T' Solar Surfer is one o' several builds that I have on t' drawin' table for this winter. Begad! I am usin' Open Rocket 14.11 for t' design and layout. This one got it's inspiration from the Omni Star Cruiser, a design by Chris Hoffman from an old Estes Futuristic Parts Assortment Idea Sheet for t' model hobbyist t' create their own model rockets. Had I seen t' new Estes Dark Silver (7229) I may have done more o' a clone. All wood will be hand cut from 1/8" balsa with t' exception o' t' two 1/8" x 12" dowel rods. T' remainin' parts NC, upper BT, and transducer came from an extra Estes Ricochet that I bought a few years ago and t' lower BT from some other Estes kit that I can't remember. T' finished length will be 28" with a 1"dia.. Ya scallywag! Unless I find an extra old 18mm Estes motor mount I will be scratch buildin' one for this project. Arrr! Parachute will likely come from t' Ricochet as well unless I decide on makin' a mylar one.

Initial wood cut and layout o' parts.

Today I got around to gluein' all wood together followed by paper coatin' o' all fins. Arrr! I also sanded t' wood dowels t' t' correct length and angle and test fittin' them t' t' rocket. Ahoy! Did a final search in t' workshop for an extra 18mm mount but no luck. Will have t' make one.

Well a final search through t' dungeon revealed no 18mm mount so grabbed me heavy brown paper and rolled one. Well, blow me down! This took about half an hour t' get it wrapped nice and tight and smooth with white glue and a used B6 motor. Blimey! After that I added two more wraps o' white printer paper then started on t' centerin' rings. These were done in t' same fashion startin' with 1/4" strips wound around t' MM until they were t' right thickness t' fit inside t' BT. Arrr! Once they are dry I will notch them for t' motor hook and 18" o' Keelhaul®©™ cord for part o' t' recovery system. T' blue color I did with a highlighter pen t' make it look like an Estes mount. Begad! Don't know why I bothered as t' end will be painted black and t' rest won't be visible. Just somethin' t' do.

After tiein' Keelhaul®©™ around MM I then inserted t' motor hook and glued t' centerin' rings on. I then cut 8 little pieces out o' 1/16" balsa t' serve as coolin' vanes on t' end o' t' MM and glued them on. Well, blow me down! After dryin' I sanded t' ends at an angle and even with t' end o' t' MM. Aye aye! A black marker was then used t' paint t' finished end.

Finished MM

Test Fit

Well I'm a little behind. I glued in t' motor mount a few days ago and then started gluein' on t' wings and fins. First t' right win' was glued on and then held in place with maskin' tape and left t' dry overnight. T' next day I repeated this process for t' left wing. Arrr! On Saturday,  (Jan. 10, shiver me timbers, me Birthday),  I finished gluin' on t' top and bottom fins and then finished t' top half o' t' rocket by gluin' t' transition and upper BT together and cementin' t' screw eye into t' transition with some super glue. Begad! NC received some tape around collar t' give it a nice tight fit t' upper BT. Almost ready for primer, just need t' decide what else I want t' add t' it. Begad! Thinkin' about attachin' some addin' machine rolls t' t' two smaller fins but can't decide betwixt two or four and exact placement. Begad! Will have t' sleep on in for a few days. Avast! In t' mean time, me hearties, grabbed t' camera for a quick pic before doin' any more work. 

Main Assembly...Lookin' good so far

Finally got around t' gluin' on t' tail pods and launch lug.  Tail pods will have one final item added t' them but nay till after they are painted. These will be ear examinin' cones that I picked up at t' doctors office. They will be cut down and then glued into t' ends o' t' addin' machine rolls (tail pods) t' make them look like ram jets. Arrr! Also installed a temporary parachute.

Solar Surfer ready for primer

Thought about goin' out t' t' garage t' start painting...

NOT!!

Well t' weather finally started t' warm up and I was able t' start painting. Rocket got me usual two coats o' Rust-Oleum 2x white primer with sandin' betwixt coats followed by two coats o' Krylon Fusion White Gloss. Begad! I chose this paint because o' its ability t' bond t' plastic as that's what t' ram tubes are made off. Avast! Next I cut down and painted t' two ear probes silver and then left everythin' t' dry overnight. Blimey! T' followin' day I glued t' probes into t' ram tubes.  

Ready for Decals

Ram Tube Close-up

T' decals for this build will come from scans o' three old rockets that have decal sets that I like but mostly because I'm nay that good at designin' me own. T' donors will be from two Centuri kits, t' S.S.V. Well, blow me down! Scorpion (5307) and t' U.F.O. Ya scallywag! Invader (5308) and t' 3rd set will come from t' Estes Hyperion (1383).

Solar Surfer - Side

Solar Surfer - Top

Added 2 final decals t' fins then took rocket out t' garage t' clear coat. Ahoy! For t' clear coat I will be usin' t' infamous Dupli-Color Clear Effex paint which has become my trademark finish. Weather man is callin' for 100% humidity today but I want this rocket done incase t' club launch is a go for this Saturday (04-11-15) with J.M.R.C.. Needless t' say results are less than perfect. Paint keeps tryin' t' fog. Begad! May have t' wait for better weather t' do final finish but otherwise Solar Surfer is deemed ready for flight.

Finished Solar Surfer 

Maiden flight took place with t' J.M.R.C. Avast, me proud beauty! club in Brooklyn, me hearties, MI at Graves Farm Campground by M.I.S. on Saturday May 30, 2015 at 11:47 am. Engine used be an Estes C6-5 and was launched in betwixt rain showers with a low wind o' maybe 4 mph. Avast, me proud beauty! Rocket flew straight, true and t' at least 600' per sim design. Begad! Parachute was deployed at apogee and rocket descended at a good speed and landed gently with no damage. Excellent first flight.

Solar Surfer in 5...4...3...

Solar Surfer Recovery