Brief:
This is a Blackhawk R&D 5.5" semi-custom Phoenix. Ya scallywag! T' original Phoenix had a single 54mm motor mount, and I had it changed t' (5) 38mm motor mounts. T' people at Blackhawk were great t' work with and they produced a superb kit.

Construction:
T' kit came with (1) 5.5" kraft paper airframe tube, shiver me timbers, (1) 5.5" kraft paper payload section, (1) tube coupler, (5) 38mm motor tubes, (3) plywood centerin' rings, (1) plywood bulkhead, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, recovery attachment hardware, arrr, (1) tubular nylon shock cord, (1) set o' 8 plywood fins, and (1) 5.5" plastic nose cone. Blimey! T' save money, I supplied t' recovery parachutes myself. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Also, the airframe was pre-slotted, and everythin' arrived in perfect condition.

Because this be a high power kit, thar were no instructions supplied with it (as with all o' Blackhawk's larger kits) This allows you t' construct it the way you want, me bucko, and nay have t' follow exact instructions. Begad!

This kit has standard, straightforward construction except for t' eight fins, me bucko, and it went together perfectly aside from a couple o' (and expected) tight fits with t' motor mount. Aye aye! Ahoy! I used a new gluin' technique with this bird, also. Begad! I mixed Great Plains milled fiberglass (fiberglass dust) into me epoxy. This greatly improved its strength and dryin' time. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down!

T' rocket was assembled primarily with Devcon 2-ton (2 hr.) epoxy mixed with fiberglass dust. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I also used some 5 minute Devcon and glass dust in some small spots, some Hobby Poxy and glass dust on parts o' t' motor mount, and I also used a few other interesting adhesives with t' fins. Arrr! For t' aft set o' fins, shiver me timbers, I attached them with 2-ton Devcon and glass dust, me hearties, and I glassed t' fin/airframe joints with 5-minute epoxy and heavy glass (sorry...I can't remember it's weight). Well, blow me down! For t' forward fins I used Devcon 2-ton with glass dust, arrr, then a fillet layer o' Elmers Pro-Bond wood glue and fiberglass dust, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, matey, and finally I filleted t' fins with JB Weld mixed with glass dust. Ahoy! Aye aye! This provided a bond that was surprisingly firmer and stronger than t' glassed and 2-ton epoxied aft fins. Ya scallywag! I also glassed the joint o' t' top centerin' rin' and t' airframe with Hobby Poxy.

Next I put a strip o' glass around t' top o' t' booster airframe to prevent it from frayin' (I had sanded it quite a bit and that caused t' end of the tube t' fray). Well, blow me down! Begad! Because o' its heavy motor mount and many fins, ya bilge rat, this rocket needed some nose weight. Ya scallywag! Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, I got a little happy with it and put in around *9 LBS* o' sand in t' nose. Begad! Ahoy! (hey, arrr, it doesn't hurt t' be on t' safe side!) For recovery I used (2) 36" 'chutes on t' booster, me hearties, and borrowed a 60" for t' ridiculously heavy payload section. Ya scallywag! Lastly, I replaced t' 1/2" lug with rail guides that were attached at t' launch with t' help o' John Gordon (thanx John!). Well, blow me down! I also used four wood screws with washers on them for motor retention, shiver me timbers, and two Keelhaul®©™® 'chute protectors.

Finishing:
I filled t' body with bondo, and then I sanded, arrr, and sanded, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and sanded, ya bilge rat, and sanded some more. Then I primed and sanded and primed and sanded. Next I painted t' body with Rustoleum white and white Appliance Epoxy. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I then masked it and painted on some blue and yellow semi-scale markings, me bucko, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and I painted the tip o' t' nose silver. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Finally, I gave it a few coats o' clear polyurethane. Well, blow me down!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I be plannin' on flyin' this at t' Tripoli SC Freedom launch on a full load (4 Pro38 G60's, shiver me timbers, and one Pro38 J330) with Andy from Blackhawk R&D bein' my flight sponsor (I'm under 18). Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! BUT, t' Pro38 J didn't materialize, and the weather for t' only day I was at t' launch was totally crappy. Well, blow me down! Begad! There be a low ceiling, and it drizzled off and on for much o' t' day. Arrr! But by around 3:00 the ceilin' had raised enough t' fly. Ya scallywag! So, I talked with me Prefect and we came up with (1)I435T, me bucko, and (2)G60's. It wouldn't be any more than 1000ft altitude, but it would be loud and fiery (and that would make up for t' altitude). Well now we couldn't locate his 38/600 case, ya bilge rat, arrr, or find anythin' t' plug t' empty motor tubes with! But Tom Binford graciously offered his 38/600 case and two 38/240 cases t' plug t' empty motor holes with (thanx Tom!!). Blimey! Begad! Then we assembled t' motors, signed t' flight card, and headed for t' pads. Begad! I used Blacksky Hi-RMI mini matches for ignition o' t' Pro38 G60's (with their blackpowder ignition pellet that's all you need), me hearties, me hearties, and I got a small piece of thermalite t' tape on t' t' t' Hi-RMI mini match for t' I435T. Ahoy! Finally it was time...5...4...3...2...1...Ignition! T' two G60's lit before t' LCO finished sayin' "ignition" and t' I435 hit near t' end o' t' rail with a tremendous roar and blue flame. After everythin' burned out, matey, t' rocket was literally whistling, and with it's weight, it smartly reached apogee and started back down.

Recovery:
I was usin' ejection from t' two G60's. Well, blow me down! Their delay was set for 5 seconds. They ran a bit long but nay long enough t' hurt anything, and t' rocket hit apogee and headed down a bit, and then t' ejection charges fired and separated everything. Well, blow me down! T' two 36" booster 'chutes deployed fine, but t' 60" payload section 'chute be wrapped too tightly (oops), matey, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and it never deployed. T' 10lb. Arrr! Blimey! payload section came in hot. Aye aye! Blimey! Thank goodness it went over t' crowd and out into t' middle o' t' field. T' impact o' this thin' was so intense that it shoved t' epoxied tube coupler almost all t' way up into t' payload section, and t' nose be pretty well buried. Ahoy! Ahoy! Blimey! But with some strength, ya bilge rat, matey, t' nose was removed, arrr, ya bilge rat, and what a hole it left! Blimey! Thankfully, t' sand kept t' nose shape...it just needs t' be cleaned and repainted. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, me hearties, t' payload tube was slightly crimped so I will have t' replace that. Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! But really, that was the only damage t' t' vehicle except for t' loss o' paint on t' nose. Begad!

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
This is one great kit. Arrr! Blackhawk be easy t' work with, and they did a great job. I can identify absolutely no problems with it...except t' ones I caused! All I want t' say is that I highly recommend Blackhawk for good quality, WELL PRICED custom work, arrr, and for great kits. Buildin' this be a great experience...I can't wait t' fly it on a full load! (1)I435T, (2)I300T, me hearties, shiver me timbers, matey, and (2)H242T here we come!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5