Brief:
T' Cymech Armageddonator is a 1/24 scale model o' t' existin' classified stealth reconnaissance aircraft. T' full sized craft is powered by two regenerative air-turboramjet (RATR) engines and carries a crew o' two. Aye aye! It uses a synthetic aperture radar with real-time datalink for reconnaissance. Avast, me proud beauty! Weaponry includes a small particle accelerator. A speed o' Mach 6 and a cruisin' altitude o' 40 kilometers makes it invulnerable t' any current missile system. Blimey! Blimey! T' sleek aircraft is made primarily o' titanium with its outer edges constructed o' Inconel, ya bilge rat, a heat-resistant stainless steel. At speed t' leadin' edges o' t' airframe glow white above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

T' model is a BT-60 based parachute recovery rocket with 18mm motor mount.

Construction:
Parts include BT-60 for t' main fuselage, shiver me timbers, matey, BT-55 for t' forward fuselage, matey, JT-55 tube coupler, balsa nose cone, ya bilge rat, paper tail cone, launch lug, ya bilge rat, BT-20 for t' motor tube, matey, shiver me timbers, standard motor clip, centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, matey, 1/8" balsa fins, ya bilge rat, balsa cockpit, 1/8" wingtip dowels, me hearties, arrr, BT-5 based sidepods with balsa nose cones and balsa ramjets, shiver me timbers, me hearties, BT-5 top pod with balsa nose cone.

Two primary goals were achieved with this model. Ahoy! One was t' create a highly asymmetrical rocket that flies straight. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' other was t' experiment with a new construction technique wherein an intriguing, me hearties, shiver me timbers, sleek, shiver me timbers, crescent-shaped "intake grill" was fashioned from t' transition betwixt two body tubes. Avast! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!

(click on picture t' enlarge) T' grill was the startin' point. A curved line be drawn by hand and then carefully cut usin' an X-Acto cutlass. Ahoy! T' most ventral 8mm of t' BT-60 remained intact. Aye aye! Enough BT-60 (about 6mm) was cut out lengthwise from t' dorsal surface so it could be glued down onto t' JT-55 coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! Forward from t' coupler (the parachute compartment), matey, me bucko, an intact BT-55 was used. Avast, me proud beauty! A piece o' balsa be carefully carved t' provide structural support betwixt t' BT-55 and BT-60. Additional smaller pieces o' balsa were added t' strengthen t' "smile". Finally, automotive body filler was added t' complete the vent. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' cockpit was hand-carved from a block o' balsa. T' tail cone is paper. Avast! T' arrangement o' t' fins was begun with a 3-fin alignment, which be modified by eye t' make t' main wings a little straighter out t' t' side and allow room for t' vestigial ventral fins. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! T' side pods were completed and then glued into slots cut in t' wings. Begad! Begad! Blimey! T' dowel wingtips were pointed with a pencil sharpener then glued on. Arrr! Begad! Blimey!

Finishing:
T' paint scheme is blue enamel on top, white on bottom, with custom Testors inkjet decals.

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended engines are C6-3 and D10-5. Begad! Ya scallywag! Prep is standard waddin' and chute. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Recommended chutes are 18"-24". It has flown five times on C6-3s and once on a D10-5. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! It never had a perfectly straight-up flight, but it's nay as bizarre a path as t' SS1, me hearties, either. Avast! T' D10-5 flight resulted in a blown-out body tube rather than deployed chute so there is currently substantial damage, arrr, but I keep it in t' "restoration" pile.

Summary:
Kids absolutely loved it and asked how high. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I always told them it's classified. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! It held its rightful place in the arsenal right next t' me classic Interceptor.