Brief:
The Vega is and was the Semroc answer to the Big Bertha, something that Carl McLawhorn freely admits in the instructions. The Vega's design is closer to the EIRP Big Bertha plan than to the actual kit that was later introduced, but as a result of the "mistake" the Vega has a character of its own and resembles the standard-bearer Big Bertha kit less than the Quest Big Betty.

Construction:
The kit includes:

• 1 ST-16180 Body Tube
• 1 ST-730E Body Tubes
• 1 BC-1631 Balsa Nose Cone
• 1 FV-25 Laser Cut Fin Set
• 1 CR-KV-25 Centering Ring Set
• 1 TR-7 Thrust Ring
• 1 LL-122 Launch Lug
• 1 EH-28 Engine Hook
• 1 SE-10 Screw Eye
• 1 EC-124 Elastic Cord
• 1 SCK-24 Kevlar Thread
• 1 RC-12 Plastic Parachute
• 1 TD-6 Tape Disc
• 1 SLT-6 Shroud Lines
• 1 DKV-25 Decal

While it has roots in the '60s, the Vega is all 21st century, making it the most satisfying building experience between the four kits in this comparison. The instructions are done in the typical Semroc style, a well illustrated, nicely detailed booklet that doubles as a face card and includes a color picture of the finished Vega.

The Vega benefits from the use of laser cut fins and in the generous use of Kevlar in anchoring the shock cord, making it the most up-to-date of the rockets in the comparison. Construction is typical of most skill level 1 kits with nothing resembling a "gotcha" anywhere in the process. The instruction booklet is thorough and well explained. I'd prefer a fin placement wrap to the "circle on a page" method that Semroc uses, but this might not bother most builders. After sanding and shaping the laser cut fins, I tacked them into place with LocTite Gel CA, then used Elmer's Wood Glue for the fillets and installation of the motor mount.

Finishing:
The body tube, fins and nose cone were all treated with two coats of thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish and the requisite sanding. The rocket was sprayed with Valspar primer, then gloss white. I attempted to mask off the fins to obtain the paint scheme shown on the kit card, but I could tell that my masking skills weren't up to the task before I sprayed even the first light coat of paint. Instead I masked off the body tube and sprayed all four fins, the nose cone, and a stripe on the body tube with Valspar Cherry Red Gloss. From here it was a simple matter of affixing the small Vega decal. The finished product looks great, and I like it better than the actual suggested paint scheme.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
The nice thing about this comparison was the similarity of the flights of all four rockets. This isn't much of a surprise because all four are large and stable with plenty of fin area to catch the slightest breeze. The Vega on the C6-5 cocked into the wind as it left the pad but still recovered well downrange, probably the farthest walk that I had during the whole comparison. The B6-4 flight was as expected: a great flight for a calm day on a small field, while the B4-2 flight was another of the flights that seemed to hang in midair for a moment as it left the rod before the thrust kicked in. (No matter how many times I see a rocket do this, it causes a sharp intake of breath.)

Recovery:
Recovery was an area where the Vega did exceptionally well in this comparison because of the weather conditions of the day I chose and the 12" chute included with the kit. The 12" chute was more than enough to bring the rocket down safely and at the same time, small enough that it didn't create any added hang time with the wind. Since less hang time equals less of a recovery walk, I'm all for the smaller chute. (I might even consider reefing it.)

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
PROs: Impressive performance. Most up-to-date rocket in the comparison.

CONs: Decals could be more expansive. (Maybe a Semroc logo for a fin?)

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5