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