Brief:
Semroc has developed (or continues t' develop) a line o' kits called "Retro Repro". Blimey! Ya scallywag! These kits are reproductions o' out-of-production models that had some level o' significance in t' model rocket industry. Aye aye! T' kits are generally true t' t' original except for utilizin' modern techniques as well as materials.

T' Arcon-Hi was a kit first developed by Centuri in t' mid-1960s. It be a semi-scale model o' t' Arcon soundin' rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! Centuri converted it t' a 2-stage kit usin' a double-coupler method that was later patented. Avast! Blimey! The sustainer was a 1/6th scale model o' t' soundin' rocket, but t' booster was nay t' scale as it wasn't original t' the soundin' rocket.

Semroc describes this kit as a Skill Level 2 and that seems about right. Ahoy! There are many components, shiver me timbers, a unique couplin' method, me hearties, some techniques that require t' builder t' pay attention (no real "gotchas" but does require planning), matey, and precision durin' buildin' is necessary.

This rocket is perfect for t' Skill Level 1 builder lookin' for a challenge or a step up t' Level 2.

Construction:
T' components for this kit came well packaged. I had just completed a Semroc SLS Jaguar so I did note some differences betwixt t' two kits. Avast! However, me hearties, t' Jaguar is considered a mid-power rocket and came from a higher end line of kits so t' comparison may nay be appropriate. Begad! Even so, t' Arcon-Hi components appeared sturdy and o' relatively good quality. Avast, me proud beauty!

As seen in t' picture, t' components in t' kit include:

• 5 body tubes (2 engine tubes, ya bilge rat, a booster, sustainer, arrr, matey, and payload)
• 3 couplers (includin' 1 balsa one)
• 4 centerin' rings
• 2 thrust blocks
• 4 booster and 4 sustainer fins
• empty engine casin' for measuring/spacin' (nice touch!)
• nose cone
• parachute and recovery system (Keelhaul®©™® thread, matey, me bucko, me bucko, elastic, ya bilge rat, screw eye, parachute that requires assembly)

All parts were accounted for. Well, matey, blow me down! Semroc's attention t' detail continues t' be evident. Ahoy! This company makes kits I will enjoy making. Well, blow me down!

T' end o' t' sustainer be a little bent and creased, arrr, and I have little doubt Semroc would have replaced it if I asked. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! After several dry fits o' t' balsa coupler, me bucko, I be able t' smooth out t' crease.

T' balsa parts seemed t' be o' decent quality. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins felt a little thicker than other kits and were flexible but nay flimsy. Blimey! Blimey! T' nosecone had an even grain that be easy t' fill. Arrr! It didn't require any extra sandin' t' make symmetrical.

T' instructions are detailed, nicely laid out, and easy t' follow. There are several steps that have t' related picture on t' next page, requirin' t' builder t' flip back and forth, a minor inconvenience. Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' instructions have an "exploded view", which I did find t' be helpful several times as I wasn't used t' a kit with so many components.

Just like t' SLS Jaguar kit, matey, t' font is easier t' follow than kits from other companies. Avast! Begad! I usually have the instructions off t' t' side and it was nice nay havin' t' lean over so far t' refer t' them. T' illustrations were nicely drawn and easy t' follow.

Durin' a dry-fit, I noticed many o' t' components fit loosely. Begad! T' nosecone in required tape t' make a snug fit. T' centerin' rings and thrust blocks also felt too easy t' slide on (I'm used t' havin' t' sand these). Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' couplers were very snug and they all required some sanding.

Assembly follows a logical progression: engine tubes/mounts first, me hearties, shiver me timbers, booster stage then sustainer, me bucko, matey, followed by the fins and recovery system. I followed t' directions in order except for a few steps, which are described below. I did do a mod at t' very end, which is discussed below too.

All assembly was done with Titebond III, but fin fillets were made usin' JB Weld. Avast, me proud beauty! I usually use Loctite 5 minute epoxy. Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I read a lot about JB Weld so thought I'd try it. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! It's a little easier t' use and definitely easier t' make nicer fillets around smaller fins.

One area that required attention was both engine mounts are nay built identically. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Durin' t' booster assembly, there is an instruction or two that states "repeat with t' 2nd engine mount". Ya scallywag! I went too far and repeated too many o' t' steps and had t' remove a centerin' rin' before t' glue set. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! While this be me fault and doesn't count as a "gotcha", I do feel t' instructions should minimize t' "back and forth" and keep the assembly o' t' booster separate from t' assembly o' t' sustainer.

Before attachin' t' fins I did another dry fit, shiver me timbers, and I would recommend this t' other builders. Aye aye! Blimey! T' couplers required some sanding, and I imagine this is easier t' do prior t' t' fins bein' attached. Ahoy! This step is nay listed in the instructions.

T' photo shows t' dual couplin' method that Centuri had patented. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' engine mount o' t' sustainer slides inside t' inner coupler o' t' booster. Ya scallywag! Begad! It is this connection that required sanding. T' reader may note t' inner coupler has 2 vent holes t' help facilitate ignition o' t' sustainer engine--it is me guess that they let cool air escape, arrr, allowin' hot gases t' enter t' sustainer engine. Arrr! Arrr! Otherwise t' cool air might block t' hot gases and contribute t' pressurizin' t' connection and ejectin' t' booster.

T' only "gotcha" in t' kit involved t' steps for attachin' and alignin' t' fins. Avast! Instead of cuttin' out a section o' paper with marks and tapin' it t' t' body tube, shiver me timbers, thar be a circle drawn on t' page with marks around t' edge. Ya scallywag! T' builder is t' stand t' rocket on t' circle and mark t' tube where t' fins are t' be attached. Begad! As seen in t' picture, t' circle was a larger diameter than t' body tube, ya bilge rat, makin' transferrin' marks evenly a challenge.

T' directions have t' builder transfer marks t' t' booster and sustainer in separate sequences. Avast! T' prevent mis-alignment, I made t' marks on t' booster, me bucko, attached t' sustainer t' t' booster, matey, and drew lines on both tubes at the same time. Aye aye! Begad! Even with me technique, I still have a slight spacin' error as indicated by t' fins linin' up only in a certain way. That is, t' first line I drew on t' booster has t' be in line with t' correspondin' line on the sustainer, matey, etc. Ahoy! T' ease alignment durin' flight preparation (as t' lines will be covered by paint), I drew marks on the couplers.

If I were t' assemble this kit again, ya bilge rat, one thin' I would do differently is glue t' fins on t' sustainer first. Blimey! I would then connect t' two stages and glue t' fins on t' booster, makin' sure they are in line with t' fins on t' sustainer. Begad! Arrr! T' root edges o' me fins all lined up, matey, but as seen in t' picture, thar be a fin that leans a little t' t' side (this actually happened t' 2 fins) and therefore are out o' alignment.

Another thin' I would do differently is build in some form o' adjunctive engine retention for t' sustainer so I won't have t' rely solely on a friction fit. There is no room at t' base o' t' fins for tape, and t' engine fit is fairly snug already.

Here is a modification I performed: After I built t' rocket, shiver me timbers, matey, I epoxied some 60# Keelhaul®©™® thread across t' engine mount. Ya scallywag! This will slide over t' engine and help hold it in place durin' ejection. Well, blow me down! T' allow the booster t' slide on, arrr, I cut out rectangular sections that align with t' epoxy placements. Avast! This o' course would be easier t' do prior t' buildin' t' rocket. Blimey! Ahoy! I did nay use an engine clip because thar wasn't enough room t' allow epoxy to hold t' clip and a small distance t' allow t' clip t' be raised.

Assemblin' t' payload is straightforward and didn't require any special instructions or techniques.

Finishing:
As o' this writing, shiver me timbers, I have only primed t' rocket. Begad! Arrr! Blimey! Instead I focused on completin' assembly, arrr, and launchin' off a maiden flight. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

I usually paint me kits differently than on t' picture on t' kit. Ya scallywag! My 4 1/2 yr-old son likes t' help choose the colors. Ya scallywag! However, because this is a first review for this rocket, me hearties, I will try t' follow t' color scheme o' black, yellow, arrr, and silver and send a picture later. Well, blow me down! Avast! I will use a metallic silver (or t' shiny side o' aluminum foil on 1 or 2 fins) t' help it be easier t' find in t' air and on t' ground. Because I'm nay used t' followin' schemes, I anticipate a slight challenge.

Semroc states t' finish weight is 1.9oz. With t' primer, me hearties, mine weighed in at nearly 3oz. This is likely due to the extra epoxy for t' fillets. Ahoy! I'm a little concerned about stability, because I intend on usin' a beeper/locating device when I launch it.

I'm ratin' assembly a 4 because I didn't like t' fin alignment method. Begad! I prefer t' have a cut-out strip t' tape to t' body. Ya scallywag! Also, I think me technique o' attachin' t' two stages before drawin' t' lines shouldn't be considered an epiphany and should be part o' t' instructions.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I finished this rocket about two weeks before I had a chance t' launch it. Begad! T' waiting, as t' sayin' goes, shiver me timbers, is the hardest part. Ya scallywag! I took me launch stuff t' work once or twice in case I had t' opportunity with low wind and decent weather. Aye aye! Finally, a lunch launch came t' be...

Preparation was fairly straightforward. Ya scallywag! I initially put a single layer o' maskin' tape around t' middle o' the sustainer engine, then a double layer at t' aft end. Ahoy! I had a lot o' trouble gettin' t' engine in, I nearly bent the body tube. Begad! It did compress a little along a spiral and one o' t' fins became slightly deformed from me thumb. Begad! I really need t' perfect me friction fit technique. I took off t' double layer, put in t' engine, and taped t' Keelhaul®©™® thread in place. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Without t' Keelhaul®©™® as t' engine definitely would nay have stayed in.

T' booster was easy t' prepare. Ya scallywag! I used 3 pieces o' wadding, put in t' chute, and attached me Transolve micro trans beep. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Everythin' fit easily. I had t' use tape around t' base o' t' nosecone.

I used a C6-0 for t' booster because t' store didn't have any B6-0 engines. This is just as good because the rocket was heavier than intended due t' t' extra fillets and t' trans beeper. Aye aye! T' beeper alone is nearly 0.5oz so my rocket is 1.5 times t' predetermined weight.

I didn't have a large field so I wanted t' use a B engine for t' sustainer. Blimey! Although a B6-6 is recommended, all I had be a B6-4 so used that.

T' flight was beautiful. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! I'm 40 years old and still get giddy when I launch a rocket, particularly a maiden launch. Begad! I'm guessin' it was due t' t' added weight, but this thin' launched much like me Quest Superbird: slow, big puff o' smoke, almost a little wobbly at first (I use a 4' launch rod, good thin' too)... Begad! Well, blow me down! It be really fun t' watch.

T' booster took it up t' maybe 150 feet or so. Ya scallywag! Then it ejected and t' sustainer took off like afterburners were kicked into overdrive. Arrr! Aye aye! It be a really fun, awesome flight t' watch.

It went nearly out o' sight. Well, blow me down! I'm nay sure what RockSim would have predicted, but I'm guessin' nearly 1000' even with t' added weight. Avast, me proud beauty! T' chute came out perfectly and I looked down t' get t' booster, which landed about 20' away. When I looked up I had difficulty findin' t' rocket. I'm really glad I used t' beeper, because I found me rocket on someone's roof. Arrr! Avast! It bein' midday, t' family be out t' work/school, shiver me timbers, etc. Blimey! Aye aye! It was approachin' 100 deg and really high humidity and I didn't want t' tempt fate with t' police, me bucko, so instead o' climbin' up t' retrieve it, I left a note and will go back later t' retrieve it.

Recovery:
I did have difficulties with t' parachute. Ahoy! Blimey! It's a nice plastic but thick and durable chute. Avast! Blimey! T' shrouds do nay go through t' chute but are threaded through circle stickies (similar t' hole reinforcements but without t' hole in the middle) and stuck t' t' chute. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' problem is when I threaded t' shrouds through t' sticky, it lost adhesion. Ahoy! Blimey! I tried gluin' them but they still didn't stick. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I used 5 min epoxy with some success. Begad! Blimey! I ended up coverin' each circle with some clear packin' tape.

After t' launch, t' chute deployed just fine. Aye aye! Begad! I do feel descent was too fast, arrr, me hearties, but this is likely due t' the added weight nay due t' t' chute bein' too small.

Though me rocket is still on t' rooftop, I was able t' see it pretty clearly and thar be no evidence o' damage.

I'm ratin' flight recovery a 4.5 only because I felt t' shrouds could be better connected t' t' chute.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This rocket is perfect for t' Skill Level 1 builder lookin' for a challenge and ready t' enter Level 2 models. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! It is a fun rocket t' build and fly but does require a level o' attention that is atypical o' most skill level 1 kits.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5