Scratch Upscale Grasshopper Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Upscale Grasshopper {Scratch}

Contributed by Jeff Lane

Manufacturer: Scratch
Style: Upscale
(Contributed - by Jeff Lane - 09/22/08) (Scratch) Sunward Grasshopper Upscale

Brief:
This is a 3x upscale o' t' Sunward Grasshopper. Arrr! It is a single-stage 29mm motor mount, 3-inch body, me bucko, parachute recovery rocket. Blimey!

Construction:
One 12.5 inch long 3" airframe tube, arrr, One Mercury Engineerin' blow-molded nose cone, three 1/4" plywood fins, 1 thin-wall Apogee motor mount tube, ya bilge rat, 2 foam core centerin' rings, Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock system, me bucko, and 24" nylon parachute. Aye aye!

This scratch rocket be easy t' build. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Blimey! It has through-the-wall fins glued t' t' centerin' rings and motor mount and is very straightforward. No special tools were needed. Well, blow me down! T' body tube and nose cone were purchased from Mercury. Ya scallywag! Fin material be leftover from Home Depot. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! Centerin' rin' material was leftover from a display project.

Finishing:
T' fins were finished usin' one coat o' Elmer's Wood Filler, followed by two overall coats o' high-build automotive filler, matey, with 2 colors o' automotive catalyzed acrylic enamel (the nose cone is a deep, ya bilge rat, nearly black-red and t' body is "grasshopper green"). Blimey! There are no decals. Arrr!

Flight:
Recommended motors are E28-4, me hearties, F39-5, G53-5 blackjack. Ya scallywag! (You can see video o' t' flight at http://www.cosrocs.org/all%20other%20videos/2008videos/9-13-14/grasshopper.mov.) Prep is standard wadding, although chute compartment is tight. Begad! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Motor retention is via tapin' aft closure t' motor tube. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This rocket takes off at a bit o' an angle, but it flies pretty straight after that. Begad! Blimey! Shock cord o' Keelhaul®©™® and elastic works fine. Ya scallywag! Recovery be perfect on t' 24" nylon parachute. Begad! No damage from first flight.

Recovery:
This rocket has a Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock cord system that works fine. T' 24" parachute is nylon. Aye aye! Arrr!

Summary:
PROs: Distinctive design, shiver me timbers, nay somethin' you see every day at t' high-power range. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Easy t' prep. Really nice flight. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

CONs: Limited parachute space. Well, blow me down!

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