Picture courtesy o' Cycline3 from eBay    

Brief:
This is a single stage rocket made by a company called Cycline3. Begad! It is named the #002b and is described as an "Ultra High Performance Mid Power Rocket". I ordered it directly from Cycline3, ya bilge rat, as well as one o' their other kits, t' #004 Poison Arrow which I will build next. Aye aye! Ahoy! It looks like I bought these just in time, as a week later t' Cycline3.com website for rockets stated that they are closed until sometime in 2003. Ahoy! This rocket came with a CD containin' videos o' Cycline3 and other rocket launches. I was nay expecting that and it was a nice surprise. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Really cool videos with music.

Construction:
This #002b kit came in an Estes-type retail package, ya bilge rat, a plastic bag with a peg ready header card. Ahoy! Arrr! Blimey! It included an 18" x 1.64" body tube (BT-60), black plastic nose cone, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, 1/8" Balsa stock sheet for fins, arrr, thin cardboard for motor rings (A blue index card!), ya bilge rat, 24mm engine tube long enough for Estes E engines, arrr, me bucko, me bucko, 12 foot long heavy duty elastic shock cord, ya bilge rat, arrr, 2 railbuttons, arrr, brass snap swivel, me hearties, fabric parachute and a large nice quality silver flame decal which is a foot long. Also has a nice 6 page 8.5" x 11" manual.

This rocket is designed t' be built with a very light type motor tube centerin' ring unlike any kit I have ever seen. Arrr! It calls for polyurethane glue and here is why; T' engine centerin' rings are t' be cut with t' provided template from a thin paper index card. Ahoy! No kidding. Begad! I was shocked. Avast, me proud beauty! T' manual explains that they are nay load bearing. Well, blow me down! By design, t' load bearin' aspect betwixt t' motor tube and body, will be a rin' o' polyurethane glue for which t' index card paper rings are only a guide. Aye aye! I think that is a very interestin' idea yet I didn't go that way. I used two thin cardboard die-cut centerin' rings from a Mean Machine kit. T' Cycline3 #002b did nay come with a motor clip or thrust rin' by design, arrr, ya bilge rat, t' keep it very light as explained in t' manual. Begad! I went ahead and added a thrust rin' and standard Estes D length motor clip.

In retrospect, I sort o' wish I had built this kit as it was designed. Ahoy! In fact I plan on orderin' another one and doin' just that. T' polyurethane motor to body tube centerin' rin' is interesting. I just didn't have any polyurethane glue. Begad! And I feel better about havin' a thrust rin' and motor clip in thar as opposed t' t' maskin' tape friction fit as per t' kits design. Aye aye!

T' fins were a snap t' cut and t' Balsa be good quality 1/8". Ya scallywag! There was just enough for t' three fins. Ahoy! T' instructions state "Do nay round the edges". Well, blow me down! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! No problem. Begad!

I did somethin' a little different with this rocket which I have never tried before. Ya scallywag! Begad! I outlined where t' fins would mount and then used a very sharp push pin and made (5) holes in t' body tube at each fin position. I then applied a generous bead o' CA t' t' fin roots and used an Estes fin alignment guide with clips. Ya scallywag! When mountin' t' fins like that, shiver me timbers, t' CA goes into t' holes which I believe will make for some strong and secure fins. Ahoy! I also sanded off the glassine layer from t' body tube before mountin' t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Finally I used a two part epoxy putty called FIXIT which I purchased from Apogee, shiver me timbers, t' make some nice fin fillets. Avast! T' FIXIT epoxy putty can be worked with for over an hour, and it is a self hardenin' bondin' and fillin' agent with t' strength of aluminum. Ya scallywag!

T' kit was complete and fun t' build with very good instructions. Ya scallywag! Blimey! While I did nay go by t' instructions, I'm goin' t' have t' give it a 5/5 as I don't see any way t' improve on how it is intended t' be built. Blimey! My own methods were just by personal choice.

Finishing:
It's first flight be unpainted. Aye aye! I have since gone with t' color scheme shown on t' package and in t' CD videos. Begad! Black. Well, blow me down! I was nearly out o' primer so it only got a very light layer o' primer. Arrr! Begad! Then gloss black. T' silver flame sticker be t' best quality I have ever seen in any rocket kit. Well, blow me down! You peel off one plastic side and apply t' decal. Then remove t' other plastic backing side. It goes on good and looks very nice.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
There are no specific recommended motors. Begad! T' kit just states that it is designed for 24mm C through F power. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It also says on t' front o' the package/manual that it goes up t' 3500 feet. Begad! T' instruction manual is one of the best I have ever seen, matey, as it goes into detail and explains why each o' the suggested construction methods are selected.

I put a few sheets o' waddin' in it and introduced it t' it's first flight motor, shiver me timbers, an Estes C11-5. Ahoy! It flew perfectly and was very stable. Ya scallywag! It seems t' be cryin' for a D for t' next flight. Ahoy! I might use a 24mm t' 18mm adapter and pop in an Aerotech D21-7 Blue Thunder. T' fins seem small for a rocket this size but they do t' job and it sure does fly straight up, stable and high. Avast! Arrr! One should be quite careful with this one, me hearties, cause it will most certainly go out of sight. Aye aye! Avast! A few tablespoons o' construction line chalk on top o' t' waddin' would be a good idea, as t' cause a chalk cloud t' get an eye on it at ejection. When flyin' it on a D or above, me bucko, I suggest at least a 7 second delay. Begad! Ahoy!

Recovery:
This comes with a very tuff, me bucko, unique and nice quality rectangular light fabric parachute which is sort o' a peach color. Avast! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It is called a "Frankenchute". T' chute looks very strong and I think t' nice quality 'chute is a superb feature o' this kit. Arrr! This rocket is designed t' use the Estes-type triple folded shock cord mount. Begad! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! It suggests puttin' a staple through it and then usin' epoxy t' secure it t' t' inside o' t' body. Ya scallywag! This kit comes with a 12 foot long shock cord, me bucko, arrr, yes! Now that's how it should be and I am impressed. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Yes I used me own type o' shock cord mount. Arrr! Usin' a loop of Keelhaul®©™® I mounted it on both ends through t' top engine centerin' ring, with some knots and CA! Blimey! t' keep it in thar forever. Arrr! I then tied a knot about an inch from t' top o' t' loop so I basically have a dual mount. Ahoy! T' Keelhaul®©™® is supposed t' be fireproof but even if one side burns through, t' other will still work. Ahoy! I made certain t' have this loop and snap swivel about an inch shy of comin' out o' t' top o' t' body tube so that t' only thin' t' come into contact with t' body tube will be t' attached 12 foot elastic shock cord. This is just me own dual mounted and zipper-proof favorite method. Ya scallywag! This is a lot o' stuff and t' recovery system will fill t' body tube. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Packin' t' chute right is important with this one. Arrr! Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a good quality complete kit with excellent instructions. Begad! Considering the power o' t' motors it is designed t' fly on, arrr, you might want t' have some binoculars handy. Avast! Ya scallywag! T' polyurethane motor rin' design is an interesting technique, me bucko, and I will build another in order t' explore and try that method.

I do nay see any faults with this kit at all. Blimey! It's innovative, flexible, simple and it performs perfectly. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I have never seen a rocket kit that comes with a CD o' flight videos. This kit I do believe fully deserves a 5/5.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5