Brief:
T' Spartan is a bit o' a Centuri orphan. Avast! It started out as t' Stellar Spartan in 1975 but be later replaced by the Sceamin' Eagle, with leftover parts supportin' t' Flutter-By. Blimey! Semroc has modernized t' reproduction design by supplyin' laser-cut fins, a true balsa nose cone and Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock cord.

Construction:
Parts are top quality and include:

• Balsa nose cone
• Series 8 body tube (10")
• Laser cut balsa fins
• BT-20 motor tube
• Centerin' ring/tube
• Metal hook
• 12" plastic chute
• Waterslide decal

Early editions o' t' kit also include a metal nose weight washer, which is nay needed for t' construction, so consider it a mystery bonus part.

Instructions follow Semroc's newer format, matey, ya bilge rat, with perforated pages designed t' unfold while building and stash in a notebook when done. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! They are well illustrated, shiver me timbers, span about 3 pages/20 steps, shiver me timbers, and given a multicolor paint scheme, me hearties, would rate about a skill level 2. Begad! I had mine constructed in about an hour plus finishin' time.

T' motor mount on this is a little unusual, arrr, mainly because t' body tube is smaller than a conventional BT-50, makin' centerin' rings impractical. Blimey! Begad! Instead, t' metal hook goes on t' BT-20 tube as usual but is held in place by slidin' a slightly larger tube over t' top o' t' BT-20. Arrr! T' instructions note t' anchor t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord by tyin' a loop around t' forward end o' t' hook. Aye aye! This struck me as a little weak though, me hearties, so I tied a knot in t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® and tucked it inside t' centerin' "tube" for a much tighter and more secure fit. Arrr! Make sure that t' tube is set 5/8" forward o' t' aft end, which is critical for t' fin attachment step.

T' body tube is then marked for 4 fins and a lug usin' a template in t' instructions. Begad! T' motor tube is then glued in place with t' centerin' tube flush with t' body tube and 5/8" o' motor tube stickin' out. Aye aye! T' fins are cut with steps that hang off t' aft end o' t' body tube, fittin' perfectly over t' smaller BT-20 motor tube.

Construction wraps up with lug attachment and tyin' t' shock cord t' t' nose cone screw anchor.

Finishing:
I chose t' finish per t' cover art, so after t' usual grain fillin' (diluted Fill 'n' Finish) and spirals (smearing on wood filler) I hit everythin' with two coats o' Krylon primer. Blimey! I then sanded it down very lightly and followed up with two coats o' gloss white. Avast! I've had fits with t' new Krylon formula but decided t' try it on this as I needed to burn through t' cans eventually. Begad! Everythin' turned out fine.

After allowin' a couple days for t' white t' fully cure, playin' it safe, I masked off t' fins and painted blue, then hit t' nose with a cherry red.

T' decals are excellent quality and easy t' work with, shiver me timbers, addin' a nice finishin' touch.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight, me bucko, I went middle o' t' road and selected a B6-4. Begad! T' recommended delay is a -6, shiver me timbers, matey, but given t' 4 fins and slightly draggy profile, I thought a 6 delay would be a bit much. Aye aye! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I put it up in 6-8 mph winds.

T' flight be excellent--dead straight, no roll, and t' -4 delay was perfect.

Recovery:
T' 12" chute kept it up for a while, leadin' t' a lengthy recovery walk. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! After some searchin' in tall weeds/thistles, I came across t' chute, found t' rest o' t' model buried in t' weeds without a scratch. Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It had drifted about 250 yards on that B, shiver me timbers, so either I'll be reefin' t' lines a bit or goin' with an A8 if flyin' in this level o' wind.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a nice little rocket for a basic 4-fin design. I like that t' fins are cut t' tuck down t' t' extended motor tube, and t' combination o' red/white/blue paint scheme with t' excellent quality decals make this an appealing design.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5