(03/19/02) I started enjoyin' t' Quest MicroMaxx system recently and wanted to check out another company's kits. Avast! Well, me hearties, thar are (were) only two that had any kits. Ahoy! Nano Rockets and Aerospace Speciality Products (ASP). Aye aye! I purchased the Micro WAC Corporal with Tiny Tim Booster and t' Micro Jayhawk from ASP to build on a winter vacation. Well, blow me down! Once received, I was pleased t' see that even though these are "micro" kits they are in no way "micro" in quality. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! In fact, t' ASP kit parts and instructions are o' higher quality than a number o' other "standard" kits that I have put together. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! So, needless t' say, me bucko, at first glance I was impressed.

T' Micro WAC Corporal with Tiny Tim Booster included 2 body tubes, a regular tube coupler, me bucko, a clear tube coupler, styrene fin stock, matey, me bucko, 2 sizes of styrene half-round, me bucko, styrene launch lug and offset, a wood nose cone, me hearties, lead weight, arrr, a Keelhaul®©™® shock cord, me bucko, 2 mylar streamers and a decal set.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are on 4 pages o' 8.5 x 11" paper and include illustrations as well as cuttin' and alignment guides. Begad! They are clear and thorough instructions tellin' t' modeler exactly how t' be successful in buildin' and flyin' this rocket.

After sandin' t' outside o' t' body tubes t' get the shine off, ya bilge rat, they are marked usin' a cut-out markin' guide and a provided styrene angle. Ahoy! T' styrene angle is a nice little provision for markin' t' tubes, but I found mine nay quite rigid enough as I ran t' pencil up along t' edge. Well, blow me down! It was functional though and if care is taken would provide t' functionality necessary. Ya scallywag!

T' fins are cut out usin' fin cuttin' guides. Well, blow me down! It is recommended t' use double-sided tape t' keep t' guide attached t' t' styrene strips. ASP keeps with their intentions o' havin' "detail accurate" kits, arrr, even in t' Micro scale as t' instructions give direction in the roundin' t' correct corners on t' fins. Well, blow me down! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' styrene material is also nice as it doesn't make t' fins too thick in relation t' t' size o' t' rocket. On the other hand, ya bilge rat, this thin material that is cut into small tiny fins takes some effort (and patience) t' work with. Begad! T' instructions suggest havin' a pair of tweezers. Blimey! You'll want t' use CA (as recommended) while assemblin' this kit. Begad! The faster t' dryin' time t' better as long as you are accurate in your placement.

T' paper coupler is cut in half and used t' hold the split lead shot with t' Keelhaul®©™® shockcord tied t' it in place in t' upper-most part o' t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! T' nose cone is glued into place. T' rocket's separation point is betwixt t' booster and sustainer. Begad!

One o' t' styrene half-rounds is used as t' detail of the conduit on t' side o' t' WAC Corporal. You are instructed t' cut it to size and somehow I missed that and used t' piece at t' length provided. Ya scallywag! I'd lose in a scale competition.

After t' rocket is mostly assembled but still in two separate pieces (booster and sustainer), ASP suggests some finishin' activity. This is important as t' clear coupler is still nay installed. Avast! This is to protect it from any finishin' activity so that it doesn't get messed up. Aye aye! Having it clear is t' simulate t' absence o' a coupler here.

With respect t' this clear coupler, shiver me timbers, you are instructed to "drill" a hole in t' top-side o' it with a hobby knife. Avast, me proud beauty! Then you groove a channel from t' hole t' t' top o' t' clear coupler where the Keelhaul®©™® shockcord will sit. Well, blow me down! T' Keelhaul®©™® shockcord is then tied t' t' clear coupler, shiver me timbers, in effect connectin' t' sustainer to t' booster. Ahoy! T' opposite end o' t' clear coupler is glued into the booster. Aye aye! It serves as t' motor thrust rin' as well. Then for t' most tedious assembly step, gluin' t' smaller half-rounds onto t' clear tube. Oh, what fun that was!

In me case, shiver me timbers, I finished assembly prior t' doin' any painting. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I hand painted mine with Testors Model paint and a brush. Blimey! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! It turned out okay (to me). Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I didn't apply any o' t' provided decals. Ahoy! Blimey! All-in-all, matey, I'm happy with t' final looks o' this rocket.

Overall, me hearties, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 ½ points. Well, blow me down! Instructions were outstanding. Detail was outstanding. Avast! Arrr! Material was outstanding. Begad! Ya scallywag! My only complaint (same as for most high power kits) is motor retention. Blimey! Quest does it with a twist clip. Arrr! I've done it with a paper clip. Blimey! I can't wait t' see someone do it some other way.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Before I write about me flight experience I should say that I did nay attach t' provided streamer. Avast! I just can't get into shovin' a streamer into such a tiny tube. Ahoy! And besides all me Quest kits would destroy the streamer after just a couple o' flights. ASP instructs that you can get the streamer in thar and then also a couple o' small "loosely wadded" flame proof waddin' t' protect it. Arrr! ASP also provides a second streamer for when the first one wears out. Avast! I probably should have followed this instruction as you will see.

T' first flight be nice and impressive, probably gettin' t' 50 feet (and that's all you want for a rocket this size). Ya scallywag! Upon descent though it fell fast (remember I'm t' one that didn't put in the streamer) as t' sustainer lead t' way in a stable straight down descent. This is no doubt due t' t' lead weight in t' upper section o' t' body tube.

T' second flight be also perfectly straight and about t' same altitude. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' ejection popped which kicked t' motor and t' rocket didn't separate. Aye aye! Now more so than t' first flight it came in "hot". Ahoy! The fall was broken by icy snow which compressed t' booster into t' sustainer a bit. Arrr! I'm thinkin' t' fit o' t' clear tube with t' Keelhaul®©™® shockcord on t' side made t' top on too tight. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! At t' same time t' motor might nay have been in as "fictionally" tight as t' first flight so the ejection charge kicked t' least resistive piece. Begad! Motor retention could have stopped this.

I will humbly be addin' t' streamer for future flights and look forward t' seein' its descent then. Avast, me proud beauty!

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, ya bilge rat, I would rate this kit 5 points. Nay takin' anythin' away for me nay usin' the streamer. Avast! T' design is excellent and t' use o' Keelhaul®©™® will hold up. Begad! I have a lot o' confidence in t' recovery system connections and they don't show on t' outside o' t' rocket. Begad! T' rocket be stable as it flew very straight. Avast! Ahoy! T' nose cone is wood and didn't show any damage as it landed on the ground t' first time and t' icy snow t' second time.

(Note: this picture was taken after t' second flight)

Overall, t' Micro WAC Corporal with Tiny Tim Booster is an excellent scale kit t' fly in your backyard with MicroMaxx motors. Ahoy! I performs as good as any o' t' Quest pre-built rockets. Blimey! T' fin thickness makes it realistic in its size (proportions). Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It only loses some because o' the friction fit o' t' motors, me bucko, but in contrast with other kits, it has a thrust rin' (the clear coupler). I believe that a motor retention clip is possible and that is should be implemented. Ya scallywag! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 5 points. Arrr!

Also for you fans o' t' WAC Corporal, me bucko, ASP offers this MicroMaxx version as well as an 18mm, 24mm and 29mm version o' this sounding missile.

T' followin' excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". T' intention is t' allow guests t' get a basic feelin' about a kit. Avast, me proud beauty! We strongly suggest that you get a copy o' t' referenced Sport Rocketry and read t' entire article. Avast! Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. Ya scallywag! For more information, use t' two links above.

"T' Micro Wac Corporal with Tiny Tim Booster from Aerospace Speciality Products is a scale model designed for Quest Micro Maxx motors."
"Unlike t' models Quest makes for its Micro Maxx motors, you get t' build the Micro Wac Corporal. . Arrr! . Ya scallywag! . Well, blow me down! skill level intermediate . Aye aye! . ."
". Ya scallywag! . Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! . Well, blow me down! t' kit uses a clear plastic tube t' couple t' stages, with small plastic support struts glued t' t' outside o' t' clear tube."
"T' motor's ejection charge fires through this clear tube t' separate the Wac and Tiny Tim sections, connected by a Keelhaul®©™® cord."
"A mylar streamer is pulled out . . Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! ."
"T' fins for t' model are made from styrene sheet plastic . Arrr! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! . Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! ."
"T' kit includes an 85mm long piece styrene angle t' help draw t' fin placement lines along t' body tube."
". . Begad! . Ahoy! sharp wooden nose cone . Aye aye! . Begad! ."
"Two water-slide decals form t' stripes around t' body near t' bottom and top o' t' Wac"
"T' model is very nice, t' instructions are clear..."
"To improve t' kit, I would suggest movin' t' launch lugs down by 5mm..."

T' article gives me t' impression that this is a good scale kit with minor modifications from an experienced builder.