| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Diameter: | 0.74 inches |
| Length: | 12.40 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Semroc  |
Brief:
The Semroc Hawk RetroRepro boost glider is a very simple to build and easy to fly rocket boosted glider. Based on the
1965 AMROCS Hawk, it ejects its motor to establish a stable, balanced glide.
Construction:
In the well packaged kit you get:
- 1 Instruction set
- 2 3/32" balsa part sheets
- 1 BT-20 motor tube
- 1 Balsa nose cone
- 1 1/8" launch lug
- 1 Waterslide decal
The kit instructions are practically flawless. If you can follow them, you can build this glider. The lasered lines in the stabilizer and small rudders are really a nice feature. It makes assembly in those areas very simple. One small point, the instructions say to round edges and airfoil wings after assembly is complete. I disagree. Do the sanding before assembly when parts are much more accessible and easier to sand.
Finishing:
In gliders, paint is not normally used. The extra weight will reduce glide time and performance. While some like to
fly gliders "nekkid", I like to use fabric dye to color balsa parts before assembly. Of course you must do
all sanding before the dying process. After final assembly, 2 coats of thinned, clear dope make for a nice
smooth finish without too much added weight.
Construction Rating: 5 out of 5
Flight:
First flight was good. I had no 1/2A6-2 or A8-3 motors so I used a 13mm 1/2A3-2T. Using an adapter I built (see pics)
to pop out of the Hawk motor mount, the 13mm motor boosted the small glider beautifully. Boost was nice and vertical,
at ejection a nice loud pop, and my motor adapter floated down on its mylar streamer. The glider however was a bit nose
heavy and landed not too long after the motor pod.
Second flight: tail weight added and same motor. Still a straight boost. Much better glide, though still a touch nose heavy.
Third flight: more tail weight added plus on wing tip to aid in turn rate. On boost, it arced over some but did not affect the boost very much. Much better glide, with a nice gentle left turn. Stayed up for about 45 seconds.
Recovery:
I like the motor ejection for transition to glide. It is somewhat dangerous as on all three of my flights, I could
see where the motor had scraped on the tail boom. The top side of the wings, right next to the main boom, may need some
mylar tape, or some other type of protection from the motor exhaust. After just three flights, I had a nice burned
section on one wing.
Flight Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
I like this glider kit very much. The nice laser cut parts and easy to follow instructions make this kit a certain
favorite for anyone who like to fly gliders. The only CON I have for the whole kit is the one part in the instructions
that say to sand all edges after final assembly. Much too difficult with this small glider.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Other Reviews
- Semroc Hawk By Tyler Jones (March 29, 2009)
Brief: The Hawk is a boost glider that uses a rocket engine to get itself in the air. It is a "Retro-Repro" of an older rocket. Semroc is selling them for $7.50 right now so I decided to pick one up. Construction: When I bought the kit I figured there wouldn't be very many pieces. I got it and found only 5 parts in the whole kit. It comes with: 1 BT-20J ...
- Semroc Hawk By Paul Morris (March 22, 2009)
Brief: A retro boost glider that was purchased for me by my nephew and niece for my birthday. This was the first model rocket that I have built since I had a stroke--and it proved a bit of a challenge. Construction: The kit comes in a bag and contains: motor mount 2 balsa sheets of parts balsa nose cone decal launch lug The balsa was light, ...
- Semroc Hawk By Matt Gillard (March 22, 2009)
Brief: A Retro-Repro production from 1965. The Hawk is a quick to build boost glider that ejects its motor and glides back down. Flies almost from the building board. Construction: Kit comes in a plastic bag and contains: 1 instruction booklet 2 3/32" balsa part sheets 1 BT-20 motor tube 1 Balsa nose cone 1 1/8" launch lug 1 Hawk decal ...
- Semroc Hawk By Jim Bassham (March 7, 2009)
Brief: This is Semroc's Retro-Repro kit of the 1965 AMROCS Hawk. It is a swept-wing boost-glider that uses motor ejection to change CG at apogee. Construction: The kit consists of a balsa nose cone, an 18mm motor tube, a launch lug, a waterslide decal, and two sheets of laser-cut balsa parts. The instructions in this Semroc kit were well written, logical, and generously ...
- Semroc Hawk By Hans "Chris" Michielssen (February 7, 2009)
Brief: I put my order into Semroc during their end of the year Christmas discount. My order was already over $40.00 and the Hawk was a free kit! I added an extra Hawk to my order. One to build, one to hoard. I had an AMROCS catalog in the early 1970s. I remember thinking it was a near twin to the Estes Falcon. With laser cut fins, this kit went together much easier than my ...
- Semroc Hawk By Howard Smart (January 31, 2009)
Brief: Near reproduction of a boost glider (BG) kit from 1965 made by AMROCS. This is a forward motor BG which changes from boost to glide by ejecting the motor casing, shifting its CG to the rear for gliding flight. Construction: This kit contains: (2) Balsa fin sheets - laser cut Nose cone - Balsa Motor mount 18mm Launch lug Decal Construction was ...
- Semroc Hawk By Chan Stevens (January 3, 2009)
Brief: The Hawk was originally introduced by Advanced Model Rocket Systems (AMROCS) in 1965. Its design is very much like the Estes Falcon. It's technically a boost glider, although it doesn't use a carrier vehicle, instead relying on ejecting the motor to handle the necessary shift in CG/CP relationship. This Semroc "retro repro" faithfully reproduces the original ...
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