Brief:
This is one o' 10 "ready t' build" models released by Semroc at NARAM-52. Arrr! T' Mini Explorer is based upon t' Centuri larger scale Explorer, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but downscaled t' fly on 18mm motors.

Construction:
Parts were excellent quality, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and t' sealed bag contained:

• Balsa nose cone
• Series 10 slotted body tube (1" ID)
• Series 9 stuffer tube (1" OD)
• 18mm motor mount (tube, metal hook, shiver me timbers, matey, centerin' rings)
• Laser-cut balsa fins
• Elastic shock cord
• 12" plastic chute
• Waterslide decals

T' "ready t' build" series is Semroc's answer t' numerous requests for "ready t' fly" rockets. Ya scallywag! Blimey! In t' RTB series, t' modeler still has t' actually do work t' build and fly t' model, me hearties, but t' design includes a number o' features that simplify t' build process, arrr, shiver me timbers, includin' slotted body tubes for thru-wall fin mounting, an alignment jig, me bucko, arrr, and a stuffer tube t' serve as shock cord anchor and reinforce t' body tube.

T' RTB series are all fairly easy t' build, with almost all o' t' construction process usin' t' same standardized steps. Begad! This is definitely a skill level 1 model, ya bilge rat, and aside from paint and surface prep, t' total build is well under an hour.

T' motor mount is a standard BT-20 tube, metal hook, matey, and a pair o' centerin' rings. Unlike t' typical mount, me bucko, though, thar are two different centerin' rings involved with slightly different diameters. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Pay careful attention t' t' instructions, me hearties, as t' white rin' goes forward and t' brown rin' goes aft. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! This is critical later in t' process. Avast! Surprisingly, t' mount does nay include an inner motor block, so t' metal hook will have t' hold for t' life o' t' model. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! I found t' centerin' rings a bit too snug, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and had t' peel off a layer o' paper from t' inside o' each, ya bilge rat, plus one layer o' paper from t' outside o' t' white ring.

T' stuffer tube contains a couple slits, matey, arrr, which are used t' slip t' elastic shock cord through, servin' as an anchor. After knottin' t' cord and reinforcin' with a drop o' glue, shiver me timbers, it's ready for t' motor mount. Arrr! T' motor mount slides just a tiny bit into t' stuffer tube, enough that t' forward (white) centerin' rin' is flush with t' aft end o' t' stuffer tube. Do nay slide t' motor tube any further--the aft/brown rin' is too large for t' stuffer tube and instead is used t' align inside t' large series 10 body tube. Begad! Slidin' t' assembly into t' body tube t' dry fit is a good idea at this point, t' make sure t' forward centerin' rin' is aligned properly inside t' stuffer tube. Once t' motor mount/stuffer tube assembly has completely dried, ya bilge rat, it can then be glued inside t' body tube (though be careful t' make sure t' metal engine hook does nay line up under a fin slot).

As noted, fins are thru-wall, me bucko, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and t' fit against t' motor tube be very good. Aye aye! Included in t' kit is a nifty little cardboard fin alignment jog, which fits smoothly on t' series 10 body tube and has notches t' accept 3 and 4 fin patterns. T' fixture fits well for most fins in t' RTB series, arrr, though for fins that have a significant span and are nay swept back very far, shiver me timbers, t' slots in t' jig are nay long enough t' be o' much use. Ahoy! That be nay t' case with this model, arrr, though.

Tack on a launch lug, make t' chute, me bucko, and add a screw eye anchor t' t' nose cone and construction's done.

Finishing:
I went with t' stock paint scheme on this, matey, ya bilge rat, me hearties, startin' with two coats o' primer, ya bilge rat, followin' up with a couple thin coats o' gloss white, arrr, then maskin' off t' paint t' fins blue and t' nose cone black.

T' waterslide decals add t' name, a roll pattern, me bucko, and a blue stripe towards t' top and were great t' work with.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight on this one was usin' a C6-5, and on a day where just about all t' RTB series were zippin' off t' pad, ya bilge rat, this one stood out as among t' highest flying, ya bilge rat, matey, shiver me timbers, which kind o' surprised me. Begad! It was absolutely straight, ya bilge rat, no sign o' a roll, and t' -5 wound up bein' just a bit early.

Recovery:
T' chute worked fine, me bucko, shiver me timbers, matey, no damage t' t' model on hard, me bucko, dry grass.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I think t' steps Semroc has taken t' simplify t' build process in their RTB series are helpful. Avast! Avast! Blimey! With this bein' such a solid flyer, this is certainly a fine candidate for a first build.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5