| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
I'm always lookin' for rocket parts, and couldn't pass up this daiquiri glass from t' Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Well, blow me down! It'll fly on 24mm motors.
Construction:
Parts list:
Construction began last October when I drank t' contents o' t' glass. T' glass conveniently came with a removable top (nose cone). Avast! Although thar be no real shoulder, shiver me timbers, it does snap in place and should stay on well.
Next came t' actual rocket building.
A BT-60 fits nicely in t' upper neck so all I had t' do be cut a hole in t' bottom. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! I started t' hole with a circle cutter on a hand drill and finished it with a hobby cutlass. Ya scallywag! I slopped some 5-minute epoxy around t' inside o' t' glass where t' BT-60 was inserted. Blimey! This pooled and retained t' tube. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I added a standard 24mm motor mount: 2 rings, a coupler tube and an engine hook. Begad! A length o' Keelhaul®©™ twine was attached for t' recovery harness. Blimey! I also adjusted t' upper tab o' t' hook so I could use 24mm RMS motors.
I picked a spot on t' outer edge o' t' lower section o' t' tower and ground holes t' accommodate a piece o' 10.5mm tubing, shiver me timbers, which works as a 1/4" lug. Begad! T' location is far enough out so t' rod will clear t' nose cone. Ya scallywag! T' gap betwixt this tube and t' openin' was sealed with epoxy clay.
Epoxy clay was also used in t' tip o' t' nose (straw hole) and retains a loop o' 1/8" Keelhaul®©™. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I tied a long piece o' elastic t' t' Keelhaul®©™ leader and then t' t' loop on t' nose cone.
I created a RockSim model early on and spent a lot o' time thinkin' about stability. Avast, me proud beauty! I applied Bruce Levison's base drag method. Begad! This almost convinced me that it could be stable without fins, but subsequent discussions on TRF and comparisons t' me Quest DC-Y Space Clipper made me reconsider.
While at a club buildin' session, I cut some fins from clear Plexiglas usin' a miter saw. Begad! This worked well. Blimey! Arrr! Plexiglas is nay t' best choice but it was scrounged from an old screen protector for a big screen. Ahoy! Ahoy! Now that I think o' it, I really don't know what t' material exactly is. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I cut some small through t' wall tabs and attached t' fins with 5-minute Epoxy.
Finishing:
For now, arrr, it will fly unpainted.
Flight and Recovery:
I decided t' fly t' Eiffel's Nightmare on an F24. Avast, me proud beauty! T' sim showed this would give it a nice ride. Avast, me proud beauty! I adjusted t' delay from 7 t' 6 seconds t' more closely match t' simulation. Begad! Blimey! Despite t' stiff winds, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, t' boost was fairly straight. Begad! T' rest o' t' flight wasn't that good. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' rocket stopped smartly due t' t' high drag design and lawn darted a split second before ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! RIP.

Summary:
Next time I'm in Vegas I'll pick up a replacement. T' concept was cool and it flies well (or could fly well). Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I still have t' fins and t' motor mount. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I'll chalk this disaster up t' operator error. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! At best, me hearties, me hearties, this is an example o' GIGO (garbage in, garbage out).
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