Brief:
T' BAF-55 is a simple baffle intended t' protect recovery components from ejection charges in a BT-55 sized body tube.

While buildin' a Refit USS Atlantis from Sirius Rocketry, shiver me timbers, I decided that I wished t' replace t' manufacturer's recovery harness with a baffle. Begad! I did nay have a lot experience with baffles, me bucko, but t' experiences I have had have been good thus far. Aye aye! Blimey! Fortunately, I happened t' have one in stock from FlisKits.

Construction:
T' baffle kit came with instructions, a length o' Keelhaul®©™, two perforated disk that actually form t' baffles and a BT-55 sized couplin' tube.

Construction o' t' baffle is simple. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' 2 fiber disks are removed from their backin' and t' holes are punched out. Ahoy! Begad! One disk has t' holes clustered towards t' center and t' other has them arranged in a rin' around t' outside. Begad! T' one with t' outer holes goes t' t' aft o' t' rocket. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Both disks had a notch along t' outside edge through which t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® thread and t' aft disk had a hole intended as an anchor point.

I used an embroidery needle t' clear t' hole and passed t' Keelhaul®©™ through. I then tied a fat knot in t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™ t' keep it from bein' able t' pass through t' anchor hole. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I also used plenty o' yellow glue t' hold it down. Blimey! When t' glue holdin' t' Keelhaul®©™ be dry, me hearties, I proceeded t' paint both sides o' both disks with t' same glue, takin' care t' keep any from gettin' on t' edges o' t' disks. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! This glue was applied t' form a protective/ablative surface and lengthen t' life o' t' baffle.

When t' protective glue be dry, I glued t' aft disk in place in t' couplin' tube and secured it with a glue fillet. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! This was done as t' Keelhaul®©™ was passed back through t' notch on t' outer edge o' t' disk. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I then applied t' glue t' t' Keelhaul®©™ runnin' along t' side t' t' tube t' keep it in place. Avast, me proud beauty! When that be dry, arrr, I painted t' entire interior o' t' tube with glue, shiver me timbers, arrr, again for protective purposes.

T' last step o' t' actual baffle assembly be t' fit t' Keelhaul®©™ through t' notch in t' upper disk and then seat that disk in t' tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Again, me hearties, t' disk was filleted.

PROs: Well designed, easy t' make and use.

CONs: None.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I have t' admit, when I first flew t' Atlantis, ya bilge rat, I forgot I had installed this baffle so I stuffed it full o' dog barf. Aye aye! Blimey! Betwixt that and t' baffle, shiver me timbers, t' chute be well protected on deployment with t' ejection from a D12-5.

I remembered on t' second flight, arrr, usin' an E30-4 but it didn't really matter. T' chute had nay a scorch mark on it, and t' rocket recovered safely. T' thin' works and works well.

PROs: It works well.

CONs: I forget about it.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
If you want t' use a baffle, arrr, matey, all o' t' FlisKits ones I have used t' date have worked well. Arrr! T' one for t' BT-60 is no exception.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5