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

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

T' instructions twelve B&W 8.5" x 11" pages. Avast! Arrr! The instructions include a very nice engineerin' drawin' o' t' model with marking information. T' motor mount instructions were clear and straightforward. Well, blow me down! Avast! The tail assembly be t' most complicated part o' t' model. T' instructions take two full pages. I did find some o' t' marking/test fit/gluin' instructions confusing. Aye aye! It is a lot o' text t' read through. Ya scallywag! I would recommend readin' it through several times and breakin' t' build down into smaller sections. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! The fins mount t' t' aft tube only. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! 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. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! When I started t' sand it smooth, the paint lifted off and became uneven. Well, matey, blow me down! It took seven more coats o' a thinner primer t' get a minimum acceptable finish. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' rocket is red overall with one white fin. Ahoy! I chose t' build and paint t' rocket red without t' one white fin. T' one white fin was painted separately then glued on after drying. T' decals went on without difficulty. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight be on t' recommended D12-5. T' model uses a standard metal retention clip. Recovery waddin' was used. Ya scallywag! T' rocket lifted off with ease and was a very straight flight. Well, blow me down!

Recovery:
Ejection was normal although t' delay was closer t' 4 seconds. Aye aye! Blimey! T' chute opened and t' rocket settled down. It was noticed that thar was some separation at ejection. After recovery, shiver me timbers, it was discovered t' separation was half o' one o' red fins. It tore along t' balsa grain. There be also a crescent shape dent in t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! 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. I really like this family o' rockets and ARG has made a whole collection in t' same scale. Blimey! Begad! T' con was t' fin separation durin' flight. Aye aye! I would consider some type o' reinforcement for t' fins, me hearties, matey, either tissue or fiberglass. Alternatively, me bucko, me bucko, new fins could be cut with t' grain goin' t' opposite direction.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5