Brief:
T' Cymech Armageddonator is a 1/24 scale model o' t' existin' classified stealth reconnaissance aircraft. Well, blow me down! T' full sized craft is powered by two regenerative air-turboramjet (RATR) engines and carries a crew o' two. Well, blow me down! It uses a synthetic aperture radar with real-time datalink for reconnaissance. Blimey! 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. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' sleek aircraft is made primarily o' titanium with its outer edges constructed o' Inconel, 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. Begad! Well, blow me down!

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

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

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

T' cockpit be hand-carved from a block o' balsa. T' tail cone is paper. Arrr! T' arrangement o' t' fins was begun with a 3-fin alignment, matey, 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. Avast! Ya scallywag! T' side pods were completed and then glued into slots cut in t' wings. Aye aye! Begad! T' dowel wingtips were pointed with a pencil sharpener then glued on.

Finishing:
T' paint scheme is blue enamel on top, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, white on bottom, me hearties, with custom Testors inkjet decals.

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

Summary:
Kids absolutely loved it and asked how high. I always told them it's classified. It held its rightful place in the arsenal right next t' me classic Interceptor.