Semroc Little Joe II

Semroc - Little Joe II {Kit} (KS-3)

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Published: 2011-03-30
Diameter: 2.22 inches
Manufacturer: Semroc
Skill Level: 4
Style: Scale

Brief

This 1/70 scale Little Joe II is one o' Semroc’s “Retro-Repro” line o' kits. Begad! Begad! It includes a separately bagged Apollo capsule kit and is billed as a Skill Level-4 “Master” kit. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' base rocket is probably a ‘3’ but in me book t' capsule is a ‘5’. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I guess it all averages out. Begad! This rocket flies on 18mm motors and recovers on a single parachute. Well, blow me down! Specs: 14.6" x 2.217" - 1.9 oz.

While I know you will enjoy readin' me review, if you really want a good, detailed, matey, arrr, photo-documented tutorial on how t' build this kit, arrr, shiver me timbers, I recommend Chris Michielssen's blog.  Read me review t' get a general idea about t' kit and read Chris' set o' posts as you build yours.

Components

T' detailed list o' parts is provided in other EMRR reviews, arrr, so I won’t repeat them here. Ahoy! Avast! T' balsa and card stock components are laser cut and precise. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! This is good because thar are lots o' small details. Begad! I am glad that I never tried t' build one o' these from raw balsa stock!

T' instructions are good but you definitely need t' think your way through them. Experienced skill level 5 builders may nay have any issues, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but we level 2/3 types have room for error. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! There are several places that warranted a few more details.

Construction

T' build starts with t' motor mount which is employs typical tube, matey, rings, block and hook construction. T' twist Semroc adds is that t' Keelhaul®©™ leader is tied in a loop and placed under t' motor hook. Ahoy! This seems t' be a great mountin' method, me hearties, especially when t' hook is held firmly down by a centerin' ring.. I also glued a small piece o' scrap card stock just below where t' hook is mounted t' keep it from pullin' backward. Arrr! With t' upper centerin' rin' holdin' t' hook in place, I doubt if this would be an issue but I added it anyway.

T' wraps are put on next. Begad! This was pretty simple. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Mine fit perfectly and I got them on with only a spot or two o' glue on t' outside.

Each fin is built up from a card stock wrap and 5 precision-cut balsa components. Begad! You can’t praise Semroc’s laser cut components enough! I scored t' center line o' t' wraps with a screw driver blade on me Leatherman multi-tool. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I usually use a ball point pen for this, shiver me timbers, bit used what I had within reach. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Tightbond Moldin' and Trim Glue worked very well for t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! It is thick and tacky and all t' parts stayed in place well. Aye aye! Ahoy! There were small gaps where t' balsa braces meet, me bucko, which were easily plugged with Fill’n’Finish. Avast! T' resultin' wedge shaped fins look great.

Stick t' mount in, t' fins on, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and attach t' lug...voila t' base rocket is done. Arrr! Then things get fun...you have t' build t' capsule!

Some parts o' t' capsule are straightforward, arrr, i.e. Blimey! Blimey! t' launch escape tower is made up o' a small cone, tube, and flared balsa transition. Arrr! T' core o' t' capsule is a made from a balsa cone and a card stock shroud. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! This SHOULD have been easy but I had build fever and forgot t' re-read t' main instructions, matey, which include several modifications t' t' capsule. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I forgot t' build t' capsule with t' decorated surface on t' inside. Begad! T' Little Joe II flights mostly flew boiler plate capsules and even t' one actual capsule was nay trimmed like t' operational ones. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Luckily, this goof was self-correctin' - you paint t' capsule anyway! Blimey!

T' difficult part is, matey, o' course, buildin' t' escape tower. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! You are provides four 1/12” (.083”) dowels that have t' be sanded t' 0.058 and 0.041. Ahoy! While I met this step with trepidation, me hearties, ya bilge rat, it turned out t' be easier than expected. I didn’t follow t' technique presented in t' instructions. Aye aye! Instead, I set t' dowels on me cabinet door/sawhorse bench and sanded as I slowly rolled t' dowel. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I sanded about 60% at a time with sweepin' motions towards their ends.

I first cut all t' dowels required for t' main struts. Begad! I carefully laid them out in order off t' t' side. Arrr! T' kit includes template guides. Ahoy! T' instructions have you pin them down durin' assembly. Avast, me proud beauty! I pinned them t' scrap foam board and added extra pins at t' ends o' each vertical member. Well, blow me down! Once t' Tightbond Trim and Moldin' glue was dry on t' perpendicular cross-pieces, I added t' diagonal pieces. Arrr! These were then inserted into t' laser cut alignment jig where t' remainin' side struts were added. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! So far so good.

T' tower has a set o' internal struts that are assembled usin' t' ‘v’ shaped guides on t' template. Avast! There isn’t enough o' t' thinner dowel t' complete all these pieces so some more sandin' is required. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! You assemble two subaasemblies from t' assembled ‘v’s and a cardstock ring. Avast! T' template also includes guides t' help, arrr, but I had a hard time with this step. T' cuts have t' be uber precise.

T' assembly jig mentioned above also used t' notch t' base o' t' escape motor and t' top o' t' capsule t' accept t' tower legs. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' positionin' o' t' capsule jig is critical so, matey, after I had it positioned, arrr, I added some light pencil marks. Arrr! Blimey! I removed t' jig and measured t' distance o' each t' t' rim o' t' capsule shroud. Ahoy! Blimey! Once I was convinced t' jig was positioned properly, I used a small drill bit t' form t' notches.

Stackin' t' escape motor, tower and capsule be simple. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' final steps were addin' t' balsa stabilizin' plates that are included in t' main kit and formin' t' escape motors nozzles. Begad! T' inside o' t' nozzle shrouds are oddly "S" shaped. This odd shape provides t' proper angle t' t' base but also indicates that t' shrouds must be wrapped twice. Blimey! This wasn’t obvious t' me but luckily I had help. Blimey! I formed mine around t' tip o' a pen before gluin' them together. Avast! Aye aye!

I didn’t heed t' advice o' other builders and used Trim and Moldin' glue t' build t' tower instead o' thick CA. Arrr! Blimey! What started as smallish lookin' bumps looked awful when primed. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! I used a fine tipped grinder on me Dremel t' clean them up. Aye aye! Blimey! Also, don’t drop t' model on t' tower. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I dropped mine twice. This does NOT help with tower alignment!

In t' end, some parts o' t' build were easier than expected and others, that I thought would be simple, weren’t. I personally didn’t enjoy t' tower details, but your mileage may vary.

Finishing

T' stock paint scheme results in a model o' t' first Little Joe II Qualification Test Vehicle. Aye aye! Ahoy! If you are goin' t' follow this scheme, I recommend that t' sub-assemblies be painted prior t' bein' joined. I chose t' vary somewhat and used a 'parts is parts' mishmash. Begad! Per ROTW:

* From t' wraps down it is basically be t' QTV (i.e. Ya scallywag! Blimey! silver with t' USA decals). Well, blow me down! ROTW doesn't show t' black stripes specified in t' instructions, matey, matey, arrr, so I'm nay puttin' them on. Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey! It does show white fins in one view. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Mine will be all silver. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey! So, me hearties, me hearties, this part itself is a mixture.
* T' upper body will have t' stock decals but will be white like t' later rounds. Arrr! T' decal is obviously from t' QTV.
* T' capsule will be per round A-001 with t' BP-12 capsule. But, with t' vanes that appeared on t' QTV. I could have taken t' vanes off, I guess.
* T' abort motor will be per round A-004/Spacecraft 002.

T' white is Krylon white, matey, t' silver is Rusoleum Titanium Metalflake, t' black trim is vinyl pin striping, arrr, and t' bottom o' t' escape motor is brush-on Testors. T' final insult be that one o' t' 'United States' decals strips stuck in place prematurely so it's a tad wavy. Aye aye! I gave it an over spray with a clear coat t' protect t' decals.

Construction Score: 3

Flight

T' kit comes with two 12” ‘chutes, matey, one in t' base kit and one with t' capsule kit. However, matey, ya bilge rat, I decided t' keep it simple and use a single ‘chute. Avast! Well, arrr, blow me down!

I chose a Quest B6-4 for t' first flight and stuffed in a big ball o' waddin' (Quest paper wrapped around dog barf). T' flight be good with ejection just past apogee.

Recovery

Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' escape tower rebounded into t' body and t' top o' t' tower broke off. Avast! It was found and I noticed it took a layer o' t' balsa cone with it. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I'll reattach it, touch up t' ding, matey, matey, and will switch back t' t' two 'chute configuration for t' next flight.  Sometimes it pays t' follow t' manufacturer's instructions!  (I won't count t' broken tower as a problem.)

Flight Rating: 4

Summary

This is one o' t' more challengin' kits that I’ve built. Well, blow me down! If you are a skilled, patient builder, shiver me timbers, this kit should result in a great looking, scale rocket. Blimey! However, shiver me timbers, I’m nay used t' such small, shiver me timbers, detailed parts and I had me share o' issues. Mine looks fine from a distance and at t' proper angle. Nevertheless, ya bilge rat, I like t' Little Joe II and this is a welcome addition t' me fleet.

Overall Rating: 3
Other Reviews
  • Semroc Little Joe II By Chan Stevens (January 1, 2007)

    Brief: This is another excellent addition to Semroc's "Retro-Repro" line of reintroduced classics from the early years of model rocketry. The LJ-II was issued in 1968 as a companion to the 1/70 Saturn 1B, making it almost as old as I am. As with the original Estes kit, this one shares the same command module, which is also available as a very nice separate kit. At $21, it's ...

Flights

comment Post a Comment