Dr. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Evil's Pocket Rocket

This is a draft place holder for me 2nd DesCon entry, me hearties, Dr. Blimey! Evil's Pocket Rocket. Ya scallywag! Hopefully it's nay too far outside t' realm o' good taste.

For me second Design Contest Entry, I decided t' pay homage t' a ship o' such strikin' construction that all who see it are obliged t' comment.

Officer: "Colonel? You'd better take a look at this radar..."

Colonel: "What is it son?"

Officer: "I don't know Sir. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! But it looks like a giant.."

Pilot: "Dick?"

Dick: "Yeah?"

Pilot: "Take a look out o' starboard"

Dick: "Oh me God! Blimey! It looks like a huge..."

Bird watcher: "Pecker!"

Bird watcher 2: "Oh where?"

Bird watcher: "Wait! That's nay a woodpecker. It looks like someone's..."

Drill instructor: "Privates! We have reports o' an unidentified flyin' object. Aye aye! It is a long, me hearties, smooth shaft complete with..."

Back stop: "Two balls! What is that? That looks just like an enormous..."

Teacher: "Wang! Blimey! Pay attention!"

Wang: "I be distracted by that enormous flying..."

Musician: "Willie?"

Willie Nelson: "Hm?"

Musician: "What's that?"

Willie Nelson: "Well, it looks like a giant..."

Colonel: "Johnson?"

Johnson: "Yes sir?"

Colonel: "Get on t' hornpipe t' British Intelligence and let them know about this."

Yes, it's Dr. Evil's phallic ship from Austin Powers, arrr, T' Spy Who Shagged Me. Begad! I built this as a kitbash o' t' FlisKits Grissom with a choice o' engine sizes. Ya scallywag! One configuration is powered by a pair o' MMX engines. T' dual MMX motor mount is crafted from paper clipped from t' NARRRRR card in t' FlisKit. Aye aye! Small diameter body tubes serve as engine blocks and stiffeners for t' MMX MMTs.T' MMX cluster adapter is removable t' allow use o' a standard Estes 1/2A engine. Avast!

T' movie rocket was equipped with "spherical stabilizers". I elected t' approximate these by two sets o' two orthoganal disks. Ahoy! T' distinctive nose cone was built up from various balsa bits and pieces found in t' FlisKit Grissom kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Shown here are pics o' t' rough nosecone assembly and t' final contoured shape.

T' construction is ongoing, and flights are yet t' commence. This report serves as a sneak peek o' what's t' come.

Dr. Aye aye! Evil's Pocket Rocket has successfully flown on a clustered pair o' MMX engines. I fashioned a two engine cluster igniter out o' a single length o' nichrome wire (vintage from me 70's first age o' rocketry). Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' two nozzle filaments were connected in parallel, so that t' burnout o' one would nay cut t' juice t' t' other. Well, blow me down! I used a 14V battery from me cordless drill as a power source. Well, blow me down! A clothespin be used t' prop t' engines up off t' blast deflector o' a standard Estes Portapad. Ahoy! Begad! When I touched t' leads t' t' battery, me bucko, Dr. Evil's Pocket Rocket leapt off t' pad on twin micro-plumes o' flame. Avast, me proud beauty! T' boost was straight and stable, up t' an approximate height o' 30 feet. Ahoy! Blimey!

(Click t' Enlarge)

A double "pop" signified t' nearly synchronized ejection charges, and t' nosecone separated from t' body tube. Blimey! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, matey, t' waddin' and streamer did nay deploy. They remained lodged in t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! This may be due t' t' micro-ejection charges nay havin' enough force t' clear t' tube. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' Pocket Rocket tumbled back into t' street, me hearties, for an asphalt landing. Arrr! One "circular stabilization device" snapped off, arrr, matey, and t' other flopped loose. No damage t' t' balsa or tube was in evidence. T' yellow glue joint failed. Oooh. That's gotta hurt!

T' fins have been reglued, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and t' entire rocket painted flat white. I can't go around showin' off me nekid pocket rocket, matey, now can I? Dr. Begad! Evil's Pocket Rocket will return, on a warmer day. Ahoy!