Brief:
Semroc has reintroduced their 1969 design that takes its design from t' Estes Big Bertha. Avast, me proud beauty! This be also t' forerunner t' their Goliath. This is a fairly easy 4FNC build with classic stylin' and flies great.

Construction:
Semroc's components are excellent quality with virtually spiral free tubes, good balsa, and a Keelhaul®©™® and elastic shock cord. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Their kits are always a good value.

T' parts list include:

• BT-60 body tube
• Balsa nose cone
• 4 Laser-cut balsa fins
• 18mm motor mount assembly (metal hook, matey, motor block)
• 20/60 centerin' rings
• Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock cord
• 12" Plastic chute
• Waterslide decal

As Bill noted in his review, t' instructions are clearly written and packed with good notes and tips. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I agree with Bill's peeve concernin' t' tube marking template--I prefer a wrap although in this case, I pulled out me trusty Estes plastic tube markin' tool.

T' construction is a basic 4 fins and a nose cone and nay worth elaboratin' in a second review. I deviated a little bit though, mountin' the lug a bit forward o' t' fins t' make maskin' a bit easier.

Finishing:
I'm a pretty decent masker/painter and will admit I too found t' standard paint scheme a bit intimidating. Ahoy! Rather than try t' mask off trim lines around all fin edges, I opted for solid color fins. I'd conservatively say this saved me about 90 minutes o' work plus avoided t' unpleasant language that would surely have spewed from me mouth when noticin' slight inconsistencies in the size o' me trim lines.

I wound up usin' two coats o' Plastikote primer, sandin' betwixt coats with 200 grit paper. Ya scallywag! This was enough t' completely mask what little spirals on the body tube. I followed up with two coats o' Rustoleum gloss white then masked to trim t' cherry red nose cone, fins, and body stripe.

There was also a waterslide Vega logo decal, me hearties, which was great quality as well as easy t' apply and t' clear is completely invisible.

I be a little surprised though, that thar be no decal for t' body stripe. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Given that thar be a decal sheet, I would have thought t' stripe would be a cheap/easy addition, compared t' t' nuisance o' paintin' it.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight, I went with a fairly wimpy B4-4. Arrr! Ahoy! It flew straight then slightly weathercocked t' only about 200-300 feet altitude. Aye aye! Avast! T' 4 second delay was fine and it made it safely back for a repeat flight attempt. I followed up with a C6-5, me bucko, which was a much better choice. Begad! Ahoy! T' delay be right on t' money and t' flight was perfect. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! You really can't go wrong with this kit.

Recovery:
T' 12" plastic chute be fine, me hearties, me hearties, but t' first flight landed a bit rough right on t' tip o' t' fins. Avast! Avast! That flight was on soft ground so thar was no damage, but on dry, ya bilge rat, firm ground I'd consider slidin' up t' 15" chute on this.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5