Brief:
18mm Sport-scale model o' Canadian research rocket.

Construction:

• BT-55, arrr, 15.25"
• TC-55 PNC-55, arrr, me hearties, 4:1 ogive
• 18mm MMT
• 12" chute
• Keelhaul®©™ ®
• Elastic shock cords
• LL-1/8 x 1"
• (2) Basswood for fins

Pete Alway's book "Scale Bash" provides several scale rocket plans that can be built startin' with a 4:1 ogive nose cone, includin' t' Black Brant Vb. Ahoy! T' BBVb was an improved version o' t' famous Black Brant II soundin' rocket. Aye aye! Blimey! I think it is a particularly good-lookin' rocket, matey, which is why I chose t' build it. Ahoy! T' plans are quite simple and straight-forward as the rocket is a fairly simple TFNC design. Begad! T' only exception bein' that thar be a body diameter transition about 1-3/4" from t' aft end o' t' airframe. For this model t' transition can be accomplished easily by usin' a BT-55 tube coupler inserted into t' end o' t' 15.25" BT-55 airframe tube. With about 1.75" o' t' coupler exposed t' total tube length will be 17". One must sand down t' aft centerin' rin' o' t' motor mount in order t' fit the motor mount into t' narrower diameter coupler section. Remember that the mount will have t' be inserted from t' forward end o' t' airframe. Well, blow me down! I also chose t' attach a Keelhaul®©™ ® shock cord t' t' motor mount before gluin' t' mount in place. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I think this makes a more reliable anchor than gluin' a mount t' t' inside o' t' body tube. Begad! Fin templates for this model (and for other variations o' body tube size) are included in t' book as well.

Finishing:
For painting, me hearties, t' book includes a color guide for each rocket t' facilitate finishing. In t' case o' t' BBVb, t' paint scheme is nay too complicated. I started with a base coat o' white. Arrr! After t' base coat I masked a single fin, removed t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, and masked a white stripe on two opposite sides o' the airframe relative t' t' single, white fin. Avast! Arrr! I found a red krylon gloss paint that looked ideal. Avast! For t' finishin' touch, me hearties, t' author includes t' rocket's markings which can be scanned, and printed on decal paper. Begad! For this I used SuperCal waterslide decal paper in me deskjet printer which worked quite well, and t' color matched me paint exactly (quite by accident, matey, t' be honest). In the end this was me best finishin' job t' date. I give it a high ratin' because it is a relatively simple paint/maskin' job that results in a beautiful rocket.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight I chose t' use an Aerotech C6-5 18mm RMS motor. T' flight was excellent and I recovered t' rocket without even a scratch.

Recovery:
I used RockSim prior t' t' first flight and be pleased that t' flight matched t' simulation almost perfectly. Blimey! Avast! A clear, windless day didn't hurt things either... Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
If you're lookin' for simple plans that make a simple, ya bilge rat, stunning-looking, high-performance model rocket then this be t' place t' look. Ahoy! This model also makes a nice companion t' t' Estes BBII kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5