Diary o' a Contest Rocketeer:

3-24-08: Got me box o' parts . Will post pics later.

3-26-08: Here are me parts. Aye aye! Nay much for large nose cones, arrr, but looks like I can make somethin' up if need be.

(Click t' Enlarge)

3-27-08: There be about three sheets o' paper inserted in t' box when I got it. Now I can't seem t' find those sheets.

3-31-08: I found those sheets o' paper I misplaced along with another tube coupler/tube and a mixin' cup... do I have t' retake t' picture o' all t' parts?

5-24-08: Just wanted t' mention that I started buildin' me contest entry . Was kinda hopin' for longer 18mm tubing, matey, but I'll make due with what I have. Begad! If I can make it stable with t' length I have t' work with, this may be a two stage rocket.

5-27-08: Pretty much finished buildin' me entry. Goin' test fly it this weekend unpainted.

Question: Just went over t' rules again and it said good photos o' build process. I hope illustrations qualify for that because thats what I be doin' ><.

I thought about takin' photos o' t' build.... but me cheap camera is broke, and I did nay want t' get glue, paint, me bucko, etc on me expensive gear.

5-29-08: Well, matey, Construction o' me entry has been complete. Begad! Begad! I wanted t' get in some test flights at todays CMASS launch, shiver me timbers, but that has been postponed till Sunday, and I can't make it after church... Begad! so since t' next CMASS launch I will be able t' go t' is nay until after t' contest deadline, matey, shiver me timbers, I will have t' test it on me own. Arrr!

I am goin' test it as a single stage configuration first. Probably with a B6-4. It has an unique fin configuration, so I like t' see how it behaves before I try it with t' booster.

5-31-08: Minor setback - While cleanin' up I "bumped" t' rocket and crimped t' main body tube and sent one o' t' details flyin' across t' room. Well, blow me down! T' Crimp was easily fixed by splicin' t' tube, me hearties, me bucko, insertin' a tube, and gluin' them back together. T' detail be like findin' a needle in a haystack, but I found it after searchin' high and low.

6-01-08: Much t' windy today t' test fly me creation. Maybe tomorrow if I have time.

6-03-08: Got t' test flights done. I First I flew it single stage with a B6-4. Avast! Good flight, shiver me timbers, did nay get very high. Aye aye! B6-2 would be a better choice. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Second test flight was in its two stage mode. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! B6-0 and B6-4 be used. Begad! Perfect flight but I did nay get a picture since t' guy pushin' t' button failed t' do a proper countdown ><. Ya scallywag! Today I started writin' t' documentation. Aye aye! Will paint me rocket soon . Blimey! Begad!

On T' Pad - Nekkid	Test Launch - Single Stage

(Click t' Enlarge)

6-17-08: Had an issue where t' Krylon black reacted t' t' humidity and fogged up. I am paintin' rust oleum over it, I hope it does nay have a reaction . Ya scallywag! Arrr! My Drawings for me rocket are almost done, me hearties, so that means I will have t' documentation done soon . Begad! Weather is forcasted t' be poor all this week, ya bilge rat, so gettin' a in-flight picture before the deadline may be an issue.

BTW, matey, requirin' an in flight photo shouldn't be a requirement. Well, blow me down! For me, t' next launch where I can fly it on larger motors won't be till after t' contest is over, so that means I have t' fly it at t' local park, ya bilge rat, which limits me to B6-0 in t' booster, and I only got one left. Arrr! And its hard t' take a picture and launch t' rocket at t' same time, and its hard t' get someone t' help . Begad! So If I miss t' shot, I don't have any more B6-0's, me bucko, which limits me t' C6-0's which I will loose t' rocket, arrr, me bucko, or A8-0's...

I got a shot o' t' unpainted test flights with it single stage on a B6-4. Ahoy! Would that count? I also flew it two stage, but t' helper did nay know how t' do a proper countdown and I did nay get a launch shot o' it in two stages... T' paintin' and detailin' will be done this week, shiver me timbers, just at t' mercy o' weather t' get a finished launch in before the deadline (which for me be t' 27th, ya bilge rat, cause I am leavin' on vacation and won't be back till way after t' deadline).

6-20-08: My rocket is finished . Avast! I think me paint scheme came out extremely well. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Now I need t' finish the documentation...

Fully Illustrated Instructions

Designin' t' Avenger

Two stage rocket design which is me entry for t' "Box-of-parts" design contest. Blimey! Well, blow me down!

T' parts for this rocket was limited t' whatever parts were present in t' Priority mail triangle that I got. Upon openin' t' box, I noticed thar was only a limited number o' large tubes, and a large collection o' smaller tubing. Aye aye! Also lackin' be amount o' quality o' good sheet balsa, matey, shiver me timbers, shock cord material, launch lugs larger than 1/8" or parachutes larger than 12." Pokin' around I noticed I had a Custom Eggloft cone, me bucko, which I decided right off the bat I wanted t' use. I also noticed I had a 2" wide strip o' aileron balsa stock. Begad! Aye aye! I wanted t' use that to. There was also quite a collection o' BT20-50 centerin' rings which I decided would be used for detailing.

Now t' challenge; design a rocket worthy o' placin' as high as possible in t' Box o' Parts contest usin' the materials I have at hand. Avast! I had t' design a rocket that was light enough t' be safely launched from a 1/8" launch rod (although I could make larger LL with t' paper included) and recovered safely from a 12" parachute with a typical rubber shock cord. Aye aye!

After drawin' several designs, me bucko, I finally came up with a basic plan that I liked. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I thought about layin' out the design in Rocksim, but decided against it because Rocksim does nay handle "Tail-Ring" designs well. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I did end up usin' Rocksim t' help determine what span t' Pylons need t' be so I could create t' templates. Aye aye! For t' most part, buildin' t' rocket was easy. Arrr! Begad! However, gluin' t' fins made from t' aileron stock be a bit tricky t' align properly, and gluin' t' tubes on t' tip be even more challengin' t' get aligned right.

To finish t' rocket, me hearties, arrr, I used Bondo Glazin' and Spot putty t' fill in t' joints betwixt t' aileron fins and the tubes. Then I applied several coats o' Rust Oleum Light Gray Automotive primer, sandin' betwixt each coat. Once I was satisfied, matey, t' rocket be sprayed with a base coat o' Gloss White. Ahoy! Then t' Fin Tip Tubes and t' center rin' o' the nosecone was painted Red. Begad! T' top section o' t' nosecone be then painted Yellow and t' Base part was painted Black. Usin' a small paint brush, t' Guns were painted Black, and t' missiles was then detailed with a Silver nose, and the tail end Silver, ya bilge rat, Red, and Black. Avast!

So far t' Avenger be flown three times. Begad! First time I launched it with a B6-4 in t' single stage mode. Avast! The rocket did nay go as high as I thought it would, ya bilge rat, so t' 4 seconds was t' long but t' parachute did deploy in time. A B6-2 would be a better choice for a single stage B motor flight. T' second flight was in two stage mode. Blimey! Begad! A B6-0 in the booster, and a B6-4 in t' sustainer. Blimey! Great Flight and I be happy t' see that a 12" parachute was t' perfect chute size for this rocket since it gently drifted towards t' end o' t' field and landed betwixt two trees.

T' most recent flight be a two stage flight with a B6-0 in t' booster and A8-3 in t' sustainer. Avast, me proud beauty! It be a perfect flight and recovery. One o' t' Guns peeled off a layer o' paper, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but I do nay know if that be damage from recovery or handling.