Brief:

This be t' third rocket I built t' enter t' EMRR Spaceship Design Contest. This looks t' be a simple 3FNC rocket with one heck o' a span and some interestin' engine pods. Ya scallywag! Arrr!

Characteristics:

• Height: 24 inches Fin Length: 6.8 inches Weight (without engine): 5.9 oz
• Motor Mount: 18mm (single) Recovery: Parachute

CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE Solar Flare Characteristics Height: 24" Fin Length: 7" 18mm Motor Mount 5.9 oz empty

Construction:

T' followin' are t' major components used:

Narrative:

I started with a left over kit rocket (Surefire X-19) I had from a summer class I taught. Ya scallywag! I built t' engine mount without t' engine hook and placed an engine block at t' edge o' t' tube. I then glued one center rin' at the forward end o' t' tube and t' other in t' middle. Aye aye! Once dried I glued it just inside t' BT-50 leavin' t' engine mount stickin' out over an inch. Avast! Usin' Matt Stum’s Template Widget, I created a transition/boat tail from heavy weight paper and glued it on.

I sketched a fin design on a piece o' matt board. Well, blow me down! Begad! When I had a design that looked like t' photo, me bucko, me bucko, I cut it out and used it as a template. Aye aye! Because o' the overall size o' t' fin and t' balsa I had t' work with, ya bilge rat, I cut t' fin in to three parts. Avast, me proud beauty! Hopefully this will allow t' fin t' be stronger.

Usin' t' fin template and some modelin' clay, ya bilge rat, I created one half o' the engine pod. Blimey! This gave me a positive t' make a mold from. Usin' a plastic dish with a flat bottom (mine be t' blister pack from a video card) I sat t' clay mold inside. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I then lightly sprayed ‘Bakers Joy’ over t' mold and dish t' act as a release agent. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! After mixin' up a small amount o' ‘Plaster of Paris" I pored it over t' clay. Ahoy! Aye aye! I let it dry over 24 hours before takin' it out o' t' dish. Aye aye! Ahoy! Once out o' t' dish I carefully removed t' clay and trimmed any excess that seeped in. Ya scallywag! I let t' mold dry another day.

Usin' Crayola’s Model Magic and t' mold, ya bilge rat, I created 6 engine halves. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! I allowed them t' dry one day before trimming. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! Trimmin' t' sides was easy enough, me hearties, t' saw them t' t' thickness I wanted, matey, I used t' mold. I placed the halves back in t' mold and carefully sawed t' excess off. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' Model Magic was not dry in t' center. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! They needed another day just t' dry.

I attached t' fins (without pods), shock cord, and t' launch lug t' the body tube. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Usin' wood glue I place t' pods on t' fins and secured them in place with painters tape. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! Once dried, filled any voids with body putty and sanded smooth. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Because o' t' size o' t' fins I created paper fillets that went from pod to pod. Ahoy! Blimey! I took small sheet o' paper and spread white glue thinly over one surface. Then I carefully placed it on t' rocket, arrr, trimmin' where necessary. Blimey! Blimey!

I began paintin' by coatin' t' whole rocket with a coat o' gray primer. Taped off areas and painted t' gloss red. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Then I painted t' design on the nose cone and body. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Finally I gave t' engines a coat o' gray with black detail. Begad! I also created a removable display cap made out o' t' foam clay.

Now be t' time t' see if it will fly. Blimey! I put t' design in t' RockSim and found out it is very marginal. Begad! T' stability was brought up t' over 1 by lengthenin' t' body tube 3 inches. Ya scallywag! I found a small piece o' BT-50 and added 3 inches t' t' 15 inch body tube. Aye aye! (To avoid this splicin' start with an 18" BT-50.) Since I hadn’t attached t' shock cord yet, shiver me timbers, I tied it t' t' tube coupler before attachin' t' 3 inch extension. Arrr!

Paint’s dry, chute and wadin' is loaded, me hearties, an Estes C6-3 engine is friction fitted with igniter. Now I wait for a clear, calm day t' launch.

After t' first launch t' body tube suffered some damage. Aye aye! Blimey! I split t' tube and put in some reinforcement. Added a longer shock cord and attached it closer to t' nose cone. Begad! Blimey! T' landin' o' t' second launch caused a stress crack along the body tube and fin. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I also lost t' lower fin tip. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' impact o' t' third launch cause complete separation o' t' fin from t' body tube.

Overall I like this rocket. I like t' slow laborin' liftoffs. Avast! Ahoy! I’m sure this will be repaired and flown again, ya bilge rat, for now it’s retired till summer. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down!

FLIGHT #1

FLIGHT #2

FLIGHT #3