Picture courtesy o' Cycline3 from eBay    

Brief:
This is a single stage rocket made by a company called Cycline3. It is named the #002b and is described as an "Ultra High Performance Mid Power Rocket". I ordered it directly from Cycline3, as well as one o' their other kits, arrr, t' #004 Poison Arrow which I will build next. Arrr! 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. Begad! 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. Begad! Really cool videos with music.

Construction:
This #002b kit came in an Estes-type retail package, a plastic bag with a peg ready header card. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! It included an 18" x 1.64" body tube (BT-60), black plastic nose cone, me hearties, arrr, 1/8" Balsa stock sheet for fins, arrr, ya bilge rat, thin cardboard for motor rings (A blue index card!), me bucko, 24mm engine tube long enough for Estes E engines, 12 foot long heavy duty elastic shock cord, 2 railbuttons, brass snap swivel, fabric parachute and a large nice quality silver flame decal which is a foot long. Aye aye! Blimey! 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. 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. Aye aye! No kidding. Begad! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I be shocked. Avast! Arrr! T' manual explains that they are nay load bearing. Ya scallywag! Begad! By design, arrr, t' load bearin' aspect betwixt t' motor tube and body, arrr, will be a rin' o' polyurethane glue for which t' index card paper rings are only a guide. Well, blow me down! I think that is a very interestin' idea yet I didn't go that way. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! I used two thin cardboard die-cut centerin' rings from a Mean Machine kit. Ahoy! T' Cycline3 #002b did nay come with a motor clip or thrust rin' by design, t' keep it very light as explained in t' manual. I went ahead and added a thrust rin' and standard Estes D length motor clip. Begad! Well, blow me down!

In retrospect, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I sort o' wish I had built this kit as it was designed. Begad! Begad! In fact I plan on orderin' another one and doin' just that. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' polyurethane motor to body tube centerin' rin' is interesting. Aye aye! Begad! I just didn't have any polyurethane glue. Aye aye! 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. Ahoy!

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

I did somethin' a little different with this rocket which I have never tried before. Avast! 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. Avast! I then applied a generous bead o' CA t' t' fin roots and used an Estes fin alignment guide with clips. Begad! Ya scallywag! When mountin' t' fins like that, me bucko, t' CA goes into t' holes which I believe will make for some strong and secure fins. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! I also sanded off the glassine layer from t' body tube before mountin' t' fins. Finally I used a two part epoxy putty called FIXIT which I purchased from Apogee, 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. Begad! Blimey!

T' kit be complete and fun t' build with very good instructions. 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. My own methods were just by personal choice.

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

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
There are no specific recommended motors. T' kit just states that it is designed for 24mm C through F power. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! It also says on t' front o' the package/manual that it goes up t' 3500 feet. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' instruction manual is one of the best I have ever seen, me hearties, 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, an Estes C11-5. Avast! It flew perfectly and was very stable. Ya scallywag! It seems t' be cryin' for a D for t' next flight. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me bucko, stable and high. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! One should be quite careful with this one, arrr, cause it will most certainly go out of sight. Well, blow me down! 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. Well, blow me down! When flyin' it on a D or above, I suggest at least a 7 second delay. Begad!

Recovery:
This comes with a very tuff, matey, ya bilge rat, unique and nice quality rectangular light fabric parachute which is sort o' a peach color. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It is called a "Frankenchute". Well, blow me down! T' chute looks very strong and I think t' nice quality 'chute is a superb feature o' this kit. This rocket is designed t' use the Estes-type triple folded shock cord mount. Aye aye! It suggests puttin' a staple through it and then usin' epoxy t' secure it t' t' inside o' t' body. Begad! This kit comes with a 12 foot long shock cord, me bucko, yes! Now that's how it should be and I am impressed. Ahoy! Yes I used me own type o' shock cord mount. 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. Avast! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I then tied a knot about an inch from t' top o' t' loop so I basically have a dual mount. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Keelhaul®©™® is supposed t' be fireproof but even if one side burns through, shiver me timbers, t' other will still work. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Aye aye! This is a lot o' stuff and t' recovery system will fill t' body tube. Avast! Packin' t' chute right is important with this one. Arrr! Arrr!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5