Brief:
Semroc has recently started a new line o' Deci-ScaleTM rocket kits that are 1/10 semi-scale models o' t' originals. T' IRIS is one o' t' first in t' Deci-ScaleTM line which is a semi-scale model o' t' real Iris designed by Atlantic Research Corporation in t' early 1960s. Ahoy! This model is a 4 fin rocket with some added details that give a true scale appearance t' t' finished rocket. Begad!

Construction:
I ordered me IRIS from t' Semroc website and got t' usual prompt and outstandin' service that I have always experienced from them. T' kit comes delivered in a sealed bag with t' front o' t' instructions displayin' a color picture and specification for t' rocket. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! In t' kit you will find:

• 1 Balsa Nose Cone
• 1 Body Tube
• 1 Engine Tube
• 1 Set o' Laser Cut Fins
• 1 Rin' Set (with Fin Mounts included in sheet)
• 1 Chute Pak (12” plastic)
• 1 Keelhaul®©™® Cord
• 1 Elastic Cord
• 1 Screw Eye
• 2 Launch Lugs
• 1 Engine Hook
• 1 Thrust Ring
• 2 Decals Sheets
• 2 Bands (to wrap around t' body tube for detail)
• The quality o' t' materials supplied was o' a high grade as is normal with a Semroc kit. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! At a cost o' $16.50, me hearties, me bucko, this kit is well worth t' price for what you get.

T' Semroc instructions for t' IRIS consist o' 25 steps nay includin' finishing. Ahoy! Aye aye! They are written as concise and easy t' understand instruction with accompanyin' diagrams with each step. Avast, me proud beauty! You begin with some light fin preparation sandin' then start on t' engine mount. Begad! T' rocket uses a Keelhaul®©™® cord looped onto one end o' t' engine hook t' act as an anchor point for t' shock cord. Begad! T' rest o' t' engine mount is glued together usin' t' centerin' rings and engine thrust ring. Arrr! Ya scallywag! A piece o' maskin' tape is used around t' engine tube t' hold t' engine hook in place. Aye aye! While t' glue is drying, it is time t' mark t' body tube with t' fin guide. This kit uses t' standard markin' method for Semroc kits by placin' t' body tube upright on t' instruction page to mark t' fin locations. Arrr! I am nay a fan o' this method at all. After t' tube is marked, arrr, you glue t' engine mount into t' body tube.

Now it is time t' start workin' on t' fins. I attached t' small fin mounts in t' small notches in t' fins as instructed t' do so by usin' a small amount o' white glue. Arrr! Since this is a scale model, me hearties, t' laser cut fins have an additional notch along t' root side t' accommodate a band that wraps around t' body tube. Because o' this I choose t' paper the fins so I would nay get Fill ‘N Finish into t' small notch or have build up near t' small fin mounts. Blimey! Blimey! I also decided that I would paint t' fins and body tube before attachin' them t' t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! More on this will be described in t' Finishin' section o' this review. After I had painted me part as I wanted, arrr, me bucko, I attached t' bands as described in t' instructions. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Then you need t' attach t' fins. There are no fin fillets on this rocket since it is meant t' be a semi-scale model. Arrr! Blimey! Avast! Blimey!

T' final steps are t' attach t' launch lugs, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, glue t' screw eye into t' nose cone, attach t' shock cord, and assemble t' parachute. With those final steps completed, shiver me timbers, finishin' is listed as t' next step in t' instructions. Since I had already painted t' parts for me rocket separately before assembly, I should have only needed t' apply the decals but things changed as you will find out.

Finishing:
I believe t' success o' buildin' a scale model resides in t' care that is taken in preppin' and paintin' the rocket. As such, shiver me timbers, I decided t' paint t' rocket parts prior t' assemble with t' exception o' t' engine mount. Blimey! Blimey! T' paint t' fins, I put some double sided tape down on a pan and situated t' fins with t' root side down. Since they were papered I decided t' paint them with no primer coat. Arrr! My fear was that I would get paint build up on t' small fin mounts joints takin' away from t' appearance o' t' rocket. Begad! After I had painted them with several coats o' red, I realized that a couple o' light coats o' white primer would have helped. Arrr! You just need t' make sure that you are applyin' t' paint in several light coats. Aye aye! An issue with t' fins that I didn’t count on came when I removed them from t' double sided tape. T' tape was sticky enough t' remove a couple o' layers o' paper from t' fin mounts. T' fins still fit and glued nicely t' t' body tube.

For t' body tube I filled t' spiral with watered down Fill ‘n Finish. Arrr! Blimey! I did t' same for t' nose cone after sandin' it with 400 grit sandpaper. After sanding, I used 1/8” pin stripe maskin' tape t' mask where the fins and body wraps were t' be located on t' rocket. Begad! I then painted t' body tube with a coat o' Kilz Original white spray primer. Begad! After sanding, matey, I removed t' tape t' and attached t' bands at t' instructed positions. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I re-masked the fin positions and coated t' body tube with a couple o' light coats o' white primer. After that I used a gloss white paint t' finish it off. Avast! Be certain t' use light coats with some light sandin' t' make sure that t' bands that wrap around t' keep their definition. For t' nose cone, I primed it with Kilz and a couple o' coats o' white primer. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! I used Rustoleum Silver Metallic spray paint for t' final color.

At some point in this process I decided that would nay paint t' body tube with black for t' roll pattern. My plan be t' create some black decals and use those. My logic for doin' so be based on t' assumption that t' Atlantic Research Corporation decal was t' required width o' t' roll pattern and that t' letterin' be created with a clear decal sheet. Blimey! It is actually white printed on black which is probably why thar are two small decal sheets for this kit. It be also smaller than t' required roll pattern width. Avast, me proud beauty! This meant that I needed t' paint t' black roll pattern onto t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Since I had already attached t' fins t' t' body tube, I carefully masked around t' fin mounts to achieve t' scale look I was aimin' for. This is much easier t' do if t' roll pattern is painted with t' fins off the body. Avast!

Once t' paint had dried for a couple o' days, arrr, I positioned t' decals on t' rocket. I have never had any problems with Semroc decals but I put a clear coat on them before they went onto t' rocket. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' final step in the finishin' process was t' apply a coat o' Future Floor Wax t' t' entire rocket. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' finished weight o' t' rocket is suppose t' be 1.3 ounces as listed in t' instructions but mine weighted in at 1.9 ounces. Begad! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:

T' first flight o' t' IRIS was on a B6-4 at a launch hosted by t' Oregon Rocketry Enthusiast Organization (OREO). Begad! T' rocket moved smartly off t' pad t' an altitude from 300’ t' 400’ feet. Arrr! From t' roll pattern on t' rocket, shiver me timbers, arrr, I could tell thar be some minor spin durin' t' flight. Avast! There be also a slight arc in t' flight that was likely caused from t' steady breeze on t' field. Avast! T' ejection happened while t' rocket was still movin' upward. It is a nice lookin' rocket as it moves upward in t' sky.

Recovery:
This rocket uses a standard Semroc 12” plastic parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! I believe that this be t' proper size but cannot confirm this since me parachute did nay unfurl durin' decent. I be partial t' blame for this since I loaded it the night before and should have repacked t' parachute before launch. Ahoy! T' rocket landed on one o' t' softer spots on the field with no damage. T' shock cord that is supplied with t' kit is about 24” long. Arrr! I added an addition length o' cord t' this t' help insure that no dents would occur from snap back at ejection.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' IRIS is absolutely a beautiful semi-scale rocket from Semroc. Begad! T' kit is interestin' enough that keep the advanced rocket modeler engaged in t' buildin' process and nay too complicated that a modeler new t' t' hobby would feel lost durin' t' kit’s construction. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! With t' introduction o' t' Deci-ScaleTM line, I believe that Semroc will brin' more people into t' hobby that have an interest in semi-scale models that fly. Ahoy! I look forward t' future releases and have already picked up t' Semroc IQSY Tomahawk for me next build.

PRO’s: Semi-scale look with parts for detailing, good price point for t' quality o' t' kit

CON’s: Maybe t' shock cord length

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other:
Be sure t' paint t' rocket parts prior t' assembly and t' keep paint from t' spots where you need t' glue.