, arrr, t' Mark II bein' only slightly more difficult t' tackle than any other skill level one kit. Ya scallywag! Fins are laser cut balsa which I shaped for better performance and attached with LocTite Gel CA. Ya scallywag! Arrr! All other construction, shiver me timbers, includin' fillets, shiver me timbers, was done with Elmer's Wood Glue and t' project was finished and ready t' paint in a single afternoon. Arrr! The finished product resembles an upscaled Estes Mosquito or possibly a Maxi-Streak except for t' large launch lug, me hearties, me bucko, (actually it's a piece o' heavy-walled body tube.)

Finishing:
Finishin' in an (almost) historically correct scheme made this a very simple project. Arrr! Avast! T' finish started with thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' kill off the tube spirals and balsa grain. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! After sanding, me bucko, t' entire rocket was then sprayed with white primer t' better allow t' florescent colors I chose t' pop. I have several cans o' mystery florescent colors left over from me plastic model days and this project allowed me t' put a dent in two o' them. I painted the bottom o' t' rocket florescent orange and t' nose cone florescent red. Arrr! I didn't bother with clear coat, preferrin' t' leave it with t' more vintage flat look.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I wanted t' get an idea how this performed as a small field flyer, me hearties, me bucko, since that was where I figured its future was in me launch queue. First flight was on an A8-3 in a brisk wind. Arrr! Because o' t' rather blunt profile o' t' nose cone, I expected a fairly low level flight and was surprised when it streaked off the pad lookin' much like an Estes Mosquito. Well, blow me down! It be pretty obvious that t' A8-3 was goin' t' be me only small field option if I wanted t' get this back when flyin' on t' local soccer fields.

Flight #2 was on a B6-4 and again, shiver me timbers, t' altitude be surprising. Avast! Blimey! It cocked heavily into t' wind.

Flight #3 was a C6-5 flight and unsurprisingly was t' most impressive of the three. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Mark II leapt off t' pad and disappeared from sight. Ya scallywag! Luckily one person on t' flight line managed t' keep it in sight all t' way up to ejection.

Recovery:
Recovery on t' first flight was fairly close t' t' pads, mostly because the vintage Estes 8" chute failed t' open. In t' end it didn't really matter because t' rocket is easily light enough t' be a streamer bird.

T' second flight recovered fairly close t' t' pad when t' old chute failed t' open until about fifty feet from t' ground. Begad! This was fortunate because it was headin' for t' access road, ya bilge rat, which would have resulted in an impact that it probably wouldn't have survived.

Finally, since I had flown it without any recovery device on t' third flight, me hearties, thar wasn't much t' keep an eye on. Ahoy! Ahoy! I didn't pick it up until it was floatin' back over me head. Ahoy! It landed softly and without damage several hundred yards down field. Avast! Well, blow me down! Next time I need t' brin' a streamer along.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
No CONs on this one. Aye aye! Arrr! It's a cool piece o' history, a surprisin' performer, me hearties, matey, me hearties, and a quick and easy build.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5