Brief:
A reproduction of the very first model rocket built by Orville Carlisle in 1957. Single stage, parachute recovery. This is a very faithful reproduction of the original which now resides in the Smithsonian along with a few component updates.

Construction:
The kit includes:

• 1 main body tube, 1.04" diameter
• 1 18mm motor tube
• 1 Balsa nose cone
• 1 set laser cut fins
• 2 centering rings for MMT
• 1 thrust ring
• 1 engine hook
• 1 screw eye
• 1 elastic cord
• 1 Kevlar® thread
• 1 plastic parachute
• 1 set tape discs for chute construction
• 1 set of pre-cut shroud lines
• 1 "empty casing", actually a small tube used as the oversize launch lug

Semroc's instructions are as superb as their kits. Each step is illustrated with very professional quality pictures, sometimes several pictures in a single step. As an example, in the finishing steps is a series of pictures of how wood filler and sanding progressively fills and smoothes wood. You not only see how, but it teaches you why. Who else does this? Too few. Even their very complete listing of tools and materials needed was illustrated. This kit, as with most of their kits, could be built from the instructions by someone who'd never seen a model rocket before. Also, the instructions include biographical and historical data about Orville Carlisle and the original Rock-A-Chutes Mk I and Mk II, so complete that they note that the nose cone on the original Mk II was a plastic pencil sharpener. A very few kit builders have instructions this good. The rest should.

As noted, a complete beginner could build this. There were no hitches or problems. The pre-cut fins were far better cut than many other LPR models. A few changes from the original were used: 12" hex chute rather than 18" square, MMT to fit today's 18mm motors rather than Carlisle's original motors, MMT includes Estes style engine hook, and the shock cord anchor is Kevlar® thread attached to the top end of the engine hook. Everything fit properly the first time. As a reproduction of the original, built before there were lighter weight components, the parts are comparatively very sturdy. In fact, it's solid as a rock.

Finishing:
Complete finishing instructions are included, even giving the paint scheme of the original (international orange with a red nose). A decal is included that shows the Semroc logo, the name of the rocket, and even the dimensions of the original. Even the model itself becomes a learning experience. I finished mine per the instructions, including the original paint scheme. I'm glad I did.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
Recommended motors are A8-5, B6-6 and C6-7. Estes wadding was used. Motor retention is by engine hook.

For the first flight I used an A8-3 because that's what I had. I would have been better to get the longer delay. Ejection was before apogee, but deployment was fine. The boost was fast and arrow straight, a perfect and beautiful maiden flight.

Second flight was on a B6-4. Again, ejection was before apogee, but the flight was otherwise great. It impressed the crowd. I too was impressed by the success of this "old" design. So much so that I resolved to build an upscale. And so I did (the Rock-A-Chute Mk III). Having done so, I retired the Mk II to serve as an honored flight veteran and display piece.

Recovery:
The 1"+ body fits the 12" chute easily. However, the body is fairly short, so it's a tight fit to get plenty of wadding in to protect the chute that close to the motor and fit the nose on top.

I'm not fond of the recovery system design due to the Kevlar® anchor being attached so close to the ejection gasses. Kevlar® is flame resistant but not flame proof. I've had it burn through on my Mk III, an upscale of this design, due to the close exposure to ejection charges. Motor mount anchoring is fine, but the Kevlar® should be protected for a bit above the top of the motor tube.

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

Summary:
The only CON of this design is the shock cord anchoring method (same used in other Semroc models), however, this is easily fixed.

Everything else about this kit and Semroc's work in general is a great big PRO. A beginner would benefit by starting with a Semroc kit. A seasoned veteran will appreciate the historical value and the superb job on the kit and instructions. It's a rare rocket that I want to preserve to just sit on a shelf and show off. This is that rare rocket.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Brief:
The Mark II is a single stage Retro-Repro kit of Orville Carlisle's Rock-A-Chute Mark II model rocket. It is, as noted by the history sheet that came with the kit, not a clone kit, but rather a reproduction of a classic kit updated with the latest technology and building components.

Construction:
Opening the packaging and laying out the contents revealed what would be an easy build, using the high quality components that Semroc is known for. The package contents included:

• 1 Precision turned balsa nose cone
• 1 Series 10 body tube
• 1 Series 7 to 10 engine mount kit (engine tube, engine hook, thrust ring, 2 centering rings
• 1 BT-3 launch lug
• 1 Recovery kit (Kevlar® and elastic shock cords, screw eye, 12" parachute kit)
• Extremely clean laser cut balsa fins.
• Instructions and history of the Rock-A-Chute
• No decorative decals, however there is a name plate decal, which includes the name of the kit, and a production number.

I got the Mark II as part of my purchase from a Hobby Lobby sale at the end of December 2005, so what better way to ring in the new year than hanging in The Rocketry Forum chat room and building this kit at my desk.

Yeah. I know. Get a life...

Anyway, the instructions are straightforward, starting with assembling the EM-710 motor mount. The engine tube even comes pre-slotted, so there is no question about where the motor hook goes. Semroc does have a better trick for attaching the Kevlar® shock cord attachment than what I usually use and it's a real forehead slapper. (You know...you smack yourself in the forehead and say "Now why didn't I think of that?") I usually loop the Kevlar® around the engine tube and notch the centering ring to allow the Kevlar® to exit the body tube. Semroc has you just tie the Kevlar® around the engine block itself and glue that into place. It is much less work and as long as you use a good grade of glue (because of the attachment point, I glued the block in with wood glue and reinforced with a dab of 5 minute epoxy), it isn't going anywhere.

While that assembly is drying, I put the #10 body tube on the fin marking guide that was printed on the instructions. I personally prefer the wraparound type, but the way Semroc does it maintains the integrity of the instructions (which are printed on a good grade of cardstock, interestingly enough...) for filing away for future use and perhaps allowing them to be preserved for a generation of yet to be born BARs? The three fins themselves are extremely clean laser cut and pretty much fell away from the surrounding balsa. I sanded all edges except for the root edges round and used my handy yellow plastic Estes fin attachment tool to attach the fins with wood glue. After those were set, the engine mount was installed (again with wood glue) and the Kevlar® shock cord is fed through the front of the body tube, attached to the generous length of elastic shock cord, and then to the beautifully turned balsa nosecone via the included screw eye. Finally, the oversized launch lug (accurately reflecting Carlisle's original) is attached to the body tube.

Finishing:
I gave the nose one and fins a coat of thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish. The next morning, I sanded them smooth and hit the rocket with a shot of sandable primer just to make sure the grain wasn't too obnoxious. That was then followed by a couple of coats of red spray paint, then one fin and the nose cone were masked for a shot of black. With that it was called finished, and I assembled and installed the 12" plastic Semroc parachute. The rocket was then ready for the January 8th Sky Buster launch!

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
Well, the January 8th launch was canceled for poor field conditions and since most of the flyers are HPR guys, a lack of a waiver due to changing of the officers, so there was no big launch that day. However, not being one to let a mid-winter 45 degree day go by, I packed my rockets, my daughter, and myself up for a launch at Lakewood park.

Semroc recommends the following engines: A8-5, B6-6, C6-7. The only one's I had out of those 3 were the C6-7s, but the park wasn't big enough for those motors in that rocket. I did, however, have some Quest A6-4s and thought that would be even better that risking too short a delay with the A8-3s I did have. Since the park is also surrounded by trees, I swapped out the chute for a streamer for the first flight. My daughter hit the launch button and the Mark II shot arrow straight into the sky, popping the streamer at apogee, which I estimate to be possibly 200 feet. As there was virtually no wind, the rocket landed maybe 30 feet away from the pad with the streamer recovery resulting in no damage. For the second flight I put the chute back in the rocket in place of the streamer, and launched again with my last A6-4. Once again, arrow straight flight, popping the chute right at apogee or maybe just a breath thereafter. This time, there was a little drift but nothing serious. The 12" chute is just the right size for a rocket this weight. Recovery was right next to but not quite in a mud puddle. A few swipes with a baby wipe cleaned the crud off the gloss paint. This little bad boy is looking to cut loose on a real field this spring!

Recovery:
There was no damage at all. I used dog barf for wadding and it proved to be adequate protection for the recovery system. The chute is the right size for a rocket this size and weight, but the rocket is small, light, and sturdy enough that a streamer can also be used easily.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
PROs: Very simple, inexpensive replica of a historic model rocket that can be put together in an hour or so (depending on how slow setting your glue is) at one sitting. Good performer. Good beginner kit without being insultingly simple (i.e., Rip the package open and launch).

CONs: I can't think of any.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Brief:
The Mark II is the Semroc take on the model rocket that started all this mess, Orville Carlisle's Rock-A-Chute Mark II from 1957. It is a fairly blunt, simple little rocket that's a surprising performer and a definite conversation piece at the pads.

Construction:
The parts list:

• Main body tube
• Balsa nose cone
• Laser cut balsa fins
• 18mm motor tube
• Thrust ring
• 2 centering rings
• Engine hook
• Screw Eye
• Kevlar® thread shock cord
• Sewing elastic shock cord
• 12" parachute

The instruction booklet for the Mark II is up to the typical Semroc standard, equal parts instruction manual, history lesson, and artist's rendering. Instructions are clear and easy to follow, the Mark II being only slightly more difficult to tackle than any other skill level one kit. Fins are laser cut balsa which I shaped for better performance and attached with LocTite Gel CA. All other construction, including fillets, was done with Elmer's Wood Glue and the project was finished and ready to paint in a single afternoon. The finished product resembles an upscaled Estes Mosquito or possibly a Maxi-Streak except for the large launch lug, (actually it's a piece of heavy-walled body tube.)

Finishing:
Finishing in an (almost) historically correct scheme made this a very simple project. The finish started with thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish to kill off the tube spirals and balsa grain. After sanding, the entire rocket was then sprayed with white primer to better allow the florescent colors I chose to pop. I have several cans of mystery florescent colors left over from my plastic model days and this project allowed me to put a dent in two of them. I painted the bottom of the rocket florescent orange and the nose cone florescent red. I didn't bother with clear coat, preferring to leave it with the more vintage flat look.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
I wanted to get an idea how this performed as a small field flyer, since that was where I figured its future was in my launch queue. First flight was on an A8-3 in a brisk wind. Because of the rather blunt profile of the nose cone, I expected a fairly low level flight and was surprised when it streaked off the pad looking much like an Estes Mosquito. It was pretty obvious that the A8-3 was going to be my only small field option if I wanted to get this back when flying on the local soccer fields.

Flight #2 was on a B6-4 and again, the altitude was surprising. It cocked heavily into the wind.

Flight #3 was a C6-5 flight and unsurprisingly was the most impressive of the three. The Mark II leapt off the pad and disappeared from sight. Luckily one person on the flight line managed to keep it in sight all the way up to ejection.

Recovery:
Recovery on the first flight was fairly close to the pads, mostly because the vintage Estes 8" chute failed to open. In the end it didn't really matter because the rocket is easily light enough to be a streamer bird.

The second flight recovered fairly close to the pad when the old chute failed to open until about fifty feet from the ground. This was fortunate because it was heading for the access road, which would have resulted in an impact that it probably wouldn't have survived.

Finally, since I had flown it without any recovery device on the third flight, there wasn't much to keep an eye on. I didn't pick it up until it was floating back over my head. It landed softly and without damage several hundred yards down field. Next time I need to bring a streamer along.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
No CONs on this one. It's a cool piece of history, a surprising performer, and a quick and easy build.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5