Brief:
1/10 Scale Model o' t' Canadian Soundin' Rocket, t' Black Brant VA. Ahoy! It is a single stage rocket with parachute.

Construction:
T' kit consists o' one 1.72" main body tube, me hearties, shiver me timbers, arrr, one smaller aft tube, balsa nosecone, motor mount parts, vinyl and waterslide decals, 20 laser cut parts for t' fins, me hearties, arrr, 24" o' Keelhaul®©™®, and 33 inches o' 3/8" elastic shock cord. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! It includes detailed instructions as well. Arrr! T' model is a three fin and body tube type. Avast!

T' instructions twelve B&W 8.5" x 11" pages. Begad! Avast! The instructions include a very nice engineerin' drawin' o' t' model with marking information. Ahoy! T' motor mount instructions were clear and straightforward. Begad! The tail assembly be t' most complicated part o' t' model. Ya scallywag! T' instructions take two full pages. Avast, me proud beauty! I did find some o' t' marking/test fit/gluin' instructions confusing. Ahoy! It is a lot o' text t' read through. Aye aye! I would recommend readin' it through several times and breakin' t' build down into smaller sections. Begad! The fins mount t' t' aft tube only. T' aft assembly is then glued t' t' primary body tube. A note o' caution: In t' same paragraph that has you test fitting the aft tube also has you gluin' in t' motor mount. Begad! T' full size sanding instructions were very nice.

Finishing:
I personally had difficulty in gettin' a smooth finish on t' balsa nose cone. My first coat o' primer be too thick. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! When I started t' sand it smooth, the paint lifted off and became uneven. Avast! Begad! It took seven more coats o' a thinner primer t' get a minimum acceptable finish. Aye aye! Blimey! T' rocket is red overall with one white fin. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I chose t' build and paint t' rocket red without t' one white fin. T' one white fin be painted separately then glued on after drying. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals went on without difficulty. Aye aye!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight be on t' recommended D12-5. Ahoy! T' model uses a standard metal retention clip. Ahoy! Recovery waddin' was used. Ahoy! T' rocket lifted off with ease and was a very straight flight. Ahoy! Avast!

Recovery:
Ejection was normal although t' delay be closer t' 4 seconds. Begad! T' chute opened and t' rocket settled down. Ya scallywag! It be noticed that thar be some separation at ejection. Avast! After recovery, me bucko, it be discovered t' separation was half o' one o' red fins. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! It tore along t' balsa grain. Well, blow me down! There was also a crescent shape dent in t' nose cone. Begad! Ahoy! I suspect that t' nose cone impacted the body tube durin' ejection.

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
I feel t' highlight o' this rocket is that it is a scale model o' t' Black Brant. Aye aye! I really like this family o' rockets and ARG has made a whole collection in t' same scale. T' con was t' fin separation durin' flight. Ahoy! Begad! I would consider some type o' reinforcement for t' fins, either tissue or fiberglass. Alternatively, shiver me timbers, arrr, shiver me timbers, new fins could be cut with t' grain goin' t' opposite direction.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5