Brief:
T' BAF-55 is a simple baffle intended t' protect recovery components from ejection charges in a BT-55 sized body tube.

While buildin' a Refit USS Atlantis from Sirius Rocketry, ya bilge rat, I decided that I wished t' replace t' manufacturer's recovery harness with a baffle. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I did nay have a lot experience with baffles, ya bilge rat, but t' experiences I have had have been good thus far. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Fortunately, I happened t' have one in stock from FlisKits.

Construction:
T' baffle kit came with instructions, a length o' Keelhaul®©™, arrr, two perforated disk that actually form t' baffles and a BT-55 sized couplin' tube.

Construction o' t' baffle is simple. Arrr! Well, blow me down! T' 2 fiber disks are removed from their backin' and t' holes are punched out. Ahoy! One disk has t' holes clustered towards t' center and t' other has them arranged in a rin' around t' outside. T' one with t' outer holes goes t' t' aft o' t' rocket. Both disks had a notch along t' outside edge through which t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® thread and t' aft disk had a hole intended as an anchor point.

I used an embroidery needle t' clear t' hole and passed t' Keelhaul®©™ through. Begad! I then tied a fat knot in t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™ t' keep it from bein' able t' pass through t' anchor hole. Aye aye! I also used plenty o' yellow glue t' hold it down. When t' glue holdin' t' Keelhaul®©™ be dry, shiver me timbers, I proceeded t' paint both sides o' both disks with t' same glue, matey, me bucko, takin' care t' keep any from gettin' on t' edges o' t' disks. Ahoy! This glue was applied t' form a protective/ablative surface and lengthen t' life o' t' baffle.

When t' protective glue was dry, I glued t' aft disk in place in t' couplin' tube and secured it with a glue fillet. Begad! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! This be done as t' Keelhaul®©™ was passed back through t' notch on t' outer edge o' t' disk. I then applied t' glue t' t' Keelhaul®©™ runnin' along t' side t' t' tube t' keep it in place. When that be dry, I painted t' entire interior o' t' tube with glue, again for protective purposes.

T' last step o' t' actual baffle assembly be t' fit t' Keelhaul®©™ through t' notch in t' upper disk and then seat that disk in t' tube. Avast! Again, me hearties, ya bilge rat, t' disk was filleted.

PROs: Well designed, me hearties, easy t' make and use.

CONs: None.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I have t' admit, when I first flew t' Atlantis, I forgot I had installed this baffle so I stuffed it full o' dog barf. Betwixt that and t' baffle, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' chute was well protected on deployment with t' ejection from a D12-5.

I remembered on t' second flight, usin' an E30-4 but it didn't really matter. Begad! T' chute had nay a scorch mark on it, me bucko, and t' rocket recovered safely. Avast! Aye aye! T' thin' works and works well.

PROs: It works well.

CONs: I forget about it.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
If you want t' use a baffle, shiver me timbers, all o' t' FlisKits ones I have used t' date have worked well. Blimey! T' one for t' BT-60 is no exception.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5