Brief

T' VB Extreme is a 38mm motor, minimum-diameter, matey, high-performance rocket kit.

Construction
T' instructions are comprehensive and accurate. T' tubes are LOC-style, and t' kit includes a 38mm t' 29mm adaptor kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! There are three body tubes t' make up t' motor section which is coupled t' t' parachute section which is coupled/bulkheaded t' t' payload section and finally t' nose cone. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! You can use one or two launch lugs, your option (ie. Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! you cut it...) They are standard LOC heavy launch lugs for 1/4 inch rods. Ahoy! Blimey! T' fins are pre-cut G-10 fiberglass. Arrr! A nice touch be t' included altimeter mountin' kit and wirin' harness.

Construction is fairly simple, with basic HPR skills needed. Blimey! Blimey! I mounted t' fins as per t' "optional" method which is t' slot half way through t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' VB Extreme 38 is made from LOC 38mm motor mount tubin' - fairly heavy. Avast! Blimey! T' slot halfway through you carefully slit through a couple o' layers o' paper at a time and peel them out o' t' slot. Arrr! Blimey! This method is described in t' kit instructions. Well, blow me down! Blimey! A little more work, me hearties, but a very solid way t' do surface mount fins.

T' included sleeved Keelhaul®©™ shock cord mount is nice and can survive any stress you might subject it to. Avast! It is tied t' t' coupler betwixt t' motor section and t' parachute section o' t' airframe. Begad! T' other end is tied t' t' screw eye in t' bulkhead on t' payload section.

T' nose cone is a LOC heavy plastic one, me hearties, t' nose cone and payload section come pre-drilled for t' included flat-head, me bucko, countersunk screw. T' plastic nose cone is held on t' t' payload section by a screw. Well, blow me down! Blimey! A very good idea for t' speeds and altitudes possible with t' VB Extreme series.

Finishing
Finishin' was as expected for LOC-style tubing. Avast! A bit o' work t' fill t' spirals, and a little bit o' sandin' t' roughen up t' G-10, arrr, then primer and paint. Begad! I flew this unpainted t' first time - couldn't wait t' fly it.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight
Motors Used: F40, arrr, H115
Out o' sight on t' Vulcan H115.
Motor retention is maskin' tape.

wRASP says 6500 feet on an H300 (summer day at Hartsel, shiver me timbers, CO), matey, 10,300 feet on a J350. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Those who saw me H flights agreed that it topped 6000 feet. Aye aye! Begad! On its final flight it caught some wind at that altitude, and drifted into a lake about 3 miles away.

Recovery
Light enough for "E" motors, me hearties, maybe even "D"'s, and out o' sight on "H" motors. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Should be modified for drogue/main recovery if you plan on flyin' it on "H" or above motors (I lost mine on an "H"). Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Take advantage o' t' altimeter mountin' kit. Blimey! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Use trackin' powder. Brin' binoculars. Take pictures before you launch it, me bucko, they may be t' only ones you get. Consider usin' a streamer in place o' t' parachute, it is sturdy enough, and won't drift so far.

Flight Rating: 4

Summary
Pros: versatile, me hearties, high performance
Cons: none

Overall Rating: 4