Brief:
This is a Blackhawk R&D 5.5" semi-custom Phoenix. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' original Phoenix had a single 54mm motor mount, ya bilge rat, and I had it changed t' (5) 38mm motor mounts. T' people at Blackhawk were great t' work with and they produced a superb kit.

Construction:
T' kit came with (1) 5.5" kraft paper airframe tube, ya bilge rat, (1) 5.5" kraft paper payload section, (1) tube coupler, (5) 38mm motor tubes, (3) plywood centerin' rings, (1) plywood bulkhead, recovery attachment hardware, (1) tubular nylon shock cord, me bucko, (1) set o' 8 plywood fins, me hearties, and (1) 5.5" plastic nose cone. Avast! Blimey! T' save money, me bucko, I supplied t' recovery parachutes myself. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! Also, me hearties, the airframe be pre-slotted, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and everythin' arrived in perfect condition. Arrr! Blimey!

Because this was a high power kit, thar were no instructions supplied with it (as with all o' Blackhawk's larger kits) This allows you t' construct it the way you want, and nay have t' follow exact instructions. Avast! Blimey!

This kit has standard, straightforward construction except for t' eight fins, arrr, ya bilge rat, and it went together perfectly aside from a couple o' (and expected) tight fits with t' motor mount. Ya scallywag! Arrr! I used a new gluin' technique with this bird, also. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I mixed Great Plains milled fiberglass (fiberglass dust) into me epoxy. This greatly improved its strength and dryin' time.

T' rocket was assembled primarily with Devcon 2-ton (2 hr.) epoxy mixed with fiberglass dust. Avast, me proud beauty! I also used some 5 minute Devcon and glass dust in some small spots, ya bilge rat, me bucko, some Hobby Poxy and glass dust on parts o' t' motor mount, and I also used a few other interesting adhesives with t' fins. Begad! Well, blow me down! For t' aft set o' fins, I attached them with 2-ton Devcon and glass dust, me hearties, and I glassed t' fin/airframe joints with 5-minute epoxy and heavy glass (sorry...I can't remember it's weight). Ya scallywag! For t' forward fins I used Devcon 2-ton with glass dust, then a fillet layer o' Elmers Pro-Bond wood glue and fiberglass dust, me bucko, and finally I filleted t' fins with JB Weld mixed with glass dust. Avast! Blimey! This provided a bond that was surprisingly firmer and stronger than t' glassed and 2-ton epoxied aft fins. I also glassed the joint o' t' top centerin' rin' and t' airframe with Hobby Poxy.

Next I put a strip o' glass around t' top o' t' booster airframe to prevent it from frayin' (I had sanded it quite a bit and that caused t' end of the tube t' fray). Begad! Because o' its heavy motor mount and many fins, me hearties, this rocket needed some nose weight. Aye aye! Well, I got a little happy with it and put in around *9 LBS* o' sand in t' nose. (hey, arrr, me hearties, it doesn't hurt t' be on t' safe side!) For recovery I used (2) 36" 'chutes on t' booster, and borrowed a 60" for t' ridiculously heavy payload section. Lastly, I replaced t' 1/2" lug with rail guides that were attached at t' launch with t' help o' John Gordon (thanx John!). Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I also used four wood screws with washers on them for motor retention, matey, and two Keelhaul®©™® 'chute protectors.

Finishing:
I filled t' body with bondo, ya bilge rat, and then I sanded, and sanded, me hearties, and sanded, and sanded some more. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Then I primed and sanded and primed and sanded. Ahoy! Next I painted t' body with Rustoleum white and white Appliance Epoxy. I then masked it and painted on some blue and yellow semi-scale markings, matey, and I painted the tip o' t' nose silver. Begad! Finally, me hearties, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I gave it a few coats o' clear polyurethane. Begad! Ahoy!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I was plannin' on flyin' this at t' Tripoli SC Freedom launch on a full load (4 Pro38 G60's, matey, and one Pro38 J330) with Andy from Blackhawk R&D bein' my flight sponsor (I'm under 18). Well, blow me down! BUT, me hearties, t' Pro38 J didn't materialize, and the weather for t' only day I be at t' launch be totally crappy. Begad! There was a low ceiling, shiver me timbers, and it drizzled off and on for much o' t' day. Avast! Well, blow me down! But by around 3:00 the ceilin' had raised enough t' fly. Avast! So, I talked with me Prefect and we came up with (1)I435T, and (2)G60's. Begad! It wouldn't be any more than 1000ft altitude, but it would be loud and fiery (and that would make up for t' altitude). Well, blow me down! Well now we couldn't locate his 38/600 case, ya bilge rat, me hearties, or find anythin' t' plug t' empty motor tubes with! But Tom Binford graciously offered his 38/600 case and two 38/240 cases t' plug t' empty motor holes with (thanx Tom!!). Aye aye! Then we assembled t' motors, signed t' flight card, me hearties, and headed for t' pads. Arrr! I used Blacksky Hi-RMI mini matches for ignition o' t' Pro38 G60's (with their blackpowder ignition pellet that's all you need), matey, arrr, and I got a small piece of thermalite t' tape on t' t' t' Hi-RMI mini match for t' I435T. Finally it was time...5...4...3...2...1...Ignition! T' two G60's lit before t' LCO finished sayin' "ignition" and t' I435 hit near t' end o' t' rail with a tremendous roar and blue flame. After everythin' burned out, t' rocket was literally whistling, and with it's weight, shiver me timbers, it smartly reached apogee and started back down.

Recovery:
I be usin' ejection from t' two G60's. Aye aye! Their delay be set for 5 seconds. They ran a bit long but nay long enough t' hurt anything, arrr, me hearties, and t' rocket hit apogee and headed down a bit, and then t' ejection charges fired and separated everything. Ahoy! Blimey! T' two 36" booster 'chutes deployed fine, but t' 60" payload section 'chute was wrapped too tightly (oops), shiver me timbers, and it never deployed. T' 10lb. Avast, me proud beauty! payload section came in hot. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Thank goodness it went over t' crowd and out into t' middle o' t' field. T' impact o' this thin' be so intense that it shoved t' epoxied tube coupler almost all t' way up into t' payload section, and t' nose was pretty well buried. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Blimey! But with some strength, ya bilge rat, t' nose was removed, and what a hole it left! Blimey! Thankfully, t' sand kept t' nose shape...it just needs t' be cleaned and repainted. Ya scallywag! Unfortunately, matey, t' payload tube was slightly crimped so I will have t' replace that. Blimey! But really, shiver me timbers, matey, that was the only damage t' t' vehicle except for t' loss o' paint on t' nose.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
This is one great kit. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blackhawk be easy t' work with, and they did a great job. I can identify absolutely no problems with it...except t' ones I caused! All I want t' say is that I highly recommend Blackhawk for good quality, me hearties, shiver me timbers, WELL PRICED custom work, and for great kits. Buildin' this be a great experience...I can't wait t' fly it on a full load! (1)I435T, (2)I300T, matey, matey, and (2)H242T here we come!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5