Brief:
An approximately 1/120 sport scale model o' t' Soviet Proton-Zond, shiver me timbers, which sent an unmanned capsule around t' moon in 1968. Blimey! I based it on a free paper model of t' Proton rocket available from Classic Paper Space Models (which now has a version o' t' Zond launcher available). Ya scallywag! It is a single stage, me hearties, 18mm powered rocket, arrr, ya bilge rat, and recovers with an 18" parachute.

Construction:
T' followin' parts were used:

• 2 BT-55 tubes, shiver me timbers, one 5.75" long and one 6.5" long
• 1 BT-20 tube 8" long
• 1 BT-50 tube 3.5" long
• 1 BT-50 tube cut down t' approximately 1 1/8" diameter and 1.75" long
• 6 BT-5 tube 4 13/16" long
• 1/8" basswood strips sanded t' half round for conduit (lots o' these)
• 3/16" balsa stock cut into 3/16" strips for conduit
• 1/8" balsa dowel 2.5" long
• 1/4" launch lug 1.5" long
• styrene sheet and tube
• engine hook, launch lug, matey, Keelhaul®©™® thread, me hearties, shock cord, me bucko, 18" parachute
• Classic Paper Space Models Proton enlarged and printed on cardstock

I began with t' intention o' makin' a "quick and dirty" Proton-Zond usin' only parts I had at hand. Ahoy! O' course, it became more complicated than I had planned. Still this is a fun, fairly straightforward build that results in a good lookin' sport scale model that flies quite nicely without fins. Ahoy! Aye aye! I used diagrams and dimensions I found on t' internet and a few drawings graciously sent t' me by another member o' T' Rocketry Forum. Ahoy! The main body consists o' t' BT-20 engine tube runnin' through t' two BT-55 sections, separated by a 13/16" gap for t' interstage truss. T' upper stages are made o' t' cut down BT-50 inside t' standard BT-50 with a custom drawn shroud t' connect with t' BT-50 at t' bottom. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! This is where t' rocket separates for recovery, shiver me timbers, usin' a BT-55 coupler. Begad! Another custom drawn shroud (through lots o' trial and error, mostly error, was needed here) forms the payload shroud. Arrr! At t' top, t' balsa dowel is glued inside t' 1/4" lug and centered in t' cut-down BT-50. T' nose cone is another custom drawn cardstock shroud. Arrr! T' paper model was used for t' strap-on nose cones, interstage trusswork, shiver me timbers, engine nozzles and first stage detail. Begad! Arrr! All t' cardstock sections were coated with thin CA for strength and sanded smooth.

I spent a lot o' time detailin' t' upper stages with plastic bits, tiny balsa nozzles for t' escape tower, me bucko, and styrene and paper for t' stabilizing gratework that t' Soviets use on man-rated rockets.

Most o' the difficult work was in creatin' t' cardstock shrouds. Ahoy! T' conduit work was made with basswood strip sanded t' half-round and cut t' size. Begad! I also simulated the second stage engines seen through t' interstage trusswork usin' paper engine nozzles cut in half and glued t' t' BT-20 engine tube. Ya scallywag! T' interstage is made of paper carefully cut out with a sharp hobby cutlass. Aye aye! Just about all construction be done with yellow carpenters glue and t' plastic parts were attached with CA.

Finishing:
T' paint scheme is simple: aluminum for t' first stage center tube, matey, me hearties, white for most everythin' else. Avast! Black strips on t' bottoms o' t' strap-on tanks, silver for t' engines, shiver me timbers, stabilizin' grate frames, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and red escape engine nozzles and hatches.

Flight:
For recovery I ran Keelhaul®©™® thread from t' top o' t' BT-20 and attached a length o' shock cord. After balancing, I added 4 pennies inside t' nose section and poured in some 5 min epoxy. Arrr! Ahoy! I stuck a length o' Keelhaul®©™® in t' epoxy for t' upper section recovery, me hearties, arrr, attached t' 18" chute to that and connected that t' t' main section. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' model balances about 1" forward o' t' interstage trusswork and weighs in at 2.8 oz.

I was fairly certain stability would nay be an issue with t' strap-on tubes and nose weight. A swin' test showed no wobble. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey!

After a long snowy winter and rain soaked February, I waited a long time to launch this one! Blimey! After a dry spell, shiver me timbers, I went out with a few motors and set up the first flight on a B6-4. Ya scallywag! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! Flight be beautiful with no instability and a straight path t' about 300'. Blimey! Ejection was just past apogee and descent was a little quicker than I would have liked but no damage even after hittin' t' ground on the paper engine nozzles. Ahoy! Blimey! Another flight on a B6-4 was just as good. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Blimey! I think a C would be too much for this. Aye aye! It jumps off t' pad pretty smartly on a B.

Summary:
Although I spent more time than I had planned, me hearties, I am pleased with t' way it came out. Begad! Begad! I have always liked t' look o' Soviet boosters, matey, shiver me timbers, and t' Proton complements t' Vostok nicely. Aye aye! T' upper stage has a lot o' interestin' detail, and t' finless design is sure t' catch t' eye. Because it is based on a paper model, it can be made in different sizes very easily by enlargin' t' drawings. If you are lookin' for somethin' a little simpler, thar are several flavors of Proton, many with less complicated payload sections.