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

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

No motor retention is provided, 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. Ahoy! Avast! these things turned out t' be a perfect fit when usin' SU motors, even with t' 29mm adapter in place. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! 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. Well, blow me down! Avast! When I built the phenolic version o' this kit, arrr, ya bilge rat, I spent a lot o' time fillin' and sandin' those darned spiral grooves in t' airframe. Aye aye! With t' QT, all I have t' do be rough it up a bit t' help t' primer adhere! Paintin' was pretty simple. Avast! I gave the ship a couple o' coats o' Krylon white primer, sandin' betwixt each coat. Aye aye! 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. Aye aye! Begad! After that, shiver me timbers, I set the nose aside, me hearties, matey, masked off t' white fin, me bucko, and sprayed t' rest o' t' rocket with a gloss red Krylon. Blimey! Avast! Again, I used several coats, with wet-sandin' between each. Begad! Then, shiver me timbers, matey, it be necessary t' mask off t' rest o' t' rocket so I could paint t' brown band at t' front o' t' airframe. Arrr! Arrr! That be it for paint. Begad! Well, blow me down! Once it had time t' completely dry, I gave it a couple o' coats o' Krylon Clear Coat. Begad!

Now, matey, matey, on t' real rocket, thar be a narrow metal band at t' very top o' the airframe. Avast! T' replicate this, I used a strip o' silver decal from an auto detailin' kit. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! It adheres well, and looks about right. Ya scallywag! Also, me hearties, t' real rocket has a pair o' white stripes runnin' down t' side o' t' rocket. Blimey! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I chose t' not paint these, matey, since maskin' materials and I don't get along real well. Avast, me proud beauty! So, I got a length o' white vinyl decal material from a local art supply shop. Begad! I made measurements from Peter Alway's Rockets o' t' World, and cut out t' strips I needed. Aye aye! I was worried about how well this stuff would adhere, shiver me timbers, but it's doing fine so far. Begad! After that, me bucko, I applied t' decals, shiver me timbers, matey, shiver me timbers, referencin' both t' kit instructions, and Rockets o' t' World. Aye aye! These went on with a minimum o' fuss (for peel 'n stick, anyway). Finally, shiver me timbers, 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, from G t' I for this rocket. Blimey! My first flight (and only, matey, for t' phenolic one) was t' be me CAR level 1 cert flight, usin' an H123 with a 10 second delay. Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Unfortunately, t' motor suffered a blown-by a split second after lift-off. Begad! T' nose, 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. Blimey! Begad! Fortunately the flames burned out before it lawn-darted, but t' impact destroyed whatever was left o' t' airframe, matey, forward o' t' fins. Still... Ya scallywag! despite t' sudden, low-speed deployment o' t' nose and chute (the rocket had just cleared the rod), it had managed t' continue on a stable flight-path. Begad! Avast!

Flight number two be an F50-6, ya bilge rat, approximately a year after t' first disaster. Blimey! PML does nay recommend anythin' smaller than a G for this rocket, shiver me timbers, but Rocksim shows a predicted altitude o' about 700 feet on this motor. Boost was nice and straight, and t' flight was nominal. Avast! T' only downside be t' rocket landin' on a runway, which scarred it a bit, me bucko, 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. T' piston, arrr, in turn, is connected to the nose cone by a length o' woven elastic (I understand this has recently been replaced with tubular nylon). Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' nylon parachute is attached t' t' upper length o' shock cord. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' piston itself is a phenolic tube coupler, me bucko, arrr, a slotted bulkhead, and a D-ring. Aye aye! Seems t' work well, matey, but you have t' pay attention to the fit o' t' piston. Prior t' t' launch o' me first BB V, me hearties, matey, 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. Begad! T' provided chute seems plenty tough, and is probably a good size, as long as you know t' rocket will be recoverin' on softer ground. 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. Blimey! Ahoy!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5