Brief:
T' Micron is a small and simple rocket with 4 fins and a nose cone intended for 13mm motors. Ahoy! It is nay minimum diameter but its also nay much more than minimum. Aye aye! It comes with some orange flaggin' t' serve as a streamer but would probably do just fine as a nose-blow.

Most o' me recent project have involved makin' repairs but you can only sit around waitin' for glue t' dry for so long before wantin' t' try somethin' new. This was at t' top o' t' "quick and easy" pile so I got started on it.

Construction:
T' first step in construction is t' mark t' motor tube for t' engine hook and for t' centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! A slice is then made for t' hook and t' centerin' rin' is slid over t' hook t' its mark and glued into place. Begad! This is nay a normal "ring" but a fat "coupler type" tube which serves t' purpose.

T' kit provides for a paper tri-fold mount but I wasn't havin' any o' that. I ran a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® under t' aft end o' t' engine hook and tied it around t' motor tube. Well, blow me down! I secured t' Keelhaul®©™® with some yellow glue. Aye aye! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' end be then passed through t' body tube and I be able t' pull t' mount into place without a bulge showing. T' aft end o' t' motor tube should have been flush with t' body tube but mine sticks out about 1/8".

As a general rule, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I prefer t' wraparound fin guides t' t' end markin' guides and this kit came with the former. Ahoy! It was cut out from t' instruction sheet, taped into place, and t' lines for 4 fins were transferred. Begad! Aye aye! They lines were then lengthened with an angle and pencil.

I put a bit o' yellow glue on t' root edge o' each fin, pressed it into place, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me bucko, and removed it t' dry in order to form a double glue joint. While waitin' for t' glue t' dry, shiver me timbers, matey, I used tube plastic cement t' glue t' base o' t' plastic nosecone into t' cone itself.

A bit more glue was applied t' t' root edges o' t' fins and they were put in place. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! All o' t' fins were filleted and t' launch lug was set in t' crook o' one fin and t' BT.

Finishing:
Elmer's Wood Filler was used t' fill t' balsa grain and t' fins were then sanded down smooth. Begad! T' Micron be put it the booth and primed with Kilz.

T' primed rocket was then lightly sanded and given 2 coats o' gloss white. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' spray booth was otherwise occupied so more traditional methods were employed: I stuck on a dowel sunk into t' yard.

I covered up t' entire rocket except for t' nosecone in foil and painted t' cone with gloss black. That gave me somethin' t' hold on to. Begad! When t' maskin' was removed, ya bilge rat, I had a simple but neat little rocket.

All that be left was t' apply t' decals. Begad! There was a roll pattern around t' top and an Estes logo. They added a bit o' color t' this project and I think it looks pretty sharp.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' Micron got its maiden flight at me monthly club launch. I got t' club equipment set up before anyone else arrived and decided t' go ahead and launch it. Aye aye! Arrr! I loaded it with a 1/4A3-3T and set it on t' pad. Begad! Well, blow me down! When it lifted off, it went straight up. Well, blow me down! I am constantly amazed and surprised by how well even a very light rocket does on t' 1/4A. Begad! Avast! It deployed its streamer and then I lost sight o' it. Ahoy! I didn't see it again until it hit me in t' head!

Video o' t' first flight can be seen here.

Almost immediately, another club member arrived. Begad! Begad! We both prepped our rockets with me choosin' t' give t' Micron another shot. Begad! Ahoy! This time was on a 1/2A3-2T. It again boosted well, ya bilge rat, deployed a bit early, shiver me timbers, and recovered safely despite the streamer nay unravelin' all t' way.

Video o' t' second flight can be seen here.

Recovery:
PROs: It's light enough nay t' hurt when it hit me in t' head.

CONs: It hit me in t' head!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This would be a nice first rocket, shiver me timbers, if it was made any more. You have t' do some gluin' and paintin' but its simple. It an fly on a small field but keep you deadlights peeled so you don't lose it.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5