Descon EnRoc

Scratch - EnRoc {Scratch}

Contributed by Kevin Rich

Manufacturer: Scratch
Contributed by - Kevin Rich

T' Enema Rocket
or "EnRoc" for short

This little gem actually does what you think just happened - when you get t' meet one o' these things for real! 

Yes, that is a real live enema tip just like they use in t' X-ray departments to give you a "barium enema". Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I be presented with this one in the form o' a pen. Avast, me proud beauty! Yeah I know... even that is a little warped.

Materials:

  • 1 ea. Barium enema tip (not previously used)
  • 3 ea. Well, blow me down! Blimey! leftover plastic fins from an unknown Estes kit that came with two sets
  • Six inches o' BT-5 left over from some repair job
  • Two feet o' braided "Super Tack" for t' shock cord
  • 1 ea. Ahoy! two foot piece o' crepe paper for t' streamer
  • Maskin' tape
  • 1 ea. Avast! Blimey! five inch piece o' scrap balsa from.......

Construction
T' enema tip is exactly t' same OD as t' BT-5 and has a smaller nipple on t' aft end for hookin' up t' hose in it's real use. I used masking tape t' make it fit t' tube and we're half way done. Trim t' scrap balsa t' slip down inside t' keep it rigid under power. Blimey! T' Super Tack is tied trough a hole drilled in t' nipple and t' nose cone is done.

T' airframe gets t' three fins CA'd on and a launch lug (don't know for sure what it actually is). Avast! T' Super Tack is tied t' a scrap of body tube and glued in with t' bottom 1 1/4" in from t' bottom and serves as t' engine block. Blimey! Tie on t' crepe paper with another piece of Super Tack. Well, blow me down! Spritz on a little bit o' white primer t' simulate the barium and..... Aye aye! presto! "EnRoc"

Simulation:
VCP puts CG about 4.5 calibers ahead o' CP. A bit overstable, me bucko, but so what. Begad! On a A10-2T Wrasp puts it at about 143 feet with ejection just before apogee.

EnRoc Flight Report:
Well, it hasn't quit raining, shiver me timbers, snowing, matey, matey, sleetin' or blowin' up here for months so it hasn't flown yet. Aye aye! Aye aye! But thar may be a window o' opportunity this weekend so I will hopefully get a flight report in t' first part of t' comin' week.

EnRoc Flight Report March 4, me hearties, shiver me timbers, 2001:
It quit snowin' and such. Begad! In fact it turned out t' be a nice day. Arrr! Begad! It be about 35 degrees, mostly clear with about 10-15 mph of wind from t' NNW.

First launch - A10-3T, Straight fast boost up t' about what Wrasp said (as a guess), matey, nosed over at apogee and.... Well, blow me down! Blimey! spit t' motor. Arrr! Blimey! Oh NO!!!! Ballistic into t' parkin' lot. Avast! Blimey! Doom and gloom on everyone's thoughts. But NO! Blimey! That enema tip is very resilient and soft. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! It did however manage t' "insert" itself in t' mud and when pulled out looked like one I had seen at work. eeeewwwwyyyyy!! Blimey! A little maskin' tape, me bucko, reset the recovery system (spilled out on impact) tape t' crap out of another motor and ready t' go again.

Second launch - A10-3T, ya bilge rat, straight and fast again, over at apogee, matey, eject and...... Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! shock cord failure. Avast! T' airframe just drifted down (feather weight/ tumble recovery) and t' "nose cone" came down with t' streamer.  No damage at all.

It did seem t' me that t' ejection charges on these engines was very "robust". Ahoy! Blimey! T' sound on t' ground be a quite sharp, me hearties, loud report.  That's ok.. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I will just make t' recovery system more robust. Ahoy! Blimey! All in all it be a real "shot in t' @ss"!

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