T' Sprint: This Astron Sprint is from t' original '70s kit. Blimey! It uses streamer recovery, but I changed it out for a small 8" parachute. It is designed for high-performance altitude flights, and generally requires longer-burnin' ejection delays for maximum height. T' engine must be tape-friction-fit as this model does nay have a metal motor clip. Well, blow me down! Instead it has t' boattail end designed t' reduce drag. Blimey! This rocket be later given my "Iris" modification, ya bilge rat, which extends t' body tube about 5 inches above t' streamer/parachute bay, and allows for a payload with an Altimeter One t' measure altitudes.

After this payload section be tragically lost when t' screw-eye/balsa joint failed, I built a newer, ya bilge rat, lighter and smaller payload section. Avast, me proud beauty! It is now 3-1/8" vs. 4-1/2", and weighs 9.8 grams.  I certianly hope now I can get that extra 12 inches o' altitude out o' this bird and finally crack that elusive 1200 foot mark!

Originally, I replaced t' flimsy crepe paper streamer with plastic one, but t' plastic seems t' stick t' body tube because o' static electricity, shiver me timbers, so I replaced it again with a small 8" parachute. With this parachute it descends at about 9 mph, soft enough for a safe grass landing. Begad! T' rather small size should prevent this from driftin' too much - a real problem considerin' t' height it can attain. Well, blow me down! (T' Iris altimeter payload is named after t' Greek god o' t' rainbow. She is a messenger o' t' gods, linkin' t' gods with humanity.) This rocket has flown higher than t' NY Times Buildin' in NY, shiver me timbers, t' John Hancock Tower, and t' Aon Center in Chicago.