Brief:
This is a semi-scale model o' t' Canadian soundin' rocket, manufactured by Bristol Aerospace. Begad! Begad! Accordin' t' PML, it is designed t' fly on G-I motors.

Construction:
T' kit comes with three (3) pre-cut G10 fins, a pre-slotted QT airframe (or an optional phenolic one), arrr, matey, a 4:1 ogive plastic nose cone, ya bilge rat, me hearties, plywood centerin' rings, a 30 inch nylon parachute, arrr, 38mm phenolic motor mount tube, a 1/4 inch brass launch lug, matey, shiver me timbers, a heavy-duty nylon strap, matey, a length o' woven elastic, and some "peel 'n stick"-type decals.

I've had t' opportunity t' build both t' QT and phenolic version o' this kit. Frankly, I don't really have a preference in which material I used, now that I've tried both. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Phenolic be t' way t' go if you intend t' glass the airframe, matey, and use bigger motors. Avast, me proud beauty! However, if you intend t' stick t' mid-power motors, and H or light I motors, then QT is by far t' way t' go. Avast, me proud beauty! I really likely nay havin' t' fill in that spiral, me bucko, arrr, arrr, which I've found can be a pretty serious job on phenolic tubes. T' thin' t' watch is that you sand thoroughly (with coarse grit) any QT parts you are epoxying.

T' instructions for t' kit are pretty basic and straight-forward. Well, blow me down! There's not a lot you can write up, arrr, me hearties, for a basic 3FNC rocket anyway. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Construction steps are logical, shiver me timbers, arrr, and any "gotcha's" are pointed out... Begad! like makin' sure the piston strap (which is epoxied t' t' motor mount) is nay positioned in a manner t' interfere with t' installation o' t' fins. Aye aye! Ahoy! In both cases, arrr, I build the kit stock, arrr, except for t' home-made motor retention, and t' addition o' a vent-hole in me second one (the QT version). Aye aye! Avast!

All t' parts fit well, me hearties, aside for t' usual sandin' o' t' centerin' rings and fins t' get a precise fit. Well, blow me down!

No motor retention is provided, matey, so I installed me own version of "Kaplow Klips", ya bilge rat, me bucko, a pair o' blind nuts in t' aft centerin' ring, ya bilge rat, and a pair o' mirror mountin' brackets I picked up at t' hardware store. Begad! these things turned out t' be a perfect fit when usin' SU motors, ya bilge rat, even with t' 29mm adapter in place. Arrr! Overall, t' toughest part o' buildin' this rocket was waitin' for t' epoxy t' cure.

Finishing:
This is where that Quantum Tubin' really comes into it's own. Begad! When I built the phenolic version o' this kit, I spent a lot o' time fillin' and sandin' those darned spiral grooves in t' airframe. Avast! Blimey! With t' QT, me hearties, all I have t' do be rough it up a bit t' help t' primer adhere! Blimey! Paintin' was pretty simple. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I gave the ship a couple o' coats o' Krylon white primer, sandin' betwixt each coat. Next, I shot several coats o' gloss white on one fin (I picked t' one opposite the launch lug) and t' nose cone, again sandin' betwixt coats. After that, I set the nose aside, me hearties, me bucko, masked off t' white fin, and sprayed t' rest o' t' rocket with a gloss red Krylon. Well, blow me down! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Again, I used several coats, with wet-sandin' between each. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! Then, it was necessary t' mask off t' rest o' t' rocket so I could paint t' brown band at t' front o' t' airframe. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! That be it for paint. Arrr! Once it had time t' completely dry, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I gave it a couple o' coats o' Krylon Clear Coat.

Now, ya bilge rat, on t' real rocket, thar be a narrow metal band at t' very top o' the airframe. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' replicate this, me hearties, matey, I used a strip o' silver decal from an auto detailin' kit. It adheres well, me hearties, and looks about right. Ya scallywag! Begad! Also, t' real rocket has a pair o' white stripes runnin' down t' side o' t' rocket. Well, blow me down! I chose t' not paint these, me hearties, me bucko, arrr, since maskin' materials and I don't get along real well. Arrr! So, shiver me timbers, I got a length o' white vinyl decal material from a local art supply shop. Ahoy! I made measurements from Peter Alway's Rockets o' t' World, and cut out t' strips I needed. I be worried about how well this stuff would adhere, but it's doing fine so far. After that, matey, I applied t' decals, referencin' both t' kit instructions, and Rockets o' t' World. Begad! These went on with a minimum o' fuss (for peel 'n stick, me bucko, anyway). Ahoy! Finally, arrr, me bucko, I applied a final coat o' clear t' seal everything. Begad! T' final product looks pretty slick!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
PML recommends a variety o' motors, matey, from G t' I for this rocket. Ya scallywag! My first flight (and only, for t' phenolic one) be t' be me CAR level 1 cert flight, usin' an H123 with a 10 second delay. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Unfortunately, arrr, t' motor suffered a blown-by a split second after lift-off. T' nose, arrr, piston and parachute were blown free (the nylon strap be burned through), and t' rocket continued straight up with a fireball where t' nose should have been. Well, blow me down! Fortunately the flames burned out before it lawn-darted, but t' impact destroyed whatever was left o' t' airframe, forward o' t' fins. Still... Well, blow me down! despite t' sudden, low-speed deployment o' t' nose and chute (the rocket had just cleared the rod), me hearties, it had managed t' continue on a stable flight-path.

Flight number two was an F50-6, shiver me timbers, approximately a year after t' first disaster. Ahoy! Blimey! PML does nay recommend anythin' smaller than a G for this rocket, but Rocksim shows a predicted altitude o' about 700 feet on this motor. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Boost was nice and straight, ya bilge rat, and t' flight was nominal. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Blimey! T' only downside was t' rocket landin' on a runway, me hearties, shiver me timbers, which scarred it a bit, matey, arrr, and took a small chunk out o' one fin-tip.

Recovery:
T' shock cord system in t' kit is a two-piece affair: a thick nylon strap connects t' piston t' t' motor mount. Aye aye! Blimey! T' piston, in turn, matey, me hearties, is connected to the nose cone by a length o' woven elastic (I understand this has recently been replaced with tubular nylon). Avast! Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' nylon parachute is attached t' t' upper length o' shock cord. Avast! Ahoy! T' piston itself is a phenolic tube coupler, a slotted bulkhead, and a D-ring. Begad! Seems t' work well, shiver me timbers, but you have t' pay attention to the fit o' t' piston. Avast! Begad! Prior t' t' launch o' me first BB V, I found that the heat o' t' day had caused t' piston t' fit a bit too tightly in t' airframe, and had t' sand it down a bit t' loosen t' fit. Avast! T' provided chute seems plenty tough, and is probably a good size, shiver me timbers, as long as you know t' rocket will be recoverin' on softer ground. Aye aye! If you run t' risk o' it landin' on something really unforgivin' (like a runway), I'd suggest you move up a size for the parachute. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall, matey, I'm very happy with me Black Brant Vb. Begad! Arrr! It's a slick-lookin' rocket, and flies on a nice variety o' motors. Begad! I'd say it's an excellent kit for anyone who is just movin' up t' HPR, shiver me timbers, and wants t' be able t' fly a rocket on both HPR and mid-power motors. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! As for pros and cons... Aye aye! Blimey! well, I don't really have any cons for this rocket. T' design is basic enough that you'd have t' work at makin' problems. Ahoy! Avast! In fact, it's simplicity is probably its biggest pro, me hearties, making it a good startin' point in HPR.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5