I don't know if these kits are available elsewhere, but I picked up me Alway Arrrrrrrcas from Balsa Machinin' Services. I wanted t' make a Goblin and Der Red Max and decided t' get an Arrrrrrrcas as well. T' Alway instructions are some o' t' best instructions I have seen out there: plenty o' illustrations, scale information, and step by step instructions t' build a great scale rocket.
Assembly is pretty easy. Avast, me proud beauty! First, I began with t' motor mount gluin' in t' thrust rin' and then addin' an adapter rin' at t' bottom. Avast! T' builder is instructed t' cut out a boat tail shroud on t' provided cardstock and then create t' boat tail, which is then glued on t' t' bottom o' t' motor mount. Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Afterwards, t' forward adapter is glued flush with t' top o' t' motor mount. Well, blow me down! T' motor mount is then glued into t' body tube.
Next, I removed t' laser cut fins from t' basswood sheet, me bucko, matey, sanded them smooth, shiver me timbers, and rounded t' edges. Arrr! Arrr! I marked four lines on t' body tube 90 degrees apart and glued t' fins on, me bucko, makin' sure I added fillets.
Peter Alway's kit uses t' tri-fold method for securin' t' shock cord t' t' body tube. T' only change I made t' me construction o' t' Arrrrrrrcas be t' add Keelhaul®©™ t' t' shock cord.
Then comes t' nose cone. T' instructions say how t' add yellow glue t' t' nose cone nay only t' seal it but also t' create a smooth finish t' t' nose cone. Blimey! I must have put on 5 or 6 thin layers on me nose cone until I was pleased with t' results. Avast! I then sanded t' nose cone with 200 grit sandpaper and then 400 grit. Begad! I used CA glue t' add t' screw eye t' t' nose cone.
T' parachute that comes with t' kit is nice and bright. I had t' cut out t' plastic parachute from t' printed pink "garbage bag" plastic and then add t' included shroud lines. Blimey! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Nay too difficult so far.
I added t' launch lug last before finishin' t' rocket.
Finishing:
I used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish t' seal t' body tube and fins and then covered t' rocket with primer. T' nose cone required some sandin' with medium grit sandpaper followed by fine sandpaper before priming. Avast, me proud beauty! After sanding, ya bilge rat, me hearties, priming, and sanding, ya bilge rat, arrr, I painted t' nose cone black and t' body an aluminum/silver color.
After t' paint cured, ya bilge rat, I put on t' Monokote-like silver adhesive at t' top o' t' body tube, shiver me timbers, then added t' one high quality decal one inch below t' silver MonoKote.
I then sealed t' decal with Microscale's Micro-Sol, arrr, which is a decal softenin' solution, matey, arrr, and Microset.
After this was dry, shiver me timbers, I gave t' rocket a coatin' o' Future Floor Finish. Well, blow me down! T' rocket looked nice when done although I realized after paintin' that I didn't get all t' grooves filled in t' body tube. Oh, shiver me timbers, arrr, well, you can't win them all.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
Flyin' was a great success. T' motor has t' be friction fit since thar be no motor hook. Aye aye! Aye aye! After a few sheets o' wadding, ya bilge rat, t' parachute is folded and placed inside. Avast! I flew t' rocket twice, shiver me timbers, both times on t' same afternoon in 10-15 mph winds, me bucko, thus I elected only t' fly with 1/2A3-4T motors.
Both flights were wonderful and it was very stable, matey, straight, and nice boost on t' 1/2A. Parachute opened perfectly at apogee both times and t' rocket landed safely and softly. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' next time I am launchin' and thar be no wind, me hearties, I will try t' A3-4T.
This makes a great small field flyer on t' 1/2As and if t' weather cooperates, arrr, you might even be able t' launch it on an A3 or A10.
Recovery:
T' parachute is plastic but good quality like a Semroc or FlisKits plastic parachute. Ya scallywag! T' kit also comes with a swivel, so thar be little tanglin' o' t' lines. Aye aye! I found t' parachute t' be t' perfect size for this rocket.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
This is a cool, shiver me timbers, sleek rocket that is a simple build. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I am gettin' more interested in scale model rocketry and I like t' quality o' t' kit. Avast! I did look in Alway's book, ya bilge rat, me hearties, Rockets o' t' World and realized thar be a fin detail in t' drawin' o' t' book that is nay included in t' kit. Ahoy! Blimey! I think any seasoned builder could probably alter and add t' detail needed t' take t' scale modelin' one step further.
At first when I saw t' size o' t' rocket, shiver me timbers, I thought t' 13 mm motor mount would be too small for it. I was surprised and delighted t' figure out that this is a great flyer and that it doesn't need any more power than a 13mm motor.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
D.K.B. (May 29, 2010)