Descon U.S.S. Vesta

Scratch - U.S.S. Vesta {Scratch}

Contributed by Ryan Coleman

Manufacturer:

U.S.S. Well, blow me down! Vesta
(Contributed - by Ryan Coleman)

Idea

Once again, me imagination and t' spare parts layin' around got t' better of me, matey, and t' U.S.S. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Vesta was born. I think it looks futuristic and somewhat cool. Arrr! T' capability t' cluster with some extra mini's also adds some excitement t' t' design. Ahoy!

Diagrams

Here's a small diagram view o' t' completed rocket: [Diagram]

Pictures

Here's an unpainted but completed picture:
[Rocket Pic]

Flight Report

First flight. Begad! Arrr! May 30. Begad! Nice day, no wind, sunny. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Flight on B6-4 severely arced (as somewhat expected). Begad! Begad! Ejection be at apogee and it recovered nicely on a 18" chute. Begad! Arrr! As a result, me bucko, I'm tryin' t' consider how much weight would be necessary on t' underside for it t' fly straight. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Maybe it just needs more power. Ahoy! Definitely less than a B6-4 is nay recommended. Unfortunately, me bucko, the camera was nay cooperatin' and t' pictures will probably nay come out.

Second flight. June 28. Avast! Avast! Hot, light breeze. Ahoy! Went for t' cluster, 1 B6-4, and 2 A3-4Ts. Ya scallywag! Twisted leads together (the motors are mounted close enough). I used a Estes Command Control (one o' their few decent products), any 12 volt or higher system is recommended for clusters. Begad! All three lit, me hearties, model jumped off t' pad. T' model did nay arc this time, ya bilge rat, it went almost straight up, matey, matey, slightly rolling (cool!). Ejection be just about a half-second before apogee, a B6-6 for the main motor might be o.k. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' 12" parachute brought t' model down. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Because of t' slightly premature ejection, me hearties, and perhaps a shock cord that could be a little longer, a dent developed at t' top end o' t' tube. Avast, me proud beauty! It be bent back into place without damage. Begad! Aye aye! Still no flight picture :(

Parts

12" length o' BT-50
3" length o' BT-20 (main motor mount)
20-50 Centerin' Rings x 2
Engine block for BT-20
BT-50 45' diagonal cut from 2 11/16" t' 1 11/16" (Upper)
BT-50 45' diagonal cut from 2 1/4" t' 1 1/4" (Lower)
1 7/8" BT-5 (Upper)
7 1/8" BT-5 (Lower)
Engine Block for BT-5 x 2
5 3/8" BT-5 (Upper Wing)
Endcaps for BT-5 from middle o' Centerin' Rings x 2
1 3/8" BT-5 Paper Conical NoseCone
3 3/8" Small Plastic Sticks x 2
Small Strips o' thin Cardstock
30" length o' 1/8" Sewin' Elastic
Paper Shock Cord Mount
Launch Lug
12" or 18" plastic or mylar parachute
4 1/8" length o' BT-4 (10.5 mm)
2" length o' BT-2 (6 mm) x 2
2 1/4" length o' BT-2
2 5/8" length o' BT-2 x 2
3 1/4" length o' BT-2 x 2
3 3/4" length o' BT-2
Endcap for BT-4
Endcap for BT-50
1/2" length o' BT-50
some Clay
1/8" Balsa Stock

Here's a scan o' t' Fins:
[Template]

Construction Outline

Main Body

Engine Mount

Glue t' Engine Block into t' Front o' t' Motor Mount and one rin' at the top and one 3/8" from t' back. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When dry, me hearties, glue t' whole thin' so it sticks out 3/8". Well, blow me down! Blimey! Add an engine hook if you like, I don't.

Nose Cone and Recovery Systems

Instead o' a typical nosecone, which I had none of, me bucko, I opted for something completely different. T' BT-4 tube forms t' center o' t' nosecone and the multiple BT-2 tubes go around t' sides t' center it perfectly in t' BT-50. All t' ends o' t' tubes are even. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I glued mine in t' followin' order:

T' second shortest length
T' either side o' it, me hearties, arrr, t' shortest length
T' third shortest lengths on both sides o' those
T' second longest lengths go next
T' longest length. Well, blow me down! This is nay a perfect fit, me bucko, but it still looks cool

Glue t' shockcord t' t' inside o' t' BT-4. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! Push some clay in t' top just for stability safety for t' paranoid. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! Then glue on t' front BT-4 endcap. Cut a small hole in t' BT-50 endcap, thread t' shockcord through it, and then glue it on. Ya scallywag! Glue t' BT-50 rin' 7/8" from t' back o' t' 'nose' t' act as a forward stop. By t' way, shiver me timbers, me bucko, these multiple tubes are NOT missile launchers, phasers, matey, me hearties, laser beams, nuclear weapon devices, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, matey, or cannons o' any sort.
I used a long length o' sewin' elastic and a typical paper mount. Arrr! I also use snap swivels on all me parachutes, shiver me timbers, matey, so I'll just throw an old one on. 12" will be fine for smaller fields, ya bilge rat, 18" for larger ones.

External Assemblies

Left and Right 'wings'

T' outer parts o' each win' go forward. Ahoy! I held mine together with masking tape and glued them together. Blimey! Sand your favorite airfoil t' each after you glue them. Ya scallywag! Also, a small triangle will need t' be cut off t' back o' each outer portion. Avast, me proud beauty! Sand and Seal usin' your favorite method and then attach on opposite sides o' t' tube 3/8" from t' rear. I angled mine 'down' about 3 or 4 degrees.

'Upper' Assembly

Glue a BT-5 engine block into t' front o' t' shortest tube. Avast! Blimey! Then glue the half-block made from balsa or cardstock into t' same end. Glue the assembly with t' blocks at t' same end as t' diagonal cut into t' longer of the side BT-50 pods. It should stick out 3/8" like t' main tube. Well, blow me down! The closed half should face t' tube. Arrr! Avast! When it's all dry, glue it t' t' main tube between t' wings so that t' end o' t' BT-50s and t' end o' t' Engine Mounts are even.
Sand and Seal t' Upper Fins. Arrr! T' cross goes in t' slot in t' other piece. Well, blow me down! It should be in t' middle. Arrr! Glue t' root o' t' fin so t' cross piece is away from t' main tube and down t' t' top o' t' longer BT-50 piece.
Take t' middle length o' BT-5. Ya scallywag! Begad! Glue t' cone into it, slanted down so one edge is even with t' tube. This tube does NOT hold a motor. Begad! It is for aesthetic purposes only. Blimey! Glue it t' t' top o' t' upper fin and cross piece so it sits 1/2" back from t' back o' t' cross piece.
Lastly, ya bilge rat, arrr, glue t' plastic sticks t' either side o' t' cross piece so they look like forward pointin' antennae. Begad! These are NOT guns, lasers, me bucko, cannons, me hearties, or any weapon at all.

Lower Assembly

Start by gluin' t' smaller diagonal cut BT-50 piece t' t' 'underside' of the tube so it is even with t' main tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Push t' Engine Block into t' back of t' tube. Ya scallywag! Cut or punch a vent hole at t' top and glue t' whole endcap onto the front o' t' tube. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Blimey! When dry, glue it t' t' underside o' t' tube 3/8" from t' aft through t' diagonal cut tube. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' vent hole should face out.
Sand and seal t' lower fin. Glue it t' t' Diagonal cut BT-50 and the BT-5 tube as far back as will fit.

Launch Lug

Glue half t' lug next t' a wing. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Glue t' top half 8" up t' tube. Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey!

Decor

Strips o' Cardstock

I used those strips o' cardstock (from a Estes Sidewinder kit) t' add some futuristic lookin' details t' t' main body. Arrr! Avast! I cut down t' biggest piece to 3/4" x 3 1/8" and wrapped it 2" back from t' nose. Blimey! Blimey! I then used a 6 3/8" x 1/8" strip from t' upper diagonal tube t' t' wrap I just put on.

Paint

My g/f has been complainin' that all me 'futuristic' type rockets look too dismal (shades o' grey), so I gave me U.S.S. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Vesta a white undercoat as a prep surface for silver. Ahoy! Blimey! I masked off most o' t' model, except for some 'wing' areas, me bucko, t' upper diagonal cut BT-50, some fins, and a small stripe around the cardstock ring. Aye aye! Blimey! Painted silver over t' white, shiver me timbers, me bucko, then removed all t' tape. Blimey! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I then painted t' inside o' t' 'nosecone' tubes black.

Flyin' Tips

Single-engine flying.

A B6-4 is suitable for low-altitude test flights. A C6-5 should be just fine. You'll have t' friction fit t' motor, which isn't hard. Arrr! Just wrap maskin' tape around t' motor until you can't yank it out with your fingers. Prep t' rocket just like any other, me bucko, a bit o' maskin' tape may be needed t' get t' nose cone fit a little tighter. Blimey! I'd use a 12" chute or maybe an 18" if you have the field. No damage was taken t' t' rocket on either landin' on a 12", though. Aye aye!

Clustered flying

Because o' t' asymmetrical nature o' this rocket, it probably isn't the perfect first cluster. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Dependin' on your skill, matey, you could try it for your first cluster if you want.
Here are t' motor combinations I'd stick with.
B6-4 & 2x1/2A3-2T
B6-4 & 2x1/2A3-4T
B6-4 & 2xA3-4T
B6-6 & 2xA3-4T
B6-4 & 2xA10-3T
B6-6 & 2xA10-3T
C6-5 & 2x1/2A3-2T
C6-5 & 2x1/2A3-4T
C6-7 & 2xA3-4T
C6-7 & 2xA10-3T
Remember, matey, a B and two 1/2As is equal t' a mid-C motor. A B and two As is equal to a C. Well, blow me down! Begad! A C and two 1/2As or As is equal t' a low D. This will take t' rocket pretty high. Arrr! Well, blow me down! I also haven't flown it yet in that configuration. If you built carefully, even white or yellow glue with fillets can hold up t' low-D power. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!
This rocket is an in-line cluster, requirin' no extra clips t' launch, extra a heavy duty battery is mandatory. Well, blow me down! 12 volts minimum. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Friction fit t' main motor first, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and then t' sidepods. Avast! I lined me motors up at t' back end. Begad! Ahoy! Now, startin' with one o' t' mini's, put in t' igniter very carefully and then insert plug. Avast! Next, put t' igniter/plug into t' main motor. Blimey! Ahoy! Do t' last mini now. Begad! I installed t' igniters so that t' little paper strips are parallel to each other, matey, me hearties, and perpendicular t' t' line o' motors. Now take one lead from each motor, and twist together and away from t' other. Ya scallywag! Do t' same with the remainin' three.
Install t' parachute and waddin' like usual. Arrr! Blimey! Put t' whole thin' on t' rod, hook up t' clips well t' each twisted threesome o' leads. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! Launch it. Ahoy! Blimey! If they all light, me bucko, you're in luck. Ya scallywag! If only one or two light, me hearties, you may be in trouble. This is why you are careful t' insert t' igniters properly.
A Cluster will look pretty cool. Well, blow me down! A good picture is obtained by takin' it from the side, so (hopefully) all three plumes will be visible. Begad! (Even though I haven't managed it yet on this rocket). Begad!

Future for t' U.S.S. Vesta

Hopefully I'll be able t' test out some more motor combos. Perhaps t' C & 2xA will be next t' see if it will hold. Well, blow me down! Begad! If anyone has any problems, questions, or comments, arrr, contact me by email below. Begad! rcoleman@erinet.com

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