Reviews copied, arrr, ya bilge rat, with permission from Sky High Hobbies - Your Vintage Rocket Source.

Brief:

T' ASP-1 kit from MPC is one o' their Miniroc series o' kits that use the smaller 13mm minijet type rocket engines. Arrr! It's a 1:11 scale replica o' a US soundin' rocket. Ya scallywag! T' real soundin' rocket was originally designed in 1955 by Horning-Cooper, matey, Inc. Aye aye! under Navy contract. Arrr! It was used as a way o' making measurements inside t' mushroom clouds o' thermonuclear explosions in the Pacific at Bikini Atoll.

T' full size version be 6.50" in Diameter and 144.0" long. Begad! Avast! It was powered by a solid rocket motor that generated 5850 pounds o' thrust for 6 seconds. Blimey! This motor accelerated t' real ASP-1 t' speeds in excess o' 5350 feet per second and pushed 25 pounds o' scientific instruments t' over 200,000 feet. It was first flight tested at White Sands provin' grounds in February o' 1956, and then used in operation Redwin' at Bikini in mid 1956. Begad! Followin' this operation t' ASP be used as t' second stage o' t' Nike-ASP rocketsonde by NASA.

T' MPC ASP-1 model Rocket had set several performance records here in the US and it also set an international world record as well.

T' kit contains:

Like many MPC kits t' ASP-1 comes in a cardboard backed plastic blister pack. Arrr! Blimey! Incorporated in t' plastic blister itself are many vacuum formed customizin' detail parts. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! These can be carefully cut from t' blister, trimmed and then glued t' t' rocket t' simulate things such as cable shrouds, vents, scoops, pilot canopies and t' like. Ahoy! Be sure that if you use these parts you only use Enamel paints.

T' ASP-1 uses a 10-inch 6 sided parachute for its recovery. This is a bonus, me bucko, me hearties, in me view, as most rockets o' this size only use a streamer for recovery. Ya scallywag! I recommend usin' a small dab o' glue in t' chute gripper tabs to make sure that this 30+ year old parachute doesn't come apart durin' descent. A small lead nose cone weight is included for better stability. T' eye screw is screwed through this and then into t' balsa nose cone. Arrr! Use a dab o' glue to make sure it stays secure.

There is a nice little card o' water slide decals included with this kit but the real ASP soundin' rockets were sparsely adorned with just a few markings. These markings were t' rocket type, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, serial number, and contract number, ya bilge rat, but you can, shiver me timbers, me bucko, o' course, decorate it anyway you want. Avast! Arrr! There are many extra decals in addition t' t' above mentioned decals that are required for an accurate scale replica.

There isn't an engine clip for this rocket so a couple wraps with masking tape around t' engine is recommended t' keep t' engine secure before launch. Just make sure thar isn't too much tape so that t' engine can eject properly.

Construction:

It's a very easy kit t' build that has a number o' different build variations. When buildin' this kit you have t' option o' buildin' the "super detailed" version. This version will require some extra balsa and/or card stock and a small piece o' thin dowel rod that are nay included in the kit.

Regardless o' which way you decide t' build this kit, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, you will have t' be very careful with t' balsa stock. Some MPC kits have die cut balsa stock and some do not. T' ASP does have die cuts in t' balsa stock. Begad! It is quite thin at 1/16th o' an inch thick, me hearties, so it requires a little more care when cuttin' out the fins and sandin' them. T' fins are also quite small since it is a Miniroc, so again, shiver me timbers, be careful when sandin' and mountin' them.

I cut out and pinned together t' 4 fins and sanded them t' be identically sized. Avast, me proud beauty! They were then unpinned and t' leadin' and trailin' edges were feathered into compound angles for better aerodynamics. Avast! T' engine mount is a simple 2 piece assembly with just an engine block that is glued into the forward end o' t' mount. Avast, me proud beauty! T' whole mount is then glued into t' body tube flush with t' end o' t' booster. Blimey! I used an Estes fin markin' guide t' lay out the position o' t' fins and t' launch rod guide. Ya scallywag! If you don't have one of these thar be a paper fin location template that you wrap around t' booster tube t' mark t' fins proper positions.

Once t' fins were mounted and secured with 3 coats o' glue fillets, I decided t' go for t' super detailin' by cuttin' out t' paper templates used to fabricate t' detailin' parts.

I used extra balsa stock I had layin' around t' make t' fins trailin' edge spinerons, arrr, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and t' scale fin locatin' tabs. Ahoy! Blimey! A small length o' balsa dowel rod was cut t' make t' nose spike which I glued into a small hole that I drilled into t' point o' t' nose cone. Never use a nail or wire or any other kind of steel t' fabricate this piece. Well, blow me down! Blimey! If you do, arrr, this rocket could become a deadly weapon.

I assembled t' 6 sided 10" parachute and mounted t' shock cord in the booster tube t' finish off t' buildin' o' this cool little rocket.

T' real ASP soundin' rockets were flown with 3 different color schemes. These different paint schemes are shown in great detail in t' build instructions. Begad! They are rather simple paintin' instructions, but it will require some careful maskin' t' get t' model rocket t' look like t' real thin' no matter which scheme you decide t' paint your replica.

I choose t' black and orange check pattern for mine.

Summary:

T' ASP-1 is a very fun kit t' build. With a nice smooth finish it will really scream t' very high altitudes with t' more powerful 13mm engines available. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey! If you have t' extra balsa stock, me hearties, ya bilge rat, build t' super detailed version for a great lookin' little scale rocket that was once used t' fly through thermonuclear mushroom clouds.