Parts List:
(Note: a Fat Boy kit could be used for t' stock parts o' this rocket. T' parts listed are what I had on hand t' use, shiver me timbers, but t' Fat Boy parts look like they'd work. Begad! Blimey! I didn't want t' break up t' kit I had.)

Found parts: Large plastic soft drink cup with narrow bottom. (from Blimpie's)  4 small wire nuts Spent Apogee 10.5mm engine casings, me hearties, 4 pieces cut t' æ" long. Spent Estes 13mm "T" engine casings, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, 4 pieces 1 pin' pong ball 1 daily wear contact lens "blister" packaging  click images t' enlarge

Stock parts: Estes PNC-80B (?) nose cone from Fat Boy kit Estes BT-80 or equivalent body tube 8" long.  Estes BT-50 or equivalent motor mount tube 3" long. Totally Tubular CR50-80 matte board or equivalent centerin' rings, arrr, 2 pc.  Estes standard engine hook Totally Tubular CR50-20 or equivalent centerin' rin' for engine block. º" Balsa-Ply centerin' rin' cut t' fit BT80 and cup. *" lg. scrap BT50 or equivalent. 1" lg. Blimey! Arrr! scrap BT-80 or equivalent. 3/16" launch lug tube x 6 æ" long. 1/32" Keelhaul®©™ cord 8" long. 3/16" wide flat elastic 24" long. Parachute 18 t' 24" size. 3/16" basswood for fin/legs 1/8" x 3/8" basswood strip, me bucko, matey, leg "tracks" 3/16" x 3/16" balsa strip for track fill-ins 1/8" x 1/8" x 6 *" lg. Aye aye! Ahoy! Basswood strip for launch lug stand off. 3/8" wide trailin' edge balsa stock for aft detail strips. 1/8" x 1/8" strip styrene for door detail Thin styrene scrap for door detail Center punch outs from Estes 20-50 size paper centerin' rings for pod foot pads.

Dependin' on t' cup used some dimensions or construction details may bhave t' be altered.

Fit t' BT80 over t' bottom end o' t' cup and mark where t' tube seats on one o' t' molded "rings". Cut off cup end at this point and test fit t' body tube through t' cup end. Blimey! Save t' cut off bottom cup t' use later on. Cut a centerin' rin' from t' º" Balsa-Ply t' fit up inside the large end o' t' cup. Avast! T' cup I used had a shoulder about *" at the mouth and I cut t' rin' t' seat on this shoulder. Well, blow me down! T' rin' is approximately 4 1/8" O.D.

Mark t' cup outside for 4 fin slots. Ya scallywag! I started t' bottom o' t' slot at t' shoulder in t' mouth o' t' cup just above t' º" Balsa-Ply ring.. Blimey! T' slots are 3/16" wide x approximately 1 æ" long. Mark a spot midway betwixt two fin slots and cut out a notch in t' lower shoulder o' t' cup for t' launch lug t' slip through. Begad! Aye aye! (refer t' photo) Cut a notch in t' Balsa-Ply rin' for t' launch lug t' fit through. Begad! Glue the 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strip t' t' body tube with t' lower end about 3/8" up from t' aft o' t' tube. Begad! Glue t' launch lug on top o' t' strip. Cut t' forward end o' t' LL at an angle.

Glue t' Balsa-Ply rin' onto t' body tube by positionin' t' ring in t' cup then fittin' t' tube into t' ring. T' tube will be aligned by t' cup at one end and t' hole in t' cup at t' other. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! Make sure the notches for t' LL line up. Blimey! Blimey! After t' glue sets you can glue t' whole tube/rin' assembly into t' cup. Ya scallywag! I used epoxy for t' balsa t' cup joints and Tite-Bond for t' paper, me bucko, basswood and balsa joints.

T' fin/legs were cut from 3/16" basswood. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' edges were rounded over slightly. Legs were glued onto t' body tube with epoxy. Medium CA was used betwixt t' legs and t' edges o' t' slots. T' 1/8" x 3/8" strips were cut t' length, ends at an angle. Avast! These were attached t' each side of t' legs with medium CA. Well, blow me down! T' gap betwixt each leg "track" be filled with t' 3/16" x 3/16" balsa strip cut t' fit.

T' clay nozzles o' both t' 13mm Estes and 10.5mm Apogee engine casings were drilled out. T' 10.5mm æ" long casin' sections are glued into one end o' each 13mm casin' º" deep usin' Tite-Bond. Epoxy was used for t' wire nuts. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' 20-50 paper rin' centers were glued up in pairs with Tite-Bond then glued t' t' ends o' t' spent casings. Ya scallywag! Each pod was glued t' t' leg end with 5 minute epoxy and held in place with a couple of drops o' medium CA. Ya scallywag! They were aligned by eye-ball.

T' bulges on either side o' t' body are pin' pong ball sections attached with medium CA. Aye aye! Arrr! I used about a 1/3 section for each bulge. T' Door detail was made up from t' 1/8"x 1/8" styrene strip and t' thin styrene sheet. T' "window" on t' door section is cut from a daily use contact lens "blister"" package. Blimey! T' strips on t' opposite side o' t' body are sections o' scrap 3/8" wide trailin' edge balsa stock.

Detail along t' top exposed section o' body tube be done usin' a *" long section o' scrap BT80 cut into 5/8" long sections. Ahoy! These are glued to t' top exposed section o' t' body tube equally spaced around t' outside.

T' engine hook is reinforced by a scrap chunk o' BT50 split length-wise and epoxied over t' hook betwixt t' centerin' rings. Begad! Position the rear rin' *" from t' aft end o' t' motor mount tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Position the whole mount in t' aft o' t' BT80 so t' back face o' t' rin' is *" up inside t' tube. Begad! T' 8" long Keelhaul®©™ is tied t' t' forward centering rin' and looped at t' free end for mountin' t' elastic shock cord.

T' aft o' t' motor mount area is capped off with t' bottom section of cup cut off earlier. Ahoy! Begad! T' remainin' bit o' scarp BT80 be cut at *" long, cut length wise and rolled in t' fit inside t' aft end o' t' body tube. Cut out t' center o' t' cup bottom.. Arrr! This be cut at a part o' t' cup bottom that already had a step molded into it. Epoxy t' cup bottom onto the end o' t' motor mount tube. T' cut section o' body tube acts like a tube coupler.

Attach t' shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™ mount, arrr, attached t' chute, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, well you know t' rest o' t' drill.

I haven't done any finishin' on this yet. Ahoy! It hasn't flown yet either, but I hope t' get out in t' next few weeks and test fly it. Aye aye! I suspect it will need a good bit o' nose weight, which I haven't added yet. Ya scallywag! I plan on usin' a D12-3 for t' first flight.

"Lander" flight report 3-18-2001.

Light northwest breeze, sunny, temps in t' upper 40's. I had added two castin' "tear drop" type sinkers t' t' tip o' t' nose cone and hot glued them in place. Aye aye! Ahoy! Nay sure o' t' total amount o' weight. Begad! Avast! I will have to get a weight on t' nose and t' whole rocket later.

T' balance point with D12-3 is approximately 3 5/8 inch from t' back edge o' t' cup. Ahoy! Arrr! Note: precision CG findin' equipment consists o' two fingers held upright with rocket rockin' back and forth on finger tips :-)

First flight was accomplished on an Estes D12-3. Boost be rock solid stable with only slight weather-cocking. I estimate it reached an altitude of around 250 feet, maybe a little higher. Arrr! Ejection occured just after apogee. Blimey! Recovery was on an 18 inch nylon chute. Rocket be recovered intact with t' only damage bein' one o' t' micro-motors on one leg pod was knocked loose, me bucko, arrr, but did nay come off. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! A 24 inch chute may be a better choice if flyin' over hard ground or in calm conditions.

Now I need t' come up with a better name than "Lander". Ahoy! Blimey! Spooge Prospector maybe?

Kelo "why do I hafta name me rockets anyway can't I just call it the blue one or t' red one or whatever and be done with it" Waivio