by Chris Kiekens

I had purchased a couple o' Gemini DC kits t' enter in this DesCon, me hearties, but alas, shiver me timbers, holidays, sick kids and work seemed to drain t' majority o' me time..

I did have time t' bang this one out howevera

I worked on this rocket obsessively(accordin' t' t' wife), and be havin' a great love affair with ita

Parts List: 1-2.14. Ahoy! LOC Nose cone 1-13. 2.14. Avast, me proud beauty! Fiberglass tube 1-9. Begad! Well, blow me down! 29mm LOC tube 3-2.14.-29mm Centerin' Rings (home made) 1/8. Aye aye! ply 1-pot scrubber(stainless) 2-3/16 eye bolts 2-machinein' threads w/ bolts 20 feet Pratt 500lb Keelhaul®©™ 1-LOC 18. parachute 1-1/8. Blimey! Quick link

Construction:

Puttin' it all together be pretty basic, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, slap t' centerin' rings on t' motor mount, epoxy liberally.. add another CR attached with t' eyebolts, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and sandwich a piece o' steel mesh in t' space.

T' fin slots were cut usin' a miter saw, me bucko, t' allow TTW construction.

T' Keelhaul®©™ be attached t' both eyebolts, ya bilge rat, and epoxied with a nut into t' nose(after cuttin' off t' shoulder), both givin' a solid attachment, shiver me timbers, as well as addin' some weight t' t' nose.

T' parachute was attached with a 1/8. quick link, arrr, t' allow it t' be transferred t' other toys..

Steel machine threads were epoxied into t' aft centerin' ring, t' be used with washers for motor retention.

Flight Report:

Maiden Flight was on an Aerotech G75-medium delay, me hearties, it leapt off t' pad like a screamin' mother-in-law, me bucko, t' an estimated 3561 feet, ejection was just after apogee, matey, shiver me timbers, and deployment o' t' recovery system(parachute) be normal.

Apparently t' chute was slightly oversized, me hearties, as we watched it float away for some time, and I looked for it for about two weeks after..

Conclusion:

I will build another, ya bilge rat, and will fly it in a larger field, me hearties, with a smaller chutebut t' tube was free, and I have lots more o' them, so I may build a 38mm version as well, shiver me timbers, because I can seem t' lose enough o' me rocket stuff!