Brief:
This is a semi-scale model o' t' Canadian soundin' rocket, me hearties, shiver me timbers, manufactured by Bristol Aerospace. Well, blow me down! 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), shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, a 4:1 ogive plastic nose cone, me bucko, plywood centerin' rings, a 30 inch nylon parachute, 38mm phenolic motor mount tube, me bucko, me hearties, a 1/4 inch brass launch lug, shiver me timbers, a heavy-duty nylon strap, shiver me timbers, 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. Begad! Blimey! Frankly, arrr, I don't really have a preference in which material I used, now that I've tried both. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Phenolic be t' way t' go if you intend t' glass the airframe, me hearties, me bucko, and use bigger motors. Ya scallywag! Blimey! However, if you intend t' stick t' mid-power motors, arrr, and H or light I motors, then QT is by far t' way t' go. Arrr! Blimey! I really likely nay havin' t' fill in that spiral, 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! Well, blow me down! There's not a lot you can write up, for a basic 3FNC rocket anyway. Construction steps are logical, me hearties, 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. Avast! Arrr! In both cases, matey, matey, I build the kit stock, ya bilge rat, matey, arrr, except for t' home-made motor retention, me bucko, matey, and t' addition o' a vent-hole in me second one (the QT version). Avast, me proud beauty!

All t' parts fit well, aside for t' usual sandin' o' t' centerin' rings and fins t' get a precise fit.

No motor retention is provided, arrr, so I installed me own version of "Kaplow Klips", a pair o' blind nuts in t' aft centerin' ring, and a pair o' mirror mountin' brackets I picked up at t' hardware store. Blimey! Avast! these things turned out t' be a perfect fit when usin' SU motors, ya bilge rat, even with t' 29mm adapter in place. Overall, me bucko, 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! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! When I built the phenolic version o' this kit, ya bilge rat, I spent a lot o' time fillin' and sandin' those darned spiral grooves in t' airframe. Blimey! Blimey! With t' QT, all I have t' do was rough it up a bit t' help t' primer adhere! Blimey! Paintin' was pretty simple. Ahoy! Blimey! I gave the ship a couple o' coats o' Krylon white primer, sandin' betwixt each coat. Avast! Blimey! Next, I shot several coats o' gloss white on one fin (I picked t' one opposite the launch lug) and t' nose cone, me bucko, arrr, again sandin' betwixt coats. After that, I set the nose aside, me bucko, masked off t' white fin, shiver me timbers, and sprayed t' rest o' t' rocket with a gloss red Krylon. Blimey! Blimey! Again, me bucko, I used several coats, arrr, shiver me timbers, with wet-sandin' between each. Then, matey, it was necessary t' mask off t' rest o' t' rocket so I could paint t' brown band at t' front o' t' airframe. Begad! Blimey! That be it for paint. Once it had time t' completely dry, I gave it a couple o' coats o' Krylon Clear Coat.

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

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
PML recommends a variety o' motors, from G t' I for this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Blimey! Unfortunately, me bucko, t' motor suffered a blown-by a split second after lift-off. Avast! T' nose, shiver me timbers, matey, piston and parachute were blown free (the nylon strap was burned through), and t' rocket continued straight up with a fireball where t' nose should have been. Fortunately the flames burned out before it lawn-darted, me bucko, me hearties, but t' impact destroyed whatever was left o' t' airframe, me bucko, arrr, arrr, forward o' t' fins. Aye aye! Begad! Still... Ya scallywag! despite t' sudden, low-speed deployment o' t' nose and chute (the rocket had just cleared the rod), me bucko, it had managed t' continue on a stable flight-path. Ya scallywag! Begad!

Flight number two be an F50-6, approximately a year after t' first disaster. 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. Ahoy! Boost was nice and straight, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and t' flight be nominal. T' only downside be t' rocket landin' on a runway, which scarred it a bit, 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. Begad! T' piston, matey, me hearties, in turn, me bucko, is connected to the nose cone by a length o' woven elastic (I understand this has recently been replaced with tubular nylon). Aye aye! T' nylon parachute is attached t' t' upper length o' shock cord. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' piston itself is a phenolic tube coupler, a slotted bulkhead, and a D-ring. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Seems t' work well, ya bilge rat, but you have t' pay attention to the fit o' t' piston. Prior t' t' launch o' me first BB V, ya bilge rat, 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. Blimey! T' provided chute seems plenty tough, arrr, me bucko, and is probably a good size, as long as you know t' rocket will be recoverin' on softer ground. Aye aye! Begad! If you run t' risk o' it landin' on something really unforgivin' (like a runway), matey, arrr, I'd suggest you move up a size for the parachute.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5