BRIEF:

I first saw t' Public Missiles Phantom in a little brochure sent t' me home. Ahoy! It be a new release for fall o' 1998 and I really liked t' looks o' t' kit. Aye aye! It is me second PML kit, ya bilge rat, arrr, with me first bein' t' Callisto which was me Level I certification rocket. Arrr!

CONSTRUCTION:

There are many things t' t' Callisto and t' Phantom have in common, includin' t' 2.1" diameter, pre-slotted, PML phenolic airframe, me bucko, plastic nose cone, ya bilge rat, piston recovery system and approximate height o' 46". However, arrr, matey, t' Phantom carries a 38mm motor mount, shiver me timbers, a 12" payload section, arrr, a larger parachute and a unique 6-fin design. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' average finished weight is 26 ounces accordin' t' t' instructions, shiver me timbers, however PML's webpage says 32 ounces. Aye aye! My finished model weighed 29 ounces . Blimey! Arrr! . Aye aye! . Arrr! and then 31 ounces. Begad! PML indicated t' instructions were nay correct.

T' instructions were clear with illustrations t' help ensure a successful build. Begad! You will need 5 minute and 15 minute epoxy and sand paper t' rough up t' parts before gluing. Blimey! This was noted in t' instructions.

T' Phantom uses a 9.5" motor tube t' which 4" o' t' piston strap (1" nylon rated t' 4000 lbs) is glued to. Begad! Avast! T' 1/4" plywood, upper centerin' rin' be pre-slotted t' allow clearance o' t' piston strap. T' piston strap is then connected t' t' piston "D" ring, shiver me timbers, which is attached t' t' 108" long, 3/4" wide elastic shock cord, which in turn is connected t' t' payload bulkhead.

All t' parts were cut precisely and fit very well. Avast! T' six fins are PML's G-10 fiberglass which are passed through t' slotted airframe and glued against t' motor tube. Avast! Just be sure t' look closely at t' fins t' ensure t' correct orientation. Avast, me proud beauty! This is especially true on t' smaller fins (4 o' them) since t' leadin' edge is 3½ and t' trailin' edge is 2¾.

T' kit uses a 30" PML's Dura-Chute parachute, me hearties, shiver me timbers, matey, which is high quality rip-stop nylon with a spill hole. There are also two brass 1/4" launch lugs.

For finishin' I wanted somethin' really different. I started with Elmers' Wood Filler t' fill t' spirals, me hearties, matey, then several good coats o' Plasti-Kote primer. Avast! I then chose a crackle paint kit from a local craft store and went t' town. Aye aye! Arrr! T' kit included a gold base with a black crackle top coating. Blimey! I then hit t' whole thin' with a clear coat. Ahoy! It turned out really nice in me opinion. Ahoy!

I contacted a color coordinator (my wife) t' determine if t' red, arrr, white and black Phantom decals looked good with me paint job. Begad! It was determined that it took away from t' effect and therefore they were nay used. However, t' decals are peel & stick type and thar are two Phantom, arrr, some strips and other enhancers along with a couple o' "Cert: Level 1" and some center o' pressure symbols. Ahoy! Actually a very nice collection o' decals.

I built a 38mm t' 29mm motor adaptor since I do nay currently have a 38mm motor system. Ya scallywag! I should have purchased PML's Kwik-Switch system, but I didn't. Arrr! I build a motor retention system and mounted t' 29mm adaptor t' t' 38mm motor mount.

Overall, shiver me timbers, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4.5 points. Straight forward and relatively easy t' assemble. Well, me bucko, blow me down! With t' 38mm mount thar be very little room on t' centerin' rin' t' put motor retention hardware.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

At NOVAAR's first sport launch o' 1999, shiver me timbers, I readied me Aerotech RMS - 29/40-120 Reloadable Motor System. Avast! I prepped an F52-5 and was enjoyin' all t' nice comments about t' Phantom's looks. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I friction fit t' nose cone t' ensure nay losin' it (the instructions have you drill an 1/8" vent hole t' equalize pressure in t' payload section). Arrr! Arrr! I popped t' payload section off, checked and refolded t' parachute, arrr, put in a piece o' waddin' into t' motor mount then loaded t' motor.

T' launch was stable and straight. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Very smooth as it reached apogee, me hearties, leaned over and started back toward t' ground. Avast, me proud beauty! It never ejected and upon impact looked as though it exploded as t' phenolic shattered into pieces. Begad! What happened?

T' motor's ejection charge went off and it looked as if t' piston never moved (hard t' say after an impact but t' piston was still in t' unshattered portion o' t' rocket). Here is what I think:

I'm nay goin' t' bad-mouth PML's piston system as I have seen others do because I have 6 flights on me Callisto and never a problem. Ya scallywag! I think I made two mistakes. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! First, I built t' rocket in t' winter time and checked t' piston movement then and it was good with no sanding. Arrr! Well, blow me down! It be warmer on launch day AND second, me bucko, me bucko, I never pulled t' piston out upon preparation. Ahoy! I only refolded t' parachute.

Amazingly t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, once retrieved from bein' completely embedded into t' ground, matey, was nay damaged in any way. T' entire fin section is also in good shape which I attribute t' t' use o' phenolic (brittle) tubing. Ya scallywag! Begad! I personally think from havin' this experience with paper that t' shock o' t' impact would have damaged t' fin section worse if it wasn't phenolic. I think that as t' phenolic shatters t' energy is better absorbed. Therefore, she is goin' t' fly again, ya bilge rat, with t' piston system.

REPAIRS:

Repairin' t' Phantom was so easy. I simply cut off t' ragged edge o' tubin' above t' fins, measured a cut a new body tube and put it all together. Well, blow me down! Upon t' rebuild I didn't make a new payload section, I simply made t' rocket t' same length without it. Well, blow me down! Also since t' shock cord was still attached t' t' motor mount, I had t' split a coupler lengthwise t' use betwixt t' old fin section and new body tube.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY (again):

This time t' Phantom be loaded up with a F52-5T. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Launch was perfectly straight without t' slightest oscillation. Arrr! Reached apogee, then about 1 second later t' nose cone separated. Ya scallywag! Where's t' 'chute? Where's t' 'chute? T' parachute never came out and t' rocket landed hard horizontally on t' ground. Some chipped paint and a small crack o' one fin fillet.

Well, this just would nay do, so I loaded it up with a G80-7. Well, arrr, blow me down! Pow off t' pad with t' big flame o' a G80! Up and up, me hearties, me hearties, arc, deployment . Blimey! Avast! . Blimey! . Begad! full deployment this time. Well, blow me down! T' Phantom uses a 30" 'chute and it descended fairly rapidly and hit fairly hard. Arrr! Begad! No damage.

Let's see that again. Ahoy! Arrr! Loaded another G80-7. Pow! Off she went. Arrr! This time it was about a second after apogee and again full deployment and successful (although rapid) recovery. Begad! Well, blow me down! I think this bird could use a bit larger parachute.

So after thinkin' about this, me hearties, me bucko, I have concluded that either t' Phantom was lettin' me know it wanted more power or I may have been nay puttin' enough ejection charge powder. Arrr! Aye aye! I will fly here again on me RMS casing, but this time usin' t' full charge.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this kit 4 points. Each launch produced a very straight flight. Blimey! Blimey! These are t' ones that really make t' modeler feel proud o' t' construction. Blimey! Descent it really quite fast and that's from a guy that would rather have a faster descent than not. T' ejection issues are nay deductin' any points here since I believe they were me fault.

Overall, me bucko, t' Phantom is a sharp lookin' rocket with t' 6 fins makin' it unique. Ya scallywag! Ease o' construction and super straight flights make this a very nice rocket for your Level I certification or just gettin' into HPR. Ya scallywag! Avast! I would suggest gettin' or buildin' a 29/38mm adaptor t' get yourself more motor versatility. Aye aye! I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4.5 points.