Brief:
This is a Semroc original design, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, although it is inspired by t' 1961 Estes catalog #261 (the VF stands for Vern's Fanttsay), me hearties, which in turn was inspired by t' Luna 3 from "Destination Moon".

T' futuristic model shares many parts with t' V-2 and flies fine.

Construction:
Parts are top quality:

• Balsa nose cone, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, screw eye anchor
• BT-55 body tube
• Balsa boat tail
• Laser-cut balsa fins (3)
• 18mm motor tube
• Launch lugs (trim details)
• Centerin' rin' motor block
• 12" plastic chute
• Keelhaul®©™/elastic shock cord
• Waterslide decals

T' instructions for this kit are very good, ya bilge rat, consistin' o' about 6 half-pages o' black and white illustrations and notes. Begad! It is rated a skill level 1, however, I'd suggest that for someone wantin' a nice finish, me bucko, this would be at least a skill level 2, me hearties, possibly a 3. Begad! It does go together smartly and easily but takes a careful hand t' really make it look sharp.

Construction begins by gluin' t' centerin' rin' motor block inside t' BT-20 motor tube usin' a stuffer tube that's included with t' kit. Aye aye! Next, tie a couple knots on t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord and tape it t' t' outside o' t' motor tube. Begad! Ya scallywag! It doesn't have t' be that secure since t' whole thin' slides into t' boat tail and is pretty snug.

Before gluin' t' boat tail t' t' body tube, matey, make sure t' mark for t' fin lines usin' t' alignment guide printed in t' instructions. Avast! Begad! Blimey! Once t' tube is marked, you can then glue in t' boat tail and extend t' fin lines down t' tail cone.

Fin attachment and alignment is a bit tricky. Blimey! For starters, me bucko, thar are two main fins (aka wings) and a smaller central fin (aka rudder). These are spaced evenly around t' circumference o' t' body tube but nay mounted perpendicular so you won't get t' normal 120-degree alignment. Blimey! T' wings line up nicely t' t' tapered tail cone at about 3/4" forward from t' end o' t' cone and t' dihedral is set by placin' t' tail cone flat on a table (atop a 3/32" shim), tackin' t' wings on, and lettin' t' tips just touch t' table. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' rudder mounts flush t' t' end o' t' tail cone and is perpendicular t' t' cone.

Even though t' laser cut fins fit fairly well, ya bilge rat, generous fillets and a little bit o' filler putty are goin' t' be needed.

Since this is based on a V-2 style design, it's goin' t' need stability help. In this case, arrr, nose cone weight takes care o' movin' t' CG forward. Aye aye! T' cone comes drilled out so all that's needed is t' pack in t' provided clay then glue in a wood disk t' seal it up (and serve as t' attachment point for t' screw eye anchor).

Construction wraps up by applyin' t' launch lugs. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! One is obviously for t' launch rod, shiver me timbers, and three others slide onto spars on t' end o' t' fins. Avast! Blimey! These leave a very rugged finish so it is suggested that small rounded cones be formed from wood putty t' improve t' appearance. Aye aye! Ahoy! Blimey! It's that type o' work that in me opinion elevates t' skill level a good bit above t' beginner's 1 level.

Finishing:
Most folks will probably want t' go for a basic silver paint finish t' this, and Patrick Bissonnette's previous review certainly looks nice with that approach. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I decided though t' add t' black accents t' model t' cover art. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It turned out t' be much more difficult than I'd thought.

I started off, matey, o' course, fillin' balsa grains and tube spirals with a quick application o' Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish but didn't wind up with as nice a job hidin' t' tail cone/tube seam as I'd hoped. Begad! I then applied a filler coat o' automotive primer and wet sanded down t' take off t' roughness. Begad! Ya scallywag! I then hit it with three coats o' Rustoleum Silver, which is supposed t' be a mirror-like metallic finish as opposed t' t' more glittery silver metallic. Avast! Avast! This tends t' be a finicky type o' paint, especially in t' variable humidity o' t' Midwest, and so I have a couple o' flatter spots.

After allowin' a full 4 days for t' paint t' cure out (tip: if it smells like paint, it's nay cured) then masked off for t' black trim. Avast, me proud beauty! T' upper rudder is black (except for t' launch lug detail), me hearties, arrr, and thar are two stripes that run t' length o' t' rocket centered around t' two wings. While this looks like a straight line, due t' t' contours it requires a lot o' curved mask lines. Begad! I wound up havin' t' do a little touch-up with a black marker t' even out t' lines a bit. Ya scallywag! After doin' all that maskin' and touch-up, I kept thinkin' it shouldn't be too tough t' add in some black decals...

T' decals add t' t' final appearance and were a breeze t' apply.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight, arrr, ya bilge rat, I be flyin' on a smaller field and opted for t' moderate B6-4 motor in 8-9 mph winds. Ahoy! It flew fairly straight though had a little bit o' a spin on t' way up. Arrr! No weathercock at all so stability was perfect. Aye aye! It be still coastin' up a bit when t' deployment occurred but nay so early as t' warrant a longer -6 delay.

Recovery:
T' 12" chute is a fine size for this, and everythin' came back in good shape.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall pros are t' cool space ark type o' design and quality o' parts.

Con: T' launch lug detailin' is a bit rough, me bucko, and it might be easier t' just work with wood dowels or pick up some Micromaxx nose cones. Ya scallywag! It does though just come down t' how much work you want t' put into it for t' appearance.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5