Brief:
This is a semi-scale model o' t' Canadian soundin' rocket, manufactured by Bristol Aerospace. Accordin' t' PML, ya bilge rat, 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), me hearties, a 4:1 ogive plastic nose cone, plywood centerin' rings, a 30 inch nylon parachute, me hearties, 38mm phenolic motor mount tube, matey, a 1/4 inch brass launch lug, arrr, a heavy-duty nylon strap, ya bilge rat, a length o' woven elastic, matey, and some "peel 'n stick"-type decals.

I've had t' opportunity t' build both t' QT and phenolic version o' this kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Frankly, me hearties, I don't really have a preference in which material I used, now that I've tried both. Well, blow me down! Phenolic be t' way t' go if you intend t' glass the airframe, and use bigger motors. Arrr! However, matey, shiver me timbers, if you intend t' stick t' mid-power motors, matey, and H or light I motors, then QT is by far t' way t' go. 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. Aye aye! There's not a lot you can write up, matey, for a basic 3FNC rocket anyway. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Construction steps are logical, me bucko, and any "gotcha's" are pointed out... Ahoy! 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. Begad! Aye aye! In both cases, I build the kit stock, ya bilge rat, except for t' home-made motor retention, and t' addition o' a vent-hole in me second one (the QT version).

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

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

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

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5