Brief:
This is Semroc's commemorative release for the 50 years of contributions to rocketry from Vernon and Gleda Estes, the founders of Estes model rockets. This was one of the first kits released by Estes. It is a unique design as it tumbles back to earth after flight. Each kit is assigned a unique number and can be registered at Semroc's website. The idea is to fly each of the gold painted kits in July as a tribute and the flier will receive a signed certificate from the Estes'.

Construction:
This is a simple, straightforward build. You get 1 body tube, 3 laser cut fins, balsa nosecone, launch lug, engine catch hook, retaining wire, and a Tyvek strip.

The instructions are clear and the experienced builder can construct this kit without them. Start with the preparation by sealing the nosecone and fins, sanding them smooth, and then rounding the leading edges of the fins. Next, glue the nosecone to the body tube. I used wood glue throughout the build. The engine catch hook bends at 90 degrees at each end, and the longer bend is pushed into the balsa nosecone. It is a good idea to use a strong pin to make a pilot hole. The body tube is pre-marked for alignment of the hook and for the fins. Glue the hook to the body tube, then glue the Tyvek strip over it to secure it. Be careful with the glue, I made a little bit of a mess with it. Next, glue the fins on the alignment lines. After the glue has dried, add the fillets. The last step is to glue the launch lug at the joint of the fin and body tube opposite the hook. The is also a retaining wire to glue to the body tube. It's purpose is to hold the motor in the body tube when the clips are attached to the igniter at launch time. The instructions also suggest adding a 1/32" by 3/16" wide strip of balsa opposite of the hook to prevent the motor from kicking out.

Finishing:
Since this is called the Golden Scout and it is a 50th anniversary commemorative, the natural selection of color is gold. I like to use Duplicolor high build for the primer coat. I applied a second coat after sanding, then sanded the Scout until the finish was smooth. I recently read that black or magenta makes for a good undercoat for gold so I used Krylon Gloss Black. After that coat dried, I finished with Krylon gold and the results were good. There are only two decals, one for the Sky of Gold event and the other being the unique kit number. This kit is #701.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
The design or this rocket is a little different. When the motor's ejection charge fires, it will eject but is held by the engine hook which extends about 1.5" past the bottom of the body tube. This changes the center of gravity to where the Scout will tumble back to earth. It's a small rocket, so keep your eyes on it during flight. I will wait until July to put it skyward.

Flight Rating: NA

Summary:
I applaud Semroc for celebrating 50 years of model rocketry and this is a good way to do it. The Scout is certainly a classic kit and was the right choice for the project.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5