Brief:
This is a roughly 1/3 scale Estes "classic" (only available from 1981-1982) is a wonderfully detailed kit. Ahoy! When you're tired o' all those feeble RTF MicroMaxx rockets that came with your starter set and you want t' move up to a somewhat challengin' build and beautiful design.

Construction:
I'd heard good things about Micro Classics but had no idea where or how t' get them. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! (I learned that you can email microclassics@aol.com for a price list.) Somehow readin' me mind (or maybe me posts on T' Rocketry Forum), Nick included this one as a sampler when I bought a few Model Minutes kits. T' list price for this is $12, which is a bit steep until you actually build it and get a feel for what's involved.

There are a lot o' little parts t' this kit and no formal parts list, me bucko, so I'll attempt t' summarize what be included:

• 2 pieces o' 5/16" plastic tubing
• 3/16" tubin' (fits inside t' 5/16)
• paper coupler
• styrene fin stock
• hardwood nose cone
• styrene rails
• styrene launch lugs (two sizes, dependin' on your pad)
• BT-55 tail ring
• Keelhaul®©™® shroud line
• Mylar streamer
• Waterslide decals

All o' which fit inside a Ziplock sandwich baggy. Arrr! T' instructions list this kit as a skill level 4 out o' 5, which I would say is fairly accurate mainly due t' workin' in such small scale where precision and fit are so critical.

T' instructions were fairly straightforward. T' illustrations are a bit crude (all hand drawn) and some o' t' steps required a little page flippin' to see t' illustration for a better understandin' o' t' process. Avast! Begad! Blimey! It also doesn't help that t' back o' page 1 is page 3, matey, followed by page 2 on a separate sheet (the steps are clearly numbered but t' pages are not).

Construction begins by cuttin' t' various tubes into smaller pieces, matey, matey, as well as cuttin' t' fins from stock (2 sets o' 3 fins). Avast, me proud beauty! I was able t' muddle through t' cuts usin' a good utility knife blade for t' tubin' and a fresh #11 X-Acto for t' fins. Arrr! A Dremel or a decent razor saw would work as well.

For bonding, t' instructions recommend liquid plastic cement. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I used this wherever possible (not t' squeeze tube but t' clear stuff in a bottle that is brushed on). Ahoy! I really like t' liquid cement because it doesn't leave any of the residue or stringy trails like t' tube stuff. Begad! I also used a bit o' thin CA for fin fillets.

Assembly starts with construction o' t' main body tube. Avast! This is actually a series o' large and small tubes (OK, matey, mini and "mini-er"), with the smaller tubes actin' sort o' like couplers but exposed enough t' break up the straight line/single diameter look.

Next, fins are tacked on, me hearties, shiver me timbers, usin' an alternatin' 120-degree alignment pattern (forward fins on 60/180/300, aft fins on 0/120/240). At this point, I would suggest checkin' t' fit o' t' aft fins and t' BT-55 tail ring. Ya scallywag! I followed the fin template fairly closely, and me aft fin did nay line up very well with the BT-55 at all. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' tips o' me fins were off by about 1/8", which is an enormous gap in this scale. Arrr! This took a lot o' trial and error plus some plastic filler t' get reasonably close. Aye aye! Once t' fins are in place, matey, tack the rails (plastic dowels) in place.

T' original Cassiopeia had a pair o' discs for trim on t' rails. These have been replaced in this design by 1/4" lengths o' tubing. Well, blow me down! These go on the rails about 1/4" from t' aft end.

There are two different launch lugs provided in this kit, me bucko, arrr, since thar is not exactly a "standard" MicroMaxx rod. Once you've confirmed which size rod you will be flyin' with, ya bilge rat, t' appropriate lug is tacked in place.

Next comes t' fit and bondin' o' t' tail ring. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! As I mentioned, mine didn't fit well and I had a lot o' rework here. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I would have been better off checkin' t' fit, me hearties, arrr, measurin' t' discrepancy, and breakin' off t' fins t' cut again and/or trim on a firm surface.

T' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord is anchored on one end through t' tube coupler and glued on the other end into a hole you get t' drill in t' nose cone base. Avast! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Tack on t' mylar streamer and you're done with t' construction.

Finishing:
There were no specific paint instructions in t' instructions, arrr, although there was a reference t' t' DARS/Jim Z site for more information. Well, blow me down! After consulting that site, me hearties, I found t' original kit specified blue metal flake for t' body and silver for t' trim discs. Begad! I went with a single coat--just enough for the finish coat t' grab on to--of white primer, followed by two coats o' Rustoleum blue metallic paint. Begad! Arrr! T' result was a very nice lookin' finish and thanks to the plastic tubing, me bucko, I didn't even have t' fill any spirals.

One o' t' things that probably drives t' price o' this kit up is the waterslide decals. Avast! Begad! They were exceptional quality, especially considerin' how much they were downscaled for this. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' decals were produced by Excelsior Rocketry and come with very explicit instructions on how t' apply. Begad! Read the directions and follow them t' t' letter. I find these decals t' be very thin and finicky but after gettin' used t' them on a couple Excelsior kits, I had no problems with this kit. Ahoy! T' only thin' I'd do over though would be t' try t' go with a lighter blue. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals don't stand out as well against t' darker background, arrr, and I waited a full week for t' paint t' cure before applying these.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight, shiver me timbers, I tried out me new MicroMaxx pad. Ahoy! If you haven't snatched up one o' those mega starter sets with 10 RTF rockets, 50 motors, and a pad for half off, shiver me timbers, me hearties, shiver me timbers, jump on one at t' next opportunity. T' rockets are worthless but it's a good deal on t' motors and t' new and improved pad is great. Avast! It's similar t' t' Estes 3-leg assembly, shiver me timbers, has a spot for insertin' either a micro rod or a 1/8" rod, me hearties, and you can actually use a regular 2-clip controller! T' ignitor slips into t' pad with exposed wires and you can clip your leads straight t' these. Ya scallywag! This allows you t' deliver a lot more power than t' regular 9V battery that's good for at most 1-2 days' worth o' flights.

I popped an MMX into t' tail, stuck in a tiny bit o' wadding, matey, and stuck the Cassiopeia on t' pad. Well, blow me down! Blimey! With me 12V system pushin' through t' charge, it lit right away.

Normally with MicroMaxx style rockets, you hear a pffft and immediately look for t' puff o' smoke in t' air t' find your rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Nay so with this "brute". Arrr! Ya scallywag! At 0.3 ounces, it went slow and smooth, arrr, peakin' at about 50 feet. Aye aye! I got t' see it t' whole way. This could easily be a backyard flyer and would definitely stay in t' infield if flyin' from a pitcher's mound.

Recovery:
My streamer stuck leadin' t' a tumble recovery, me bucko, but thar was no damage in the soft grass. Arrr! I think t' stuck streamer is goin' t' be a frequent occurrence with this as t' tube is awfully tight when you stick t' streamer and all that Keelhaul®©™® inside. Begad!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I love t' micro scale o' this and t' incredible details and decals. Avast, me proud beauty! At $12 it's a bit pricey, but I'm glad t' have this in me fleet and will probably pick up another couple o' t' Micro Classics line just for t' mini-wow factor.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5