Brief:
T' famous FSI catalogs o' t' early years featured t' very nice lookin' 1/8 scale model o' t' Black Brant - II, probably one o' t' best lookin' rockets around (maybe, after t' Saturn 1-B). I was fortunate t' have purchased this kit in t' late 1970s or early 1980s before I had t' leave t' hobby (due t' career obligations) in 1982.

T' FSI Black Brant - II featured a 22" nylon parachute, precut fins, arrr, precut balsa boat tail as well as scale decals. Begad! It was catalog number MRK-14. T' model is a 1/8 scale model o' t' Canadian Soundin' Rocket o' t' Black Brant series. Ahoy!

T' kit's contents remain in t' box for some 20+ years while I was away from t' hobby. I became a BAR in late 2003 as well as rejoined t' NARRRRR and moved head fast back into t' hobby for both sport flyin' as well as competition. My first NARRRRR contest was comin' up (since becomin' a BAR) in October 2004. T' NASA/Houston Rocket Club was havin' the Gulf Coast Regional Meet at t' Johnson Space Center near Houston and Sport Scale be one o' t' events on the schedule. Arrr! Ahoy! T' time was ripe t' begin t' build o' this model for that event. Begad! It be me summer project for 2004. Blimey!

Construction:
T' parts list for this model is rather extensive, matey, despite t' Black Brant - II bein' just a single stage model o' a soundin' rocket:

• 1 2.1" x 18" Body Tube
• 1 2.1" x 5" Body Tube
• 1 2.1" x 3" Body Tube
• 1 Split Rin' Tube Coupler
• 1 2" dia. Ya scallywag! Begad! Balsa Bulkhead
• 1 Nose Cone
• 1 Balsa Boat Tail
• 3 Pre-cut Fins
• 1 Engine Holder/Stuffer Tube (1.130" x 18")
• 1 Centerin' Rin' (OD 1.4")
• 3 Centerin' Rings (OD 2")
• 1 22" Nylon Parachute with Shroud Lines
• 1 Thrust Ring
• 1 Plastic Parachute Canopy
• 8 Shroud Lines
• 8 Parachute Tabs
• 2 Snap Swivels
• 1 Screw Eye
• 2 1/4" Launch Lugs
• 1 Shock Cord
• 1 Shock Cord Anchor
• 1 Flame Retardant Wadding
• 3 Antennas
• 1 Set o' Decals
• 1 Fin Placement Guide
• 1 Set o' Instructions

Of course, by t' time I got around t' constructin' this model in 2004, me hearties, arrr, FSI be no longer in business and their famous 27mm engines no longer in production. Avast! Hence, me hearties, I included a 24mm body tube with an engine block with engine hook so this model could be flown with 24mm engines currently on t' market.

Over t' years I had been away from t' hobby, I had taken out t' contents o' this kit from t' box from time to time and somewhere along t' way misplaced t' instructions. Arrr! Begad! Thanks t' t' internet and Scott Hansen o' Ye Old Rocket Plans, I was able t' download a copy o' t' instructions and begin construction.

T' instructions were very easy t' follow, usin' t' cool hand drawn pictures/diagrams that FSI's kits are known for. Arrr! Unlike some o' FSI's kits, thar was a separate picture/diagram for every single step for t' Black Brant - II kit. T' assembly steps be very, shiver me timbers, very logical and all t' parts fit went very smooth.

T' only real issues I had be t' scale sandin' o' t' three precut fins. Begad! Begad! I decided t' sand t' fins t' the wedge shape/angles, me bucko, ya bilge rat, however, t' grade o' t' wood was more like hardwood so I had a heck o' a time tryin' t' do the job. After makin' a template t' draw t' lines on t' fins, I used a sandin' block (along with lots o' elbow muscle) to sand t' wedge angles o' each fin. Begad! Due t' t' hardness o' t' wood, arrr, these precut fins took me nearly three days o' hard labor t' get them sanded t' t' desire shape before I be satisfied. Aye aye!

I also had t' use t' wire from paper clips t' make t' antennas that go t' t' payload section near the nosecone. Begad! Well, blow me down! Two o' t' three antennas that came with t' kit were missing. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Otherwise I had no problems carefully straightenin' t' paper clips and then bendin' them t' t' correct angle for attachin' t' t' model. T' instructions has all t' patterns needed t' get t' job done.

For t' fin attachment t' t' body tube, t' instructions specify makin' small holes along t' marked fin location on t' body tube for added strength after t' glue dries. Arrr! Blimey!

One other issue that be a question mark be t' shock cord provided. Ya scallywag! It was more like a thick elastic string that had me fearful o' a sure zipper durin' recovery.

Finishing:
Due t' t' large size o' t' FSI Black Brant - II, and t' difficulty o' findin' adequate data, how t' paint the black/white patterns over t' entire model was a big question mark. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! In doin' some searching, I found that the instructions t' t' Estes Black Brant - II kit had a very nice and helpful diagram near t' last page showin' the black/white pattern over t' entire vehicle. Avast! Avast! This be a really big help. Begad! Begad! O' course, arrr, with no measurement data, shiver me timbers, I had to simply eyeball t' approximate length/width o' t' patterns. Begad! First I used lots o' sandin' sealer with sandin' between coats on t' balsa surfaces. Begad! Once done, arrr, I spray painted t' entire model flat white, which also served as primer where the flat black paint will be applied. Arrr! Begad!

Then I spent an entire evenin' usin' a ruler and pencil drawin' t' lines on t' body tube that will separate the black/white. Once that be done, t' maskin' o' t' white areas was completed and t' flat black spray paint went on. After dryin' and removin' t' masked areas, I used a paint pen t' touch up any black paint that happen t' bleed through the maskin' job t' give that sharp lined finish t' t' model. Begad! Avast! Then it was time for t' decals.

T' original decal sheet that came with t' model was actually incomplete. There were nay that many markings provided (for example, t' Black Brant bird decal, only one bird markin' was on t' decal sheet, me bucko, nay two). Begad! However, durin' t' time I was doin' t' build, master scale modeler John Pursley, who happens t' live close by, arrr, matey, offered t' make me a fresh set o' decals for this model. And he did this on one weekend, even though he be very, very busy with the Apollo/Saturn - V restoration work underway at JSC! Pursley's finished decal product provided me with lots of "extras" that will come in very handy later (as we shall see).

After t' decals were applied and dried, I used Future Floor Wax with a paint brush t' "seal" the decals t' t' model. Blimey! T' flat finish o' t' spray paint made it difficult for t' decals t' "stick" as well as it does t' smooth/glossy surfaces.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
T' recommended motors were originally t' FSI famous 27mm motors, ya bilge rat, but since they were no longer made, me bucko, matey, I substituted the 24mm motors. Blimey! Well, blow me down!

T' first flight o' this model was at t' Gulf Coast Regional Meet at JSC on 10/24/04. Usin' t' Estes E9-4, it got a really nice boost despite t' windy conditions. A slight weathercock after burnout had t' model's ejection charge goin' off as it was facin' into t' wind, and t' plastic drag chute's shroud lines mostly ripped off from the tape strips and t' thin shock cord produced an ugly zipper about 1 1/2 inches from t' top o' t' body tube. Ahoy! The zipper wasn't that bad, so I be able t' repair it.

Next flight was on 6/19/05 in McGregor, TX, at t' Texas State Championship NARRRRR meet. Blimey! This time, I tried using the AT E30-4T for power. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Big mistake as t' ejection charge blew while t' BB - II was still racin' skyward at a high rate o' speed and ripped off t' shock cord, takin' t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, payload section, and t' nylon parachute well downrange where it was given up as lost. Begad! T' main body section, arrr, arrr, due t' its perfect balance, me hearties, somewhat glided down and landed close by, breakin' one fin in t' process. T' upper body section had an ugly five inch zipper with t' shock cord missin' (havin' floated away with t' payload section). Aye aye! Begad!

Afterwards, I put out an SOS on t' Yahoo Oldrockets Group server askin' if any had compatible parts so I could rebuild me model. Carl McLawhorn o' SEMROC came t' t' rescue and provided me with these replacement parts:

• 1 ST-20180 Body Tube
• 1 BTC-20 Balsa Block
• 1 BC-20107 Balsa Nose Cone

I got t' elastic nylon material from a local retailer (used t' 1/4" wide elastic) and got a new nylon parachute from Hawks Hobby. Avast, me proud beauty!

After rebuildin' t' model (had t' use new attennas from paper clips) and repaintin' t' rebuilt section, I used some o' t' extra decals Pursley had made t' complete t' rebuild. Aye aye! I can safely say t' model looks even better than before!

T' third and most recent flight took place 8/9/08 at t' Challenger 498 Club launch down in Needville, TX. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Using the E9-4 again, t' E9 gave t' BB - II a really nice boost (much higher than I've seen it go before) in very calm conditions and excellent weather. Aye aye! Landin' a few hundred feet away, t' Black Brant was in excellent condition. Well, blow me down! I'm plannin' on usin' t' AT E30-7T t' next time I fly this bird.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5