(01/14/03) I be successful in gettin' another rocket built and flown in these winter months, me hearties, but it had t' be unpainted due t' t' cold. Begad! Arrr! I was glad t' get this rocket as a Descon 10 prize from my Push-Me, Pull-Me (a DC Gemini Kit-Bash). T' True Modeler's Rocket Kit (TMRK), Merlin. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It has been a rocket that I have been wantin' for a while due t' its unique 6-fin and transition design. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I have build TMRK's Triple Zip three rocket kit, me hearties, but this one will take a bit more skill.

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T' rocket parts were neatly packaged into a narrow plastic bag with placard showin' a picture o' t' rocket, shiver me timbers, several highlights (Unique 6-Fin Design, 12" Synthetic 'Chute, shiver me timbers, Flights t' Over 1,000 FT), me hearties, me bucko, Skill Level 3, me bucko, matey, Length, Diameter and recommended motors. Avast! Ahoy! All the pieces were packaged very nicely and separated as appropriate.

TMRK explains their objective as taking "... you back t' a time when model rockets were more than just a pointed tube and a couple fins. Well, blow me down! You will nay find any ready-to-fly, or even almost-ready-to-fly kits here. Avast! Begad! Blimey! Our kits are for t' hobbyist that enjoys buildin' and displayin' their rockets as much as they do flyin' and recovering them." T' Merlin is in line with their objective and for me is the first kit that I had t' form t' transition from paper for.

T' Merlin stands 16.25" tall (although my rocket measured 15.75") with t' lower section diameter o' 1.637" (BT-60) and t' upper section 0.976" (BT-50). Avast! Blimey! T' kit comes with a lower body tube that is 2.5" long, matey, and upper body tube that is 11.25" long (1.75" is in t' lower tube and 1" is under t' paper transition) and a balsa nose cone that is conical (pointed) and 3.75" long. It comes with the centerin' rings, matey, me bucko, thrust rin' and tube for an 18mm motor mount. Aye aye! T' fin stock is 1/16" Bass wood. Aye aye! T' recovery system included an eye-screw for the nose cone, 18" o' flat 1/8" elastic, me hearties, a synthetic 12" parachute (brown), matey, and two snap swivels. There is a card-stock template for the fin markin' guide, fins and two transitions. A 1/8" launch lug, nose weight, ya bilge rat, and short BT-60 coupler wraps up t' kit.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions in 5-pages o' step-by-step instruction. Begad! There are many supportin' illustrations in t' right column to assist t' builder in completin' t' rocket. It is rated a skill-level 3 which is reasonable. Blimey! T' instructions recommend white glue, me hearties, me bucko, but suggests yellow carpenters glue for a more durable rocket. Ya scallywag! I used Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue (exterior). Begad! T' instructions include a couple o' paragraphs on finishin' and flyin' as well as t' assembly o' t' rocket. Avast! Blimey! You will need your standard rocket buildin' tools, shiver me timbers, includin' a sharp hobby knife.

Assembly starts with t' motor mount. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' two 18mm t' 24mm centerin' rings are glued t' t' 18mm tube, a thrust rin' in glued in place. There is nay motor retention hook on this rocket. In a later step, the motor mount is installed into t' upper body tube where it extends down into t' lower body tube.

T' next steps get t' two body tubes together. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' BT-60 coupler is inserted into t' lower body tube leavin' just 1/32" exposed (later t' be used for t' transition . . . a well, thought-out technique). Avast, me proud beauty! A black fiberboard centerin' rin' is slid up from the bottom t' rest against t' coupler. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! A second black fiberboard centerin' rin' is attached t' t' upper body tube's bottom. Well, blow me down! T' upper body tube is then inserted from t' bottom up into t' lower body tube t' a prescribed point. Ahoy! This prescribed point was in question, because in step 2E is has you mark t' tube at 1.75" and t' illustration agrees. Ya scallywag! Begad! In step 3K it says t' apply a bead of glue just above t' 1.75" mark and then says t' insert and slide it up just until t' 2" mark is visible above t' upper centerin' ring. T' 3K illustration matches t' 1.75" indication, arrr, while t' 3L illustration shows 2". Based on on this, arrr, I used t' 1.75" mark.

T' fins are then cut from t' 1/16" bass wood usin' a card-stock template and a supplemental guide t' show you fin layout on t' bass wood provided. Very nice wood t' work with. Begad! T' fins are cut, arrr, stacked and shaped. Aye aye! T' instructions suggest t' perhaps fins t' fins now with sandin' sealer and sanding.

Next, comes card-stock transition. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! It is cut out in two pieces. T' actual transition (wrapper) and a gluin' tab. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' gluin' tab prevent an overlap-bump that comes from a single-piece transition template. The transition is assembled, shiver me timbers, which is relatively easy, shiver me timbers, and then fitted on t' body tube. Glue is applied t' t' upper body tube and on that exposed 1/32" of the BT-60 coupler. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' transition is slide down from t' top t' meet t' glue. T' extended BT-60 coupler is a nice foundation for t' transition. Blimey! Blimey! (NOTE: there are two transition templates on t' card-stock so if you make a mistake, you're covered.

T' nose cone was a new and unique buildin' experience for me. Ahoy! Ahoy! You need t' install nose weight in t' form o' a piece o' cone-shaped lead. You make a point in t' nose cone per t' instructions with a pencil. You then press t' nose cone down on this cone-shaped piece o' lead. You remove the lead piece from t' nose cone. Arrr! By holdin' t' lead, you screw t' eye-screw into and and then remove it again. Now, shiver me timbers, you use CA t' glue t' lead into the nose cone. Avast! Then, shiver me timbers, drop CA into t' thread hole you just made and screw in the eye-screw. Begad! Then you "wick" CA into and around t' nose weight.

T' fins are attached after markin' t' tube with t' fin markin' guide.

Lastly t' elastic shock cord is attached usin' a 3-fold paper method. Begad! There were supposed t' be two snap swivels in t' kit, me hearties, arrr, but I could only find one (it is entirely possible that I lost it since I had this kit in and out o' t' bag a number o' times prior t' decidin' t' build it). Aye aye! Ahoy! The two swivels were t' attach t' shock cord and parachute t' t' nose cone.

A comment on t' parachute: TMRK indicates that it is an ultra-lightweight, me hearties, rip-resistant synthetic material which is only 2/3rds t' weight o' nylon. Ya scallywag! It includes lightweight aluminum grommets for attachin' t' shroud lines. Ahoy! T' parachute is 8-sided as opposed t' t' 6-sided parachutes most manufacturers offer.

As I said above, I missed me painting opportunity due t' t' cold o' winter. I will finish it later and update the review. Ya scallywag! Finishin' will be modeler's choice and t' kit does nay come with any decals.

Update: Well, as you can see, matey, I have been able t' finish t' rocket. I had a paint reaction with t' white around the fines. It is barely noticeable. Begad! T' look is nice with t' transitions and 6 fins!

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 ½ points. T' instructions described t' assembly process well and included illustrations. T' balsa nose cone tip is very fragile. Ahoy! Be sure to soak it with CA t' firm it up. Blimey! T' bass wood and other parts were o' good quality. It is missin' a motor hook and decals.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

TMRK recommends t' 1/2A6-2, A8-3, B6-4 (first flight), C6-5 or D10-7 (Apogee) for flyin' t' Merlin. Begad! TMRK's website adds t' B4-4 motor. Begad! Also, TMRK's website says t' Merlin should weigh 1.55 ounces. Begad! My unfinished rocket weighed 1.5 ounces.

Flight preparation includes friction fitting the motor in place and usin' adequate waddin' t' protect t' parachute. Blimey! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! The parachute is thin and folds nicely, however, t' eyelets make t' bottom rather thick. Ahoy! Blimey! It actually doesn't fit into t' body tube if care isn't taken for those eyelets. Blimey! Blimey! I found that I could only fold t' 'chute in half (from top t' bottom) and nay in thirds. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Then I slide t' 'chute slightly so half t' eyelets are slightly above in t' others. Ahoy! Blimey! Then wrap t' shroud lines around t' 'chute. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It works.

For t' first flight I used a 13mm A10-3 motor. Avast, me proud beauty! Yes, I wrapped it with maskin' tape until it fit. Well, blow me down! It turned in a very nice performance and t' rocket flew very straight. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Ejection was at apogee and descent on t' 12" parachute be graceful.

I liked t' A10 so much that I made an adapter out of an expended 18mm motor. Avast, me proud beauty! I added a motor hook t' t' adapter so that it would retain 13mm motors. Ya scallywag! Begad! I friction fit t' adapter into t' motor mount. Aye aye! T' second flight was on an A10-3, me bucko, too. Arrr! A repeat o' t' first flight. However, this time we saw evidence o' t' short elastic shock cord. Begad! Aye aye! I caused t' nose cone t' kick back and hit t' top if t' rocket. It put a nice indentation into t' shoulder of t' rocket.

T' third flight be on an A8-3. Aye aye! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This too, matey, shiver me timbers, is a good match. Begad! Blimey! No, me bucko, me hearties, thar be nay a lot o' altitude, may 200 feet, however it gives good flights t' watch and recover. Avast! Blimey!

I will fly this one on B's and C's, arrr, ya bilge rat, but need a bigger field first. Avast! T' t' left is the results from me RockSim file.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 4 points. T' Merlin flies very well and straight. It is fast because it is so light. Avast! Blimey! T' shock cord proved itself t' be a problem and should be fixed. T' parachute's quality is great but a bit troublesome t' get into t' body tube. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! I'd rather have it this way than a plastic 'chute though, so don't take this as a large negative. Motor retention was mentioned above.

I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 points. Arrr! TMRK has done a good job puttin' together this rocket and it would be a nice change for someone that just builds Estes or Quest rockets. Blimey! The 6-fin, ya bilge rat, transitionin' design is unique and enjoyable t' build. Arrr! I'm looking forward t' paintin' it with very bright colors and puttin' it into t' air with some C power!