Estes Omloidinator! Modification

Estes - Omloidinator! {Kit}

Contributed by Dennis McClain-Furmanski

Manufacturer: Estes


(MODS) Omloidinator! (Estes Omloid and Eliminator kitbash)

Brief:
Kit bash o' Estes Omloid and Eliminator into a single rocket

Modifications:
There are a million rockets lurkin' in spare parts boxes. This be t' story o' one o' them.

I'd purchased a collection o' parts which included most, but nay all, o' an Omloid egg lofter. I had nothin' else o' that size until I happened t' purchase an Eliminator kit. Ahoy! When I realized these were t' same diameter, arrr, shiver me timbers, perversity set in.

I started with t' buildin' t' Eliminator fin can and engine mount. Avast! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Rather than put t' second piece in place, ya bilge rat, I put t' lower section o' t' Omloid followed by t' next section o' t' Eliminator and so on. Blimey! In t' top section, arrr, ya bilge rat, I placed t' shock cord mount as per Estes instructions.

Even t' nose got t' treatment. Begad! I cut t' base and shoulder off t' Eliminator nose and glued t' rest t' t' top o' t' Omloid's 'egg crate'.

Construction:
All parts come from 1 Estes Omloid kit and 1 Estes Eliminator kit

Finishing:
Finishin' was predetermined--both kits came prefinished. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' colors, matey, gaudy t' begin with, clashed terribly. Arrr! Blimey! T' yellow ogive on t' orange egg crate was particularly funny. I took t' Eliminator's decal and cut t' "inator" off, ya bilge rat, stickin' that on t' finished rocket just after t' "Omloid" sticker, makin' it read (in mismatched letters) "Omloidinator".

(MODS) Omloidinator! (Estes Omloid and Eliminator kitbash)

Flight:
T' maiden flight was on an E9-6. Bein' so long and probably over stable, I counted on weather cockin' t' keep t' recovery area out o' a swamp downwind. Avast! Launch and early boost were flawless and quite pretty--fast enough t' impress but slow enough t' watch t' whole way. Begad! Inexplicably, shiver me timbers, me bucko, rather than weathercocking, it did t' opposite and arced slowly downwind around 10 t' 15 degrees. Begad! Coast was normal and ejection be just prior t' apogee. Begad! Aye aye! Chute deployment was instantaneous, ya bilge rat, matey, which turned out t' be unfortunate.

Recovery:
Already well downwind and with t' chute out at max altitude, me bucko, t' Omloidinator made clear its intention t' float as far as possible towards t' swamp. Arrr! Nay just a mushy mud swamp but a thickly overgrown with brambles and bushes and vines and quite possibly hidden snake swamp. Avast! It descended beautifully but obstinately right into t' dreaded swamp. Begad! I tried t' crawl through t' bush-barrier but gave up after 15 feet in as many minutes.

Summary:
Buildin' this be great fun and t' loss can't detract from that or from t' very pretty flight. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Flown where a swamp (or trees or power lines) can't reach it, this would make an impressive rocket, with t' additional humor factor.

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