by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Ya scallywag! Blimey! pretty excitin' really. It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Begad! Blimey! I have been playin' with boosted gliders lately, but balsa gliders don't seem to do well with a D engine attached...
I thought t' wood may be a little heavy... but hey, t' price was right!

T' wings are pretty basic... Blimey! rounded top and bottom, me hearties, me hearties, upper win' slightly forward... Begad! It is way faster with t' upper win' forward! A speaker must be used to clamp t' wings while t' glue dries... Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! this is essential t' makin' it loud!

T' tail section is basic too... Well, blow me down! Blimey! I had concerns about t' thrust o' a D engine tearin' off t' stabilizers. Begad! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

I cheated some for t' fuselage and used a piece o' aircraft plywood, and a 1/4"X1/4" piece o' balsa. Well, blow me down! I had concerns about usin' t' short pieces of t' box, matey, glued together, shiver me timbers, so shoot me, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I cheated a little...

Same parts... Arrr! Begad! I had another picture, me hearties, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Avast, me proud beauty! Cheap, really, really cheap!

A view from t' front, with t' motor tube installed... Begad! Begad! I used a 1/4" launch lug because it is what was layin' on me desk...

A shot from t' side... Notice how far back t' motor tube is t' compensate for t' weight distribution... Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Also notice that t' nose sticks out further than t' motor... Begad! Typically, it seems, t' motor tube hangs off t' end o' the glider, but i found with t' heavy win' assembly it needed t' be move back somewhat.

Just another filler shot...

Consider this a scale shot..see me hand...

First Flight:
It was slightly windy (10MPH); me choices for t' maiden flight were a D12, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, or an E9. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! I chose a D12, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Begad! Begad! I also figured that if it could take t' thrust o' a D12, then it would definately be good t' go on an E9. Ya scallywag! The OCOD leap off t' pad in a screamin' fiery fury! At around 100 feet, it's flight course went goofy. Yes, that be t' technical term, goofy. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! T' three people in attendance shifted noticably, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, as 100 feet isn't a great deal o' space between a flyin' orange crate, me hearties, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and your head... Aye aye! T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Ya scallywag! Bein' slightly more nose-heavy than intended caused it t' come in faster than t' design called for, arrr, and minor damage ensued. Avast, me proud beauty! It will be easily repaired, arrr, and checked out on an E... Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

Second Flight:
T' second flight be on an E9-6, arrr, me bucko, with a new bulkhead installed. Ahoy! I used a 6 foot 1/4" rod t' launch from this time, in an attempt t' cause it t' fly straighter... I have no idea what t' acheived altitude was..but it was a cool flight!