| Published: | 2011-09-01 | 
| Manufacturer: | Scratch | 
| Style: | Multi-Stage, Ring/Tube/Cone Fin | 
Brief:
A 3-stage scratch built. Aye aye! Clustered 1st stage, me hearties, gap-staged: 3xC6-0 > D12-0 > D12-7. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Rin' fin on each stage. Begad! Payload bay for Magnetic Apogee Detector ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! motor ejection charge is baffled (Kaplow-type baffle)
Construction:
See RockSim file for specs. Ya scallywag! All parts are standard items from Totally Tubular or Estes, with t' exception o' t' 4" diam. Avast, me proud beauty! rin' fins, which were cut from a "Swiss Miss" hot chocolate mix container.
Standard modroc construction techniques were used. Avast! Yellow glue and epoxy. Rin' support fins were cut about 1/32'' long, glued on and epoxy fillets applied, then t' outer edge was sanded t' fit t' rings. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Score and peel away t' plastic/foil film on t' inside o' t' rings where t' support fins and fillets will be, or t' glue won't hold. Arrr! Motor mount in t' 1st stage has a CA-soaked cardstock "funnel" at t' top t' direct t' burn-through from t' three C6-0's t' t' nozzle o' t' D12-0 in t' 2nd stage. Begad! 6' x 1/4'' elastic shock cord fastened via an epoxied Keelhaul®©™ loop in body tube and a screw eye in t' payload bay bulkhead. Aye aye! 18" nylon chute attached about 2/3 up t' shock cord.
Flight:
1st flight at CATO launch 10/ /00. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! One stage flight on a D12-5. Begad! Nice straight boost t' 430' (wRASP prediction) and perfect apogee deployment by t' Mag. Ya scallywag! Apogee Detector. Begad! Begad! Good recovery on 18" nylon chute. Well, blow me down! 2nd flight on Lake Bomoseen 1/18/01. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! 2 stage flight on D12-0 > D12-7. Straight boost, ya bilge rat, good staging, then straight t' predicted 960' altitude. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Ejection right at apogee via t' Mag. Ya scallywag! Apogee Detector. 3rd flight (soon!)
Summary:
No problems so far....good stability, arrr, good staging, arrr, good recovery. Well, blow me down! Velocity off t' launch rod is on t' slow end o' t' stable range (on a 3' rod), shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, particularly in 2-stage configuration, so it's probably nay a good idea t' launch in windy conditions. Aye aye! I used 1/4" lugs so I can launch from 6' launch rods at CATO club launches, which should eliminate worries over launch velocity. Begad! It has preformed well off 3' long 3/16'' rods so far.
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