Brief:
Usin' a BT-55 created a 1.8 upscale o' t' Estes Solar Warrior.

Construction:
In order t' build t' upscale Solar Warrior I used:

• 2 BT-55 tubes. Begad! Ahoy! One for t' body tube and t' other was cut t' create the two pods as t' end o' t' wings. Arrr! Ya scallywag!
• 1 BT-20 for t' motor mount. Begad! Well, blow me down!
• 1 sheet o' 3/32" balsa
• 1 PNC-55
• 1/8" launch lug
• 18 inches o' ¼ inch elastic for shock chord
• 60 inches o' 1.6" wide streamer material

Before I started me brother-in-law provided me with an enlarged fin pattern from a Solar Warrior kit I previously built. Avast, me proud beauty! In order t' capture t' edges of the fins on t' copier t' balsa sheet be colored with a marker. Usin' the pattern I cut out t' fins from t' balsa usin' a steel edge ruler and cutlass. Ahoy! I decided t' cut me centerin' rings out o' balsa. Aye aye! I first drew an "+" on t' balsa and marked me BT-55 and BT-20 into four equal distances around the circumference. Avast, me proud beauty! I pressed one end o' t' tubes against an inkpad and then used it t' mark t' balsa by linin' up me marks with t' lines o' t' "+". I then proceeded t' cut t' centerin' rings form t' balsa on t' inside o' the markings. Aye aye! T' centerin' rings were then sanded so that they would fit nicely in the body tube and t' motor mount tube would also fit correctly. Begad! In order to ensure a shipshape straight cut for me body tubes I wrapped it a few times with good maskin' tape at t' desired point. Begad! T' maskin' tape provided a nice straight guide t' cut against. Avast, me proud beauty! I cut t' first BT-55 t' a length o' 17.55" for t' main body tube and t' second BT-55 was cut t' create t' two pods of 2.7" in length on t' side o' t' wing. I cut three inch o' t' BT-20 for the motor mount. Aye aye! I cut a quarter inch o' t' end o' a spent 18mm motor casing for an engine block. Arrr! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I did nay have an engine hook and decided t' friction fit my motor. Begad! Well, blow me down! Usin' t' same steps as t' original Solar Warrior. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I finished it usin' wood filler t' create smooth fins and wings and painted it with Krylon yellow paint. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

Flight:
My first flight for t' rocket used an A8-3. Arrr! Lift off be slow but t' rocket may have reached only 40 feet in t' air. Ahoy! For me next flight I used a C6-3, me bucko, it flew nice and straight and t' recovery was uneventful. Aye aye! T' third flight on a B6-4 was good. Avast! Again it flew straight and recovery yielded no damage. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I flew successful on B6-4 and C6-3 twice more.

Summary:
Overall, shiver me timbers, I like t' design o' t' Solar Warrior. I have also built one usin' a BT-5 and am in t' process o' up scalin' it 3 times usin' LOC/Precision parts.