| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. I received two Estes Fat Boys, and I
planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, however, shiver me timbers, me bucko, one o' t' body tubes
was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone was shoved halfway
down inside it. Arrr! That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. I
built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from
the other kit. Ya scallywag! Arrr! I had two centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, a motor hook, a mylar ring, a launch
lug, a chute, and a shock cord.
Construction:
I remebered readin' a review about a spool rocket, shiver me timbers, so I decided t' give it a
try. Blimey! Arrr! I took t' engine tube, me hearties, ya bilge rat, centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, launch lug, motor hook, and
retainer ring. Avast, me proud beauty! In about 10 minutes, I slapped all o' these parts together to
form a cheap spool rocket.
T' construction be easy. Aye aye! Blimey! It is ideally t' motor mount o' a Fat Boy. Begad! Aye aye! It starts out by slittin' t' motor tube t' place t' eningine hook in. Arrr! I dont know why I put t' motor hook in. T' ejection charge just goes out t' other end anyway. Begad! Aye aye! T' next step was slippin' on t' mylar retainin' ring, which was tacked in place with thick CA. Ahoy! Next, ya bilge rat, matey, t' launch lug was glued with thick CA to the motor tube. Blimey! Finally, arrr, t' two centerin' rings were placed just over each end, me bucko, flush with t' ends o' t' motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I had t' line up t' semi-circle in one rin' with t' launch lug, arrr, and cut another one in t' upper centerin' ring to allow t' launch rod t' pass through.
Finishing:
I primed it, me hearties, painted mine blue, matey, let it cure, arrr, then slapped on some letter
stickers. Begad! Begad! Blimey! On one side I wrote spool and on t' other I wrote Alex. Aye aye! Blimey! Then, arrr, arrr, I
painted t' whole thin' black and removed t' stickers. Begad! Unfortunately. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Blimey! mylar
stickers do nay make good maskin' tape.
Flight:
Flight, matey, ya bilge rat, like any spool rocket is up, spin, and down. Begad! Ya scallywag! I flew it first in the
fall at a nearby schoolyard on an A8-3. Avast, me proud beauty! It went slow t' about 70-100 feet and
then spiraled back down usin' tumble recovery. At about 20 feet, t' ejectin
charge popped and a burst o' flame popped out o' t' top. Avast! I proved t' me dad
and sister that spools do fly straight. Blimey! They thought it be a joke. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' next
three flights were in Tewksbury at a CMASS sport launch. I flew it three times.
T' first time be on an A8-3. It be a repeat o' t' first flight: up and
down. Begad! Later, I launched it on a B6-4. Blimey! It went up and down, only faster and
higher. Well, blow me down! Then I launched it on a C6-5. It went up, probably about 250 feet. Begad! Begad! I
need t' use booster motors though because when it came down t' ejection charge
practically went off in t' LCO's face. Aye aye!
Summary:
T' main PROs for this rocket are t' ease o' construction and t' simplicity
of t' parts and design. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' only CONs are that durin' me launches t' ejection
charge fires too close t' t' ground, so a shorter delay is needed. Arrr! Arrr! Overall, I
really enjoyed buildin' and flyin' this rocket. Avast! Avast! It is a fun build for anyone
with a damaged body tube or other damaged parts. Begad!
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