| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
This a scratch built spaceship rocket designed for t' 2009 Design-A-Spaceship contest. Well, me hearties, blow me down! It is constructed o' 110lb
cardstock and presentation board.
Construction:
T' parts include:
I first cut t' centerin' rings, bulkhead, ya bilge rat, and fins from t' presentation board. Next I cut t' BT-50 to 4-½". Ahoy! I used an online transition template t' print out t' templates for t' nose cone, ya bilge rat, body, matey, and tail cone. For t' larger centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, I used t' template printout from RockSim. Arrr! For t' bulkhead, me hearties, me bucko, I just used one of t' 'holes' from a centerin' ring.
After printin' out t' templates on t' cardstock, ya bilge rat, I then carefully shaped t' nosecone and transition sections into cone shapes. Avast! Begad! After they dried, shiver me timbers, I dry fit t' paper sections onto t' centerin' rings sandin' as necessary. Arrr! Begad!
Next, I glued t' motor block into t' tube usin' a spent 24mm motor t' push it into place leave ¼" t' 3/8" o' t' motor stickin' out. Arrr! Ahoy! After that had set, shiver me timbers, I glued t' centerin' rings onto t' body tube: the smallest rin' ¼" below t' top o' t' tube, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' two larger tubes at 2-½" and 2-¾" from t' top o' t' tube and t' medium rin' flush with t' bottom o' t' tube.
After t' glue has dried, ya bilge rat, I carefully glued t' middle transition section t' t' top end o' t' tube makin' sure it is perfectly straight on t' top centerin' rin' and top middle centerin' ring. Then I added t' transition t' the bottom again makin' sure t' piece was perfectly straight on t' lower middle rin' and bottommost ring. Blimey! I let it thoroughly dry.


T' finish t' nose cone, me hearties, I glued t' coupler onto t' nose cone bein' careful t' get it straight. Arrr! When it was dry, I filled t' cone with clay leavin' a ¼" lip t' t' edge. Well, blow me down! Glued t' bulkhead into t' coupler. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! When all be dry, I added t' screw eye for shock cord attachment.
As this is a tricky design, me bucko, I glued t' launch lug t' a fin makin' sure it was straight.
T' shock cord is mounted in t' Estes fashion with t' other end tied t' t' screw eye. Avast! T' streamer is tied on about 1/3 from t' nose cone.
Finishing:
Since I used color cardstock, I didn't really need t' paint anything. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I used a color highlighter marker t' paint the
fins t' match t' cardstock.
Flight:
T' Synerjet flew on C11-3s for all three flights. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' first flight was unstable. Ya scallywag! For t' second flight, me bucko, me bucko, I used a
spacer t' extend t' motor out t' back ½". Aye aye! This caused t' rocket t' be even more unstable. T' third
flight be a recreation o' t' first.
Recovery:
Recovery for all flights be after t' rocket hit t' ground. Begad! Blimey! Each landin' broke a forward fin off.
Summary:
I would say this is nay a good rocket design as it is too stubby t' be stable. Ahoy! Even tryin' t' upscale it in RockSim
it be nay stable. Begad! It was a fun and interestin' build.
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