Brief:
A sturdy payload sport flier with interestin' construction techniques. Ya scallywag!

Construction:
T' kit has t' usual Dr. Begad! Begad! Zooch features: a sturdy box that doubles for storage o' t' completed model, quality printed wraps, me hearties, instructions written by a cartoon ant, humour, and insight. Aye aye! Begad! T' components were all present, ya bilge rat, including niceties like an engine hook and snap swivel for t' famous trash bag parachute.

There are no skill levels given for Zooch kits, but this one is labeled as an “easy build” and some contributors on T' Rocketry Forum have recommended this kit as an introduction t' Zooch kits. Aye aye! You will have t' cut your own fins from balsa sheet. Difficulty is ‘about an Estes 2’.

T' kit build uses nay only your normal rocket buildin' skills, but some card/paper modelin' skills as well. Don’t worry if you have never built a paper model in your life, shiver me timbers, t' skills are easily learned.

Highlights o' t' kit are t' quality components, shiver me timbers, t' detailed wraps, t' blowout panels, arrr, and o' course, ya bilge rat, the prominent engine bell.

My deviations from t' good Doctor's instructions were minimal. Arrr! I used PVA (white glue) throughout, except for bondin' card shrouds and wraps, where I used tacky craft glue.

Construction begins with t' capsule. If you dust t' capsule with a light coat o' grey primer before fittin' the wrap, shiver me timbers, me bucko, arrr, it will cover t' small gap you may get betwixt t' capsule wrap and t' RCS band (under t' black cone in the picture). Avast, me proud beauty! I'll do that next time.

I attached t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord t' t' engine mount, rather than usin' t' standard tri-fold method called for in t' instructions. Aye aye! The engine mount is made from a motor tube, shiver me timbers, three centerin' rings, and a paper cone. Avast! T' paper cone fits betwixt t' second and third rings outside t' body tube, givin' you t' prominent ‘engine bell’. Begad! T' overall effect is quite outstanding. Zooch calls this "... Ya scallywag! t' coolest engine mount ever". Ya scallywag! I won't disagree with him.

After applyin' t' body tube wrap and insertin' t' engine mount, t' body tube is cut along a separation plane marked on t' wrap t' give you t' payload section. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! That’s right, you have a partially built rocket and now you’re goin' t' cut it in half! Blimey! This is probably t' most nerve wrackin' part o' t' build. Blimey! Just take it easy and there won’t be any problems. Arrr! Blimey! Use a new blade in your modelin' knife and go gently. Don’t try t' cut t' tube in one pass. Begad! T' top part o' t' tube becomes t' payload section.

After cuttin' t' body tube, matey, apply some CA glue (super glue) around t' inside o' t' body tube and allow it t' dry before cuttin' out t' blowout panels. Arrr! Begad! If you like, you can temporarily fit t' balsa stage coupler into the tube t' provide some support t' t' tube while you cut out t' panels. Begad! Again, a fresh blade is a good idea. T' blowout panels don’t actually do anything, me bucko, they just look funky!

T' stage coupler is weighted (about 15 grams) and must be installed t' correct way up t' give t' proper CG/CP relationship.

Dust a light coat o' black or grey paint onto t' top o' t' balsa stage coupler before attachin' t' tank top. T' tank top doesn't reach t' edge o' t' stage coupler and black or grey looks better here in me opinion than bare balsa. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Similarly, paint t' balsa disc before fittin' it into t' bottom o' t' payload compartment.

Cut your fins, matey, fit them and t' launch lugs, shiver me timbers, and your Dr. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Zooch Mark II is complete.

My tips: Read t' instructions. Begad! Blimey! Read them again. Dry fit everythin' before gluing.

T' body wrap fits perfectly. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! True, it does. Avast, me proud beauty! If you trim t' wrap so that it looks perfect when dry fitting, it will be t' tiniest bit too small t' butt join when you glue it t' t' body tube. Arrr! Trust t' Doctor, just cut that wrap along t' edge you are given.

Buildin' this kit was a great experience. Arrr! I looked at t' completed model and realized I had enjoyed t' journey as much as t' destination. Ahoy! Very Zen.

Finishing:
Because o' t' wraps on t' capsule and body tube, thar be minimal finishin' t' be done. Aye aye! I painted t' bottom o' the body tube white and just t' fins with Testor’s 1180 Steel. Avast, me proud beauty! T' pictures on t' Dr. Ahoy! Avast! Zooch web site show t' full circumference o' t' body tube below t' wrap painted with Testor’s Steel. I simply wanted more white.

T' Testor’s Steel be t' only enamel paint I used on this model, ya bilge rat, and I must say I had problems with it. Aye aye! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! It is thick with a lot o' suspended particles and was like paintin' with epoxy. Ya scallywag! Maybe it's just me technique.

That engine mount bell deserves t' be celebrated, so I painted it with Tamiya Gold X-12.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
In t' words o' t' doctor I’m a “squirmin' hatch blower”, so I started with an A8-3. Well, blow me down! It was a beautiful, arrr, arrow straight flight with a gentle recovery courtesy less than 2 metres from t' pad, shiver me timbers, me hearties, courtesy o' t' trash bag parachute.

Next up was a B4-4, me hearties, ya bilge rat, with close t' 200 metres at apogee it is a great small field motor for this model.

T' Testor’s Steel paint is supposed t' make t' fins "disappear" in flight. Well, me bucko, me hearties, on me first two flights t' Mark II was steppin' out so quick you would be hard pressed t' see t' fins in flight if they were dayglo orange!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
A great build and a great flyer. Begad! What more could you ask for? Well, me hearties, Dr. Booty is offerin' more--a “Stage Zero” booster is planned for release late 2007.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5