Sunward Aerospace is a Canadian company with a unique line o' model rockets, ya bilge rat, arrr, most o' which fall under their RocketFighters design. Begad! They put together a quality package, includin' colorful front card, ya bilge rat, me hearties, parachute printed with their name and thorough instructions. Each o' t' their kits use their own canopy-type nose cone as well. Avast!

I chose t' Sunward Phoenix due t' its sleek design. Blimey! I also believe t' rudder fin design drew me t' it, arrr, verses their other RocketFighters. Begad! Blimey! T' Phoenix is 24 1/2" long with a wingspan o' 13 1/2". Ya scallywag! It weighs 4.2 ounces and flies on 18mm motors.

See me 18mm Futuristic Rocket Comparison Page

T' rocket kit includes an 18" main body tube. Ya scallywag! Begad! This tube is sturdy and is 1/32" thick. It also includes t' 18mm motor mount that is made up o' t' motor tube, two large paper centerin' rings, a thrust rin' and an L-screw motor retainer. Begad! T' body is build up usin' laser-cut balsa fins, cardstock shrouds and a plastic nose cone. Avast! T' recovery system includes an 18" parachute which needs assembly and 32" o' ¼" flat-elastic shock cord. Aye aye! Lastly, arrr, along with instructions, thar are some peel-n-stick decals.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' instructions are printed on 11 pages o' 8½ x 11" paper. They include illustrations for every step. They are written in English and French. Begad! They also include instructions t' perform a swing-test and t' Canada Model Rocket Safety Code. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! A Fin Markin' Guide and t' 3-Fold Paper Mount are built into t' instruction pages, ya bilge rat, which are cut out when needed. I found t' instructions t' be thorough and easy t' follow. Arrr! There was nothin' unclear.

T' build o' this rocket is a bit advanced and would probably fall into t' Quest Skill Level 3 (like t' M2Q2) or t' Estes Skill Level 3 (like t' Night Wing). But, ya bilge rat, matey, shiver me timbers, again, t' instructions are thorough.

T' first part o' t' build be t' motor mount. Well, blow me down! Begad! It is made up o' t' 18mm motor tube and two very large paper centerin' rings. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! As opposed t' Kelo's build o' t' Desert Storm (pictured t' t' right), me bucko, Sunward now provides centerin' rings with pre-drilled holes for t' L-screw. T' fit was excellent. Arrr! T' motor mount also includes a thrust ring.

T' next steps walk you through t' attachment o' t' fins. Aye aye! First, shiver me timbers, t' tube is marked usin' t' fin markin' guide and a straight edge (I use a door jam). Next, t' fins are removed from t' balsa. T' laser cut is excellent and thar were just a few tabs that needed a slice with t' hobby knife t' release them. Blimey! Next, matey, ya bilge rat, all t' various fin tabs need t' be cut out o' t' card stock. Avast! Yes, me bucko, shiver me timbers, me bucko, fin tabs! This be t' first time I have come across these for a balsa finned rocket.

I followed t' instructions exactly, ya bilge rat, but found that most o' t' fin tabs were too long when compared t' t' length o' t' fins. Blimey! Arrr! I didn't realize they would be exposed and require finishin' until after a few more build steps, so I didn't cut them down until after t' glue had dried. Aye aye! SO: Trim your fin tabs t' ensure that they do nay extend beyond each side o' t' fins! I think Sunward needs t' do a slight size adjustment t' avoid this problem.

Next t' main body shroud is assembled. I followed t' instructions exactly and didn't have any trouble installin' t' shroud. T' shroud is cut out and pre-formed by wrappin' it into shape. Blimey! Then two slits are cut out t' go over t' main wings. Avast, me proud beauty! It is glued on top and then again at t' bottom where t' two outer edges come together. Ya scallywag! Begad! There is then a cover strip for t' bottom and a reinforcin' rin' for t' very aft o' t' shroud. Ahoy! It all went together well, until it came t' t' last o' t' fin tabs (again). Begad! Blimey! These tabs, arrr, which cover t' joint betwixt t' shroud and t' main wings, arrr, me bucko, were too long. Ya scallywag! Begad! I cut it t' size, shiver me timbers, but that left about a 1/4" space behind t' win' where t' shroud is cut out t' accommodate t' wing. Begad! Aye aye! I used t' scrap tab and glued it on t' inside o' t' shroud t' fill that area.

To finish up t' rocket, t' motor mount is installed and t' launch lugs are attached.

I had made a decision this year t' nay purchase any addition paint, me bucko, so I am usin' up what I have. In this case I prepared t' rocket by sandin' t' nose cone and priming. Avast! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! Actually usin' me tractional method for finishin' plastic nose cones. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I didn't try t' hide t' fin tabs at all. In fact, matey, this is where I began t' see some potential for havin' fin tabs. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! If one were t' take a pin and carefully make spaced holes on t' outer edge, these would look liked riveted joints on t' finished rocket. I didn't do this, matey, but would next time.

I finished t' rocket with DupliColor Mirage paint, me hearties, t' Purple/Green. Blimey! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I had just enough and t' rocket be lookin' good. Begad! Blimey! I decided t' tape off and paint t' canopy gold. I did this, but when I peeled off t' tape it pulled some o' t' previous paint off, ya bilge rat, matey, arrr, down t' t' plastic. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Upon inspection, me bucko, I did nay sand t' nose cone very well around t' canopy. Ahoy! Blimey! Please don't make t' same mistake! Blimey! Here be t' word from Sunward: "It is particularly important that t' nose cones be THOROUGHLY sanded with extra-fine grit sand paper before painting. T' cones are made o' High Density Polyethylene, shiver me timbers, which tends t' be waxy. Sandin' this off before paintin' assures that t' paint doesn't peel." T' recover, me bucko, me hearties, but really nay t' way I wanted, shiver me timbers, I painted t' canopy black and t' rest o' t' nose cone gold (since I was out o' t' Mirage paint).

T' decals are peel-n-stick and you cut them out. Begad! Ya scallywag! They are nice and include a set o' deadlights for t' nose cone and a nice phoenix head for each side o' t' rudder fin. There is a Canadian flag and t' words Phoenix t' give t' rocket a finished look.

Overall, matey, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4 points. Well, blow me down! T' instructions are great. T' components are quality and t' laser-cut balsa is great. Well, blow me down! T' issues come from t' fin tabs nay bein' t' correct size and t' straight elastic shock cord.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Sunward recommends doin' a swin' test and gives you all t' necessary instructions t' do so, however, one would hope that a kit is already designed robust enough t' ensure stability. Blimey! I e-mailed Sunward t' get t' Center o' Gravity location (CG) and here be t' response: "T' Phoenix's center o' gravity is approximately 17" from t' tip o' t' nosecone, dependin' on how t' parachute is packed (or if you choose t' use it- all our rockets land well without parachutes-on grass- that is!) and which engine is used- typically we fly them with a C6-5. Begad! While pre-flight testin' is recommended in t' instructions, our models' large win' spans usually make t' plasticine nose weight unnecessary." My CG is 15 3/4" from t' nose cone, ya bilge rat, without a motor and exactly 17" with a C6-5 installed. Sunward should add this t' their instructions.

Sunward recommends t' B6-2 (first flight), matey, matey, B6-4, C6-3 or t' C6-5 for flying. Arrr! Ya scallywag! My rocket weighed in at 4.2 ounces without a motor. Blimey! Ahoy! T' but this in perspective, me bucko, an Estes Fat Boy weighs 3 ounces.

Lastly, Sunward indicates, ya bilge rat, "0-600 feet in 3.5 seconds" and that it will have "wild smokin' nose-dives".

Flight preparation requires waddin' and mine took 5 sheets o' Estes waddin' t' feel comfortable with this tube diameter. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! After that a motor is installed and t' L-screw is turned t' hold t' motor in place.

My first flight was on an B6-2. It be a very good flight. Stable and straight even in t' winds that we were havin' that day. Begad! In fact, me bucko, prior t' this launch I lost me Estes Night Win' because it be "moved" by t' wind into t' wrong skyward direction. T' Phoenix seems less impacted by weathercocking, probably due t' t' t' large tube-fins t' shroud creates.

T' B6-2 carried t' rocket t' approximately 50 feet and while t' it still had a little upward movement t' ejection popped t' nose cone. Aye aye! Begad! Descent was fin and t' rocket was recovered without issue.

T' next flight, on t' same day, me bucko, was on a C6-3. Begad! I choose t' 3 second delay due t' t' angle I put on t' launch rod. Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't want t' lose t' rocket while under 'chute. Again, me bucko, another very stable flight. Aye aye! Blimey! Slow, me hearties, majestic lift-off. T' 3 second delay be too short so it still had a pretty good head o' steam when ejection occurred. Ya scallywag! Begad! Recovered fine with no damage.

T' Sunward parachute feels t' be 2-3 times thicker than an Estes or Quest parachute. Aye aye! It has held up well for t' 2 flights. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Same is true for t' elastic shock cord. T' real test on these are flight 5+. Blimey! Ahoy! Why 5? That is where I start t' see Estes 3-fold/elastic start givin' out and shroud lines showin' stress. Avast, me proud beauty! Maybe your experience is different.

I was able t' get out again and tried t' achieve one o' t' "wild smokin' nose-dives". Blimey! Guess what? I did. Begad! With a C6-5. Aye aye! T' lift-off was slow and straight. Begad! At Apogee t' rocket slowly arced over, arrr, pointed it's nose cone down and started droppin' (with delay smoke streamin' out o' t' back). Ya scallywag! After a short dive, t' ejection charge fired and t' rocket was recovered.

T' last flight for t' day be on me last Apogee D10-7. No slow lift-off here. It was off and flying. Ya scallywag! It did a very large spiral on t' way up and away from me pad. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It arced over and I'm very glad that it dropped about 2 seconds (with black'ish smoke comin' out t' back) before ejection. Ahoy! Avast! Had it ejected at apogee I would have lost it out o' t' flyin' field.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 4  points. T' B6 motor makes it great for demo's. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' slow lift-offs are nice. Avast! Blimey! Recovery system is holdin' up well, shiver me timbers, arrr, despite me concerns over t' elastic. Blimey! Blimey! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! This should be a 24mm kit with an 18mm adaptor. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' L-screw is doin' a great job.

I give t' rocket an OVERALL ratin' o' 4  points. It will give you a challengin' build. Blimey! It uses some interestin' techniques that are different from standard modrocs. It gives some nice lookin' flights.