This project is a build o' t' Semroc Cherokee-D kit. Ahoy!

Semroc makes a great kit. Blimey! T' kit has a 24mm motor mount for D-engines but also includes an 18mm converter so you can fly it with lower power engines. T' nice thin' about this is that t' 18mm mount can just be inserted for flights with smaller engines and then removed; it does nay get glued in. Arrr! There are decals so I will have t' see how they work out, shiver me timbers, I have nay had a Semroc kit with decals yet. T' other things that stands out are that t' motor mount adaptor rings for t' 24mm mount are fiber rings, shiver me timbers, nay cardboard and t' assembly instructions and parts list are 3-hole punched so if you like t' save them in a binder they are ready t' go.

I originally picked up some Createx Opaque white and transparent red paint plannin' t' use me airbrush for this project. Arrr! Havin' decided I wanted an enamel finish I went back t' t' store and picked up a couple cans o' Rustoleum gloss protective enamel.

Here are t' 24mm and 18mm motor mounts assembled. There is a kevlar cord that gets attached t' t' mount t' later be tied t' t' shock cord so thar there will be no need t' glue a shock cord t' t' inside o' t' body tube. Begad!

Since I don't have a fin alignment tool I use somethin' like a plumb-bob. It is a wooden dowel with some thread and a small weight on t' bottom. I secure t' dowel so that t' thread hangs down behind t' fins. Begad! This will help me get t' fins perpendicular t' t' body tube while linin' them up by eye. T' other thin' I like t' do is t' draw 2 lines for each fin which further helps me get them in t' right spot. Aye aye!

Here is a shot o' t' plumb-bob set up. You still need a good eye t' get them right but it does help. Avast, me proud beauty!

Makin' t' fin fillets. Arrr! Below is one o' t' fins masked and ready for t' epoxy. I am usin' LOCTITE 60 minute epoxy. Ahoy!

After applyin' t' epoxy with an ice cream stick I smoothed it in with a small piece o' PVC. A paper towel and rubbin' alcohol work great t' wipe t' epoxy off t' PVC and t' alcohol helps t' PVC glide nicly over t' fillet. Arrr! Once t' epoxy is smoothed over and all excess removed I carefully remove t' tape and set t' rocket aside t' dry.

Here is one o' t' fins with a finished fillet. Ya scallywag!

I am usin' Elmers Carpenters Wood Filler on t' balsa wood, tube spirals and t' fin fillets havin' t' filler watered down t' a medium-thin consistancy that brushes on easily. Well, blow me down! I read that this might cause t' balsa wood t' warp. Although I have never had any trouble I suspect if t' fins were nay glued on it would be possible for them t' warp. Avast, me proud beauty! If you are tryin' this you might want t' keep that in mind. Arrr!

I tend t' go a little heavy on t' filler but it sands off very easy.

Here is one o' t' nose.

T' first coat o' filler is sanded off usin' 220, 600, 1200 and then 2000 grit. I picked up t' 2000 grit in t' an auto body shop. T' 2000 works great for light sandings betwixt paint coats. Ya scallywag! I will repeat this process 1 or 2 more times before startin' t' primer paint. Blimey! Some o' me techniques may be a little over kill but I like t' experiment and see what works best for me. A rocket could take me a while t' complete but I have fun workin' on them. Blimey!

I covered t' entire model with 2 coats o' Dupli-Color Filler Primer with sandings betwixt coats.I used t' same 220, 600, 1200 and 2000 grit paper for t' sandings. Begad!

Ready t' start t' paint

I had a lot o' problems with t' Rustoleum but it be all due t' a combination o' user error and bad luck. I hadn't used spray cans all that much since I started usin' an airbrush and I ended up applyin' t' paint way t' heavy causin' drips. Begad! Blimey! After t' paint dried I sanded t' drips down and applied a second coat hopin' I would be able t' blend in t' areas that had t' drips. A freak gust o' wind pummeled t' rocket with some airbourn debris texturin' it on one side just seconds after sprayin' on t' second coat o' paint! Blimey! I ended up havin' t' sand t' rocket back down t' t' primer and start all over. Begad! Blimey! When it be finished, shiver me timbers, I was suprised, it actually looked ok. Avast! Blimey! T' Rustoleum has a superior finish as compared t' t' Createx airbrush colors and I be pretty happy with t' results. Ahoy! Blimey!

All set t' apply t' decals.

T' Semroc decals worked great and went on trouble free. Begad! I am really happy with t' results.