BRIEF:

I first saw t' Public Missiles Phantom in a little brochure sent t' me home. Begad! It be a new release for fall o' 1998 and I really liked t' looks o' t' kit. Begad! It is me second PML kit, with me first bein' t' Callisto which be me Level I certification rocket.

CONSTRUCTION:

There are many things t' t' Callisto and t' Phantom have in common, arrr, includin' t' 2.1" diameter, pre-slotted, me hearties, me hearties, me hearties, PML phenolic airframe, ya bilge rat, plastic nose cone, matey, piston recovery system and approximate height o' 46". Begad! However, t' Phantom carries a 38mm motor mount, a 12" payload section, a larger parachute and a unique 6-fin design. Ahoy! T' average finished weight is 26 ounces accordin' t' t' instructions, me hearties, shiver me timbers, however PML's webpage says 32 ounces. Well, blow me down! My finished model weighed 29 ounces . . Blimey! Begad! . Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! and then 31 ounces. PML indicated t' instructions were nay correct.

T' instructions were clear with illustrations t' help ensure a successful build. You will need 5 minute and 15 minute epoxy and sand paper t' rough up t' parts before gluing. Arrr! This be noted in t' instructions.

T' Phantom uses a 9.5" motor tube t' which 4" o' t' piston strap (1" nylon rated t' 4000 lbs) is glued to. Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' 1/4" plywood, matey, me bucko, upper centerin' rin' be pre-slotted t' allow clearance o' t' piston strap. T' piston strap is then connected t' t' piston "D" ring, which is attached t' t' 108" long, 3/4" wide elastic shock cord, which in turn is connected t' t' payload bulkhead.

All t' parts were cut precisely and fit very well. Aye aye! T' six fins are PML's G-10 fiberglass which are passed through t' slotted airframe and glued against t' motor tube. Ahoy! Well, arrr, blow me down! Just be sure t' look closely at t' fins t' ensure t' correct orientation. Avast! This is especially true on t' smaller fins (4 o' them) since t' leadin' edge is 3½ and t' trailin' edge is 2¾.

T' kit uses a 30" PML's Dura-Chute parachute, matey, which is high quality rip-stop nylon with a spill hole. Begad! Avast! There are also two brass 1/4" launch lugs.

For finishin' I wanted somethin' really different. Aye aye! I started with Elmers' Wood Filler t' fill t' spirals, shiver me timbers, then several good coats o' Plasti-Kote primer. Aye aye! Aye aye! I then chose a crackle paint kit from a local craft store and went t' town. Ahoy! T' kit included a gold base with a black crackle top coating. Arrr! I then hit t' whole thin' with a clear coat. It turned out really nice in me opinion.

I contacted a color coordinator (my wife) t' determine if t' red, shiver me timbers, white and black Phantom decals looked good with me paint job. Aye aye! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! It was determined that it took away from t' effect and therefore they were nay used. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! However, t' decals are peel & stick type and thar are two Phantom, some strips and other enhancers along with a couple o' "Cert: Level 1" and some center o' pressure symbols. Avast! Ya scallywag! Actually a very nice collection o' decals.

I built a 38mm t' 29mm motor adaptor since I do nay currently have a 38mm motor system. I should have purchased PML's Kwik-Switch system, but I didn't. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! I build a motor retention system and mounted t' 29mm adaptor t' t' 38mm motor mount.

Overall, shiver me timbers, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 4.5 points. Arrr! Straight forward and relatively easy t' assemble. With t' 38mm mount thar be very little room on t' centerin' rin' t' put motor retention hardware.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

At NOVAAR's first sport launch o' 1999, I readied me Aerotech RMS - 29/40-120 Reloadable Motor System. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I prepped an F52-5 and was enjoyin' all t' nice comments about t' Phantom's looks. Well, blow me down! I friction fit t' nose cone t' ensure nay losin' it (the instructions have you drill an 1/8" vent hole t' equalize pressure in t' payload section). Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I popped t' payload section off, checked and refolded t' parachute, me hearties, shiver me timbers, me hearties, put in a piece o' waddin' into t' motor mount then loaded t' motor.

T' launch was stable and straight. Ya scallywag! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Very smooth as it reached apogee, shiver me timbers, arrr, leaned over and started back toward t' ground. It never ejected and upon impact looked as though it exploded as t' phenolic shattered into pieces. Begad! Begad! What happened?

T' motor's ejection charge went off and it looked as if t' piston never moved (hard t' say after an impact but t' piston be still in t' unshattered portion o' t' rocket). Arrr! Blimey! Here is what I think:

I'm nay goin' t' bad-mouth PML's piston system as I have seen others do because I have 6 flights on me Callisto and never a problem. I think I made two mistakes. First, ya bilge rat, I built t' rocket in t' winter time and checked t' piston movement then and it was good with no sanding. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! It be warmer on launch day AND second, I never pulled t' piston out upon preparation. Aye aye! I only refolded t' parachute.

Amazingly t' nose cone, arrr, once retrieved from bein' completely embedded into t' ground, was nay damaged in any way. T' entire fin section is also in good shape which I attribute t' t' use o' phenolic (brittle) tubing. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I personally think from havin' this experience with paper that t' shock o' t' impact would have damaged t' fin section worse if it wasn't phenolic. I think that as t' phenolic shatters t' energy is better absorbed. Begad! Begad! Therefore, she is goin' t' fly again, with t' piston system.

REPAIRS:

Repairin' t' Phantom was so easy. I simply cut off t' ragged edge o' tubin' above t' fins, measured a cut a new body tube and put it all together. Avast! Upon t' rebuild I didn't make a new payload section, ya bilge rat, I simply made t' rocket t' same length without it. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Also since t' shock cord was still attached t' t' motor mount, I had t' split a coupler lengthwise t' use betwixt t' old fin section and new body tube.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY (again):

This time t' Phantom be loaded up with a F52-5T. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Launch be perfectly straight without t' slightest oscillation. Avast! Reached apogee, shiver me timbers, then about 1 second later t' nose cone separated. Well, blow me down! Where's t' 'chute? Where's t' 'chute? T' parachute never came out and t' rocket landed hard horizontally on t' ground. Some chipped paint and a small crack o' one fin fillet.

Well, arrr, this just would nay do, me hearties, so I loaded it up with a G80-7. Pow off t' pad with t' big flame o' a G80! Up and up, arc, deployment . Aye aye! . Arrr! . Begad! full deployment this time. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' Phantom uses a 30" 'chute and it descended fairly rapidly and hit fairly hard. No damage.

Let's see that again. Avast! Loaded another G80-7. Pow! Off she went. Ahoy! This time it be about a second after apogee and again full deployment and successful (although rapid) recovery. Arrr! Begad! I think this bird could use a bit larger parachute.

So after thinkin' about this, I have concluded that either t' Phantom be lettin' me know it wanted more power or I may have been nay puttin' enough ejection charge powder. I will fly here again on me RMS casing, but this time usin' t' full charge.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, me hearties, I would rate this kit 4 points. Ahoy! Each launch produced a very straight flight. These are t' ones that really make t' modeler feel proud o' t' construction. Descent it really quite fast and that's from a guy that would rather have a faster descent than not. Begad! T' ejection issues are nay deductin' any points here since I believe they were me fault.

Overall, me hearties, t' Phantom is a sharp lookin' rocket with t' 6 fins makin' it unique. Aye aye! Ease o' construction and super straight flights make this a very nice rocket for your Level I certification or just gettin' into HPR. Blimey! I would suggest gettin' or buildin' a 29/38mm adaptor t' get yourself more motor versatility. I give t' kit an OVERALL ratin' o' 4.5 points.