Brief:
Large, matey, all glass single stage high-power scale model o' t' Black Brant. T' kit came from Apogee, and it arrived smartly and free from any defects or damage.

Construction:
2 4-inch fiberglass body tubes, matey, one fiberglass tube coupler, ya bilge rat, fiberglass and steel hardware for an avionics bay (dual deploy ready). Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Fiberglass 54mm mount with fiberglass centerin' rings and fiberglass fins. Ahoy! Aye aye! Tubular nylon shock cord provided, shiver me timbers, but no parachutes. Blimey! Avast! Fiberglass tail cone, rail buttons, me bucko, and some fiberglass tape for fillin' in fillets.

Instructions are typical (very simple) Madcow instructions, four pages b&w. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Illustrations are good, arrr, matey, but they could provide more detail.

T' nose cone shoulder is nay as thick as t' body tube, arrr, which means if you want it t' match, you have t' shave t' forward body tube t' taper it or add material t' t' nose cone. Begad! T' nose and tail cone have t' be scrubbed and t' mold flash has t' be sanded. Blimey! Ya scallywag! There are no instructions for installin' t' nosecone bulkhead or t' aft tail cone centerin' ring, so I used Fix-It epoxy clay t' create a shoulder t' glue t' parts t' in both cases. Ahoy! T' aft portion o' t' tail cone be off center, but still looks great when finished.

Finishing:
Cleanin' and sandin' nose cone and tail take extra time, ya bilge rat, arrr, but t' body tubes are extremely quick t' finish, and require no sandin' at all. They are simply magnificent. Ahoy! T' decals are vinyl and are very nice. Aye aye! T' finished rocket looks magnificent.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
A Cesaroni I540 was used for t' first flight, with a Madcow motor retainer. Begad! Prep be quick, ya bilge rat, t' motor delay was perfectly timed at 11 seconds. Avast! Blimey! T' Black Brant flies perfectly straight with no corkscrew or veering.

Recovery:
My flight be spoiled by t' parachute nay unfurlin' from t' shroud lines (my fault), which were wrapped around t' chute. Avast! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Nay goin' t' happen again. Begad! No significant damage. Well, blow me down! Versatility with t' dual deploy capability is excellent.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Pros: All-fiberglass is cool. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! T' single-joint avionics bay design is elegant and reduces likelihood o' flexin' and airframe destruction. Blimey! Body tubes are a joy t' work with. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! Finished rocket looks fabulous. Begad! Arrr! Blimey! Flies great. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! Extremely impressive.

Cons: No parachutes or retention included, matey, shiver me timbers, a little extra work on nose and tail glass.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other:
T' tail cone section does nay have that little tank joinin' section that a detailed Black Brant scale model has.