Brief:
A semi-scale, matey, 4FNC, 18mm, payload, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, matey, parachute recovery, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, retro repro o' a Centuri rocket by Semroc. Avast! Ahoy! This is another of my retroactive reviews o' a rocket that was built before I found EMRR. I am doin' it from memory with t' instructions in front o' me. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! I received t' Arcon as a freebie with a large order from Semroc. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Since it is a simple model, shiver me timbers, I decided to try it before tacklin' some o' t' more complex ones.

Construction:
T' kit came as a standard Semroc hangin' bag with standard Semroc parts. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! That means that everythin' was FIRST RATE. T' parts inventory was as follows:

• Body Tube ST-10105
• Body Tube ST-1050
• Body Tube ST-730E
• Balsa Nose Cone BC-1045
• Laser cut fin sheet FV-7
• Balsa Tube Coupler BTC-10
• 2 Centerin' Rings CR-710
• Thrust Rin' TR-7
• Launch Lug LL-122
• Engine Hook EH-28
• Screw Eye SE-10
• Elastic Cord EC-124
• Keelhaul®©™® THread SCK-24
• Plastic Parachute RC-12
• Tape Disc Sheet TD-6
• Shroud Line SLT-6
• Decal DKV-7

Construction begins with t' engine mount assembly. T' Keelhaul®©™® thread is slipped under t' motor hook and t' thrust rin' is glued into place. T' centerin' rings are then slid into place and secured with glue.

T' fins also are simple. They are o' good quality and practically fallin' free from t' balsa on their own accord. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! A light sandin' prepares them for mounting. Begad! Blimey! I rounded t' leadin' and trailin' edges as well as t' tips. Arrr! The BT is marked for placement by standin' it on a guide printed in t' instructions. Begad! Blimey! Lines are drawn and extended as needed.

Before mountin' t' fins, t' motor mount is inserted. Arrr! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It slides into t' main BT and is secured with glue. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! The Keelhaul®©™® is then fished through t' BT and tied t' t' elastic.

T' fins are mounted by t' simple expedient o' gluin' them t' t' marked lines and t' launch lug is glued equidistant betwixt 2 fins.

This rocket is designed t' be a payloader. Avast, me proud beauty! A balsa coupler joins t' lower BT t' t' upper one and is fitted with the eye screw. Well, blow me down! T' nosecone completes t' forward end and is held in place by friction.

With that, arrr, it is time t' assemble t' parachute which follows t' standard plastic parachute schema.

PROS: Great quality parts and great instructions. Begad! Great kit for learnin' t' rudiments o' building.
CONS: none

Finishing:
Finishin' is where I really fell down on this rocket. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I think it was t' last one on which I used standard sanding sealer. T' sealer was applied t' t' fins and NC then sanded. Arrr! T' process was then repeated ad nausem. Aye aye! I emphasize the ad nausem part because me wife made sure I heard her objections t' t' smell (I didn't think that was possible with somebody who likes t' fix kimchi). Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! Eventually, I thought it was ready for paint. Arrr! Blimey! I was nay at this time sophisticated enough t' realize that spirals are t' mark o' t' amateur and did nay fill mine in.

I primed t' rocket with gray because that is what I had on hand. Begad! For t' finish itself, me hearties, however, I had chosen a nice metallic purple for t' body and a deep red for t' fins and NC. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I had no idea what I be doing. T' body drank up many coats o' t' purple and afterwards you could nay see any o' t' metallic finish. Begad! Avast! If I had done somethin' silly like read t' paintin' instructions, I would have learned that this paint was for engine blocks and assembled a metallic base.

T' fins and nosecone were relatively easy. Ahoy! I masked t' body and sprayed t' red. Begad! That part worked out fine. After t' paint dried, I applied t' roll pattern decal. Arrr! Blimey! It be lost on t' dark purple.

All in all, me hearties, shiver me timbers, this is nay a good lookin' rocket as I built it. Ahoy! That is me own fault and nay that o' Semroc.

PROS: a simple design which should be easy t' paint effectively.
CONS: I did it me way

This one gets a 5 for t' kit and a 2 for me treatment o' it.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors for this kit are A8-3, arrr, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, B6-4, me hearties, C6-5.

T' maiden flight be on an A8-3. Begad! It took off, spun a bit around its long axis and deployed right on time. Blimey! Ya scallywag! It was not a spectacular flight except that, shiver me timbers, at this time, me bucko, any successful flight for me was spectacular.

T' second and third flight were both on B6-4s and were in all respects identical t' t' first flight except in terms o' altitude.

After that, t' rocket sat for a long time before I flew it again. When I did, shiver me timbers, it be on a C6-5. It really went high and drifted far. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I thought I had lost it but it eventually was found. Ahoy! I have since launched it successfully on an A6-4 as well. Arrr! This rocket has t' potential t' fly well. For me, arrr, it flies reliably even if nay spectacularly.

PROS: Dependable, Simple
CONS: none

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I think this is a good intro rocket. Ahoy! Aye aye! It teaches t' basic skills and can look very nice. Ya scallywag! It improved me skill set, inspired me t' find somethin' besides sandin' sealer and reliably worked. Begad! Well, blow me down! Mine will never win any beauty contests but I am happy with it.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5