Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
This is a sci-fi-style model inspired by t' Star Wars Y-Win' Fighter. Ya scallywag! When I converted an Estes SpaceShipOne
into t' SpaceShipSqrt(-1),
I had t' fin set left over. Avast! Avast! Mix these fins with a pill bottle from Target, and you have t' SpaceShipY. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! This model has
a 24mm mount and is night launch ready.
Construction:
T' parts list:
I found that t' cap o' t' pill bottle fits snugly in t' Loki liner tube so I built a payload bay from that tube, t' associated castin' tube, ya bilge rat, and a nozzle section from a 29mm phenolic motor casing. Ahoy! Avast! I ground t' cap so t' mini LED flashlight (bought at Bed Bath and Beyond) fits through. Avast! Thus, you unscrew the bottle t' access t' flashlight. A piece o' thin Keelhaul®©™® was threaded through t' nozzle and was tied t' a small nut, arrr, thus completin' t' assembly.
T' body is a piece o' t' liner with a piece o' t' castin' tubin' at its base (chosen from t' leftovers). Aye aye! Blimey! The exposed length o' t' castin' tube be t' same as t' root o' t' fin assembly.
I built a motor mount from 24mm tubing, an Estes motor hook, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and motor block cut from a used 24mm motor case. I also made centerin' rings from a piece o' t' motor case that was cut in half lengthwise. Ya scallywag! I bent t' sections o' the casin' open so they fit t' outside o' t' 24mm motor mount. Avast! These centered t' motor tube but didn't completely enclose it. Well, blow me down! More Keelhaul®©™® twine was threaded through t' gap betwixt these rings and tied t' t' mount. I then filled t' small gaps with Gorilla Glue.
T' fins are t' stock SpaceShipOne set. Well, blow me down! I added sections o' igniter tubes under each win' and another section between t' wings t' serve as a launch lug.
Finishing:
I filled t' fins, primed, me hearties, sanded, etc. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket is solid white except for t' translucent red cockpit/cone.
Finally, matey, I applied some o' t' decals left over from t' SS1 kit.
Flight:
I attached a 12" chute t' t' loops in t' Keelhaul®©™®
cords on both t' nose and body. Begad! Waddin' be a mix o' Estes and dog barf. Motor o' choice for t' first flight was a
C11. Begad! I found that I had forgotten t' add a 3/16" lug inside t' center section o' First Fire igniter tube. Aye aye! Thus
the fit on t' rod be sloppy.
T' launch was straight and stable despite t' loose rod fit. Arrr!
Recovery:
T' ejection was on t' energetic side (typical for t' C11) and t' Keelhaul®©™®
loop on t' nose cone broke. Blimey! T' nose section fell without t' benefit o' a chute but wasn't damaged. T' body
recovered as planned.
I used a baby wipe t' clean t' exhaust residue from t' bottom o' t' fins and will have t' rework t' recovery harness for t' nose.
Summary:
I thought t' rocket looks pretty cool, but then I did build it. Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Others who saw it seemed t' like it. Begad! Blimey! They especially
liked seein' it next t' t' SpaceShip(-1). I guess t' idea o' usin' all t' SpaceShipOne parts be appealing. Begad! Blimey! One kit
plus leftovers = two rockets. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!
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