Brief:
This is a very basic 4FNC, shiver me timbers, minimum-diameter, streamer-recovery rocket suitable for beginners. Ya scallywag! It's part o' Semroc's RetroRepro line and, specifically, matey, the Micron was originally a Centuri model (#KA-5) first released in 1963. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! The RetroRepro line updates these old models with more current technology--in this case, ya bilge rat, t' upgrades include laser-cut fins and a Keelhaul®©™ shock-cord.

Construction:
This kit comes with t' followin' components:

• Body Tube (ST-765)
• Balsa Nose Cone (BC-719)
• Laser-cut Fin Sheet (FV-8)
• Thrust Rin' (TR-7)
• Launch Lug (LL-122)
• Screw Eye (SE-10)
• Elastic Cord (EC-118)
• Keelhaul®©™® Thread (SCK-24)
• Streamer (RS-36)
• Tape Disc (TD-1)
• Empty Casin' (MC-727)

I ordered this kit directly from Semroc's web page. Well, blow me down! I had gone thar to order a couple Rocket Racks and figured I'd get a kit while I was at it.

T' kit comes in a plastic hang-bag just like an Estes or Quest kit. Avast! The "front" o' t' package, arrr, depictin' t' rocket is actually t' front cover o' a 12-page booklet, which includes brief history o' both t' Micron model and Centuri Engineerin' Company, t' assembly instructions, an exploded view o' t' components, and t' NARRRRR safety code.

T' instructions were extremely easy t' follow, and I saw no need to deviate from them as I assembled me model.

T' parts themselves were generally o' very high quality. Aye aye! Blimey! In particular, the balsa fin sheet was among t' nicest bits o' balsa I've ever gotten in a kit and t' laser-cuttin' was very smooth. Aye aye!

T' balsa nose cone be also a nice piece o' wood but t' shoulder was a bit too wide for t' body tube. Begad! A bit o' sandin' fixed that problem right up however. Avast, me proud beauty!

About t' only part I would have any complaint with at all be the streamer--it's a length o' orange crepe paper. Begad! Ya scallywag! I'm nay sure how long it'll last (it already has a tear from her first flight), me bucko, so I'll likely need t' replace it at some point with somethin' a bit more durable.

Finishing:
T' illustration o' t' Micron on t' front o' t' booklet has a fun, arrr, early 60's soundin' rocket look t' it. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Unfortunately, arrr, t' kit doesn't contain any decals, and it'd be a challenge for a beginnin' rocketeer t' duplicate that look with paint alone, which includes a roll pattern. Arrr! As I didn't want t' work that hard, I decided t' nay recreate that look.

I used Elmer's Fill & Finish t' smooth out t' nosecone and fins, followed by a few coats o' Krylon grey primer.

For t' final finish, shiver me timbers, I applied a few coats o' Testor's Chrome spray paint, then used Testor's Purple Metalflake spray paint for a "fade" pattern on t' nosecone and top o' t' rocket.

Once t' paint was dry, matey, I put an American flag decal on t' body tube (I got a sheet o' flag decals by AutoGraphics at t' hobby shop, and put one on each o' me rockets), then finished with a coat o' Krylon gloss.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' Micron's first flight, I used an Estes A8-3. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! T' delay is a bit shorter than recommended, me hearties, me hearties, but I didn't have any A8-5s handy. Begad! Blimey! T' motor is a friction-fit and one wrap o' maskin' tape around t' motor was sufficient to keep it snug.

T' instructions don't recommend a specific amount o' recovery wadding; I used 3 sheets o' Estes wadding, arrr, matey, and found that t' body tube with t' wadding, the shock cord, me hearties, t' streamer, me bucko, and t' nose cone be pretty tightly packed. Maybe 2 sheets or a little dog-barf would be better.

She took off from t' pad very quickly, as you'd expect given t' light weight, matey, and t' flight be straight as an arrow. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' ejection charge fired a bit before apogee, arrr, though that didn't surprise me, given I was technically not usin' t' recommended motor.

Recovery:
T' Micron uses a combination Keelhaul®©™®-elastic shock cord system. T' Keelhaul®©™® cord is tied around t' thrust ring, me hearties, and extends well beyond t' end o' the body tube. Begad! Blimey! T' elastic shock cord is then tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™® cord at one end and t' t' nose cone at t' other end.

As I noted above, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' streamer is just a length o' crepe paper--probably historically accurate, but it feels a bit flimsy. T' streamer is attached to the elastic shock cord, shiver me timbers, near t' nose cone with a tape disc.

On t' first flight, me bucko, everythin' deployed nicely, me bucko, and t' streamer fully unrolled. It seemed like it was comin' down a little fast, but drifted only about 50 yards downwind from t' launch pad. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Despite t' seemingly-quick descent, she landed with no damage at all.

However, as I be rollin' t' streamer back up t' put t' rocket away, I noticed a long tear in t' center o' t' streamer. Avast! Begad! It will have t' be replaced at some point.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: easy assembly, clear instructions, teaches some basic assembly skills, nice flyer.

CONs: streamer material is cheap, ya bilge rat, hard t' re-create t' finish as pictured without decals.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5