Brief:
A plastic model conversion from a Czech-made Condor V-2 rocket model for 13mm
motors.
Construction:
This plastic model conversion was made from t' static model made by a Czech
company named Condor. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! As such, it is made from t' typical styrene plastic used
in most static models. Blimey! T' quality o' components wasn't as good as, shiver me timbers, say, matey, shiver me timbers, Revell
or Monogram, but wasn't too bilge-suckin' either. Begad! Aye aye! All t' parts t' build a static model
V-2 rocket with firin' stand were present, attached t' plastic runners. Ya scallywag! This is
a very small V-2 kit, though it appeared larger on t' box. Anyway, shiver me timbers, me hearties, it seems
that Condor always had PMC in mind, matey, because t' original motor nozzle was right
at 13mm! All that be needed was a motor tube, me bucko, a tapered centerin' ring, me hearties, a
launch lug, arrr, and a parachute. Avast, me proud beauty! And, shiver me timbers, as it turned out, mucho clay for t' nose.
Since it was purchased for SoAR's inaugural Plastic Death meet, time was
runnin' out. Avast, me proud beauty! A doubloon be tossed, me hearties, and command o' t' V-2 was turned over t' my
middle son, shiver me timbers, me bucko, Josh.
It couldn't be any simpler. Aye aye! This little V-2 seemed destined t' be a flyin' kit from t' start. Begad! Aye aye! Once both halves o' t' body were taped together, t' body was sawed in half at t' indentation cast into t' body. Begad! Ya scallywag! Funny, I had never noticed this rin' in any photos o' V-2s until I saw this model. Anyway, once t' body was sawed in half, matey, matey, t' lower two halves were glued together with CA. Once dry, the motor tube was put in place, and held in with a couple o' centerin' rings made from Styrofoam construction board, arrr, in decreasin' radii. Arrr! This filled the tail cone nicely. We decided t' leave a lot o' motor tube extendin' into the upper body tube, so that a composite "B" motor could be used. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Several layers o' t' Styrofoam board were used t' build somethin' for t' upper body tube t' attach itself to. Ahoy! A length o' elastic cord was attached t' t' motor tube with a snap swivel. Well, blow me down! T' upper body was glued together with CA, shiver me timbers, and the nose was filled with clay, me hearties, matey, though nay enough, matey, as t' first flight showed. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! The upper shock cord was attached with t' Estes-style folded paper epoxied t' the plastic. Avast, me proud beauty! Finally, t' fins were attached with CA, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and t' whole thin' was covered in gray primer. Aye aye! We decided t' paint it like V-2 number 2, me bucko, which was the first o' this roll pattern. Begad! Ahoy! T' paint wasn't t' greatest, but... Ya scallywag!
Flight:
For t' maiden voyage, ya bilge rat, an Estes A10-3T was used. Ahoy! Blimey! A chunk o' cellulose wadding
was used, arrr, but nay enough. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' motor retention was simply friction fit, though
that's trickier on a 13mm motor than it is on a 29mm motor! Unlike t' real
V-2, ya bilge rat, this beastie took off with a bang. Begad! It flew straight and true t' motor
burnout, then a severe wobble set in. Well, blow me down! More nose weight needed! But thar was
not enough cellulose wadding, and t' `chute (pirated from Obelisk) burned
severely, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and it recovered at a good speed. Arrr! No damage other than a burnt shock
cord and a melted chute! Once repairs were made, matey, it was time for t' SoAR meet.
On a windy January day, t' first competition flight be flawless, arrr, but still
with a slight wobble. Arrr! Altitude with an A10-3T was about 75 feet. At apogee, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, the
nose popped perfectly, but t' chute twisted in t' wind, and though it worked,
it didn't expand fully. Still, me bucko, absolutely no damage. Aye aye! Josh was really happy with
it, and I was pretty encouraged by its performance.
Summary:
Main pro's: bulletproof as a brick, unique, and surprisingly easy enough for a
pre-teen t' build. Con's: A LOT o' nose weight needed, and a very V-2 like
flight characteristic o' wobbling. Begad! Still, we will most likely build a whole
fleet o' these little rockets. Begad! How about a Russian post-war V-2 with parallel
staged 10.5mm Micro motors? Hmmm...
Plastic model conversion is a blast!
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