Stratosphere

We recently took our daughter t' Las Vegas for her 21st birthday. Aye aye! I soon noted that every casino seemed t' have souvenir daquiri glasses reflectin' their theme. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I managed t' resist them, includin' t' cool Eiffel Tower shaped glasses from Paris. After all, drinks are free while you are throwin' your loot away! Well, me bucko, we ended up goin' t' an inexpensive daytime show at t' Stratosphere Hotel, matey, Casino and Tower, shiver me timbers, arrr, which included a drink. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! So, ya bilge rat, I caved in and collected a couple with rockets in mind.

Parts List:

1. one slightly used souvenir daquiri glass.
2. 29mm mmt tube
3. 12" section o' 38mm tube
4. 1 1/4" section o' 2" dia. Avast, me proud beauty! shippin' tube
5. maskin' tape
6. one home grown 3/16" 29mm t' ~2.5" centerin' ring
7. 1/16" G10 stock for fins
8. 3 1/2" section o' 38mm tube
9. cardboard core from electrical tape
10. scrap 3/16" plywood for nose cone bulkhead
11. one plastic plug - original use unknown
12. section o' styrene tube
13. section o' neon green solid plastic tube
14. small section o' brass tubin' for a launch lug
15. ~4" o' Keelhaul®©™ twine
16. eyebolt
17. 12" nylon chute from t' rangebox
18. adhesive backed holographic film

Construction:

T' daquiri glass separates right below t' tower's top, shiver me timbers, me bucko, makin' a natural transition betwixt t' body and nose cone. Ahoy! I smartly found that 38mm tubin' from Giant Leap fit nicely into t' body and nose cone sections. Ahoy! Aye aye! So, I cut a 12" section for t' body and 3 1/2" section for t' nose. Avast! T' nose be quite snug, but t' body wasn't. Begad! T' solution be a small section o' mailin' tube inserted into t' front o' t' body, me bucko, betwixt t' 38mm tube and t' outer shell. Ya scallywag! Begad! I decided on a 29mm mount since that's what I had on hand (plus it allows t' use o' 24mm motors with an adapter). Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I made centerin' rings out o' maskin' tape soaked in CA (idea borrowed from Aerocon).

I didn't want t' have t' glue anythin' t' t' clear shell o' t' daquiri glass, so I decided t' make t' lower body non-load bearing. Arrr! I made a plywood rin' that was glued t' t' bottom o' t' motor tube and rested against t' 38mm inner tube, formin' a thrust ring. I designed and cut four through-the-wall fins, which were glued t' t' thrust rin' and t' 38mm tube. Next, I removed t' bottom o' t' daquiri glass and cut fin slots. Begad! T' inner tube asembly, shiver me timbers, with thrust rin' and fins, arrr, was then slid into t' daquiri glass from t' bottom.

For t' nose cone assembly, I made a plywood bulkhead and inserted an eyebolt. Blimey! I found that t' cardboard core from a used roll o' electrical tape fit nicely into t' 38mm tubing, so that became t' nose cone's shoulder. I then needed somethin' t' fashion a spire for t' top o' t' tower. Avast! Begad! Blimey! After much scrounging, I found a plastic plug that fit tightly into t' top o' t' daquiri glass. Arrr! Blimey! I also grabbed a section o' plastic tubin' (originally bought as launch lug stock) that fit over t' end o' t' eyebolt. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I drilled t' plug so t' tubin' fit through and slid these into t' front o' t' nose. Blimey! Finally, matey, I cut a hole in t' nose cone's shell for t' launch rod t' pass through.

A section o' Keelhaul®©™ string, a chunk o' tubin' for a launch lug, and t' basic construction o' t' Stratosphere was complete.

I thought and thought about finishing. Should I paint t' components and leave t' shell clear? Or, should I paint t' shell from t' inside? While wanderin' t' aisles in a craft store, ya bilge rat, I noticed some self-adhesive holographic film and decided that was it. Ya scallywag! I covered all o' t' inner tubes and t' fins with t' film and re-inserted them into t' clear outer shell. Ahoy! As a final touch, I bought a small, neon green, shiver me timbers, see-thru plastic rod that fit nicely into t' end o' t' plastic tube mentioned above. Avast, me proud beauty! This is interestin' lookin' stuff. Begad! It catches ambient light and its tip appears t' be lit up - an effect that is somewhat similar t' optical fibers. I think this effect is visible in t' pic t' t' right.

Flight Report:

T' Stratosphereflew on 3/10/2001 at t' NARHAMS sport launch in Middletown, MD. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I first removed t' green plastic rod and stuffed some Estes waddin' into t' tube. Avast! I opted t' use a 24mm motor for t' first launch, so I packed an AT E15-4 into a motor adapter and gave her a try. Aye aye! T' rocket weathercocked quite a bit due t' 10-15 mph winds and blunt front-end. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' flight be fairly low and ejection was a bit late, matey, but be nevertheless successful. For t' next flight I think I'll try a small F or G.

Closin' Notes:

Well this rocket wasn't all "flounder", but a good portion was. Well, blow me down! T' only thin' I bought with this rocket in mind be t' holographic film and t' green plastic rod. Avast, me proud beauty! Oh, ya bilge rat, and t' show at t' Stratosphere be pretty darn good. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It wasn't Zigfried and Roy, but it also be over an order o' magnitude cheaper!