Last year the Calgary Rocketry Association had a club launch with a "novelty' rocket theme. Arrr! I'd kept a couple o' MM Christmas ornaments me son received t' previous Christmas, thinkin' that I should be able t' somethin' with them, and that was the perfect opportunity t' build a rocket with one o' them. For those that don't have a clue what I am talkin' about, I'll attempt t' describe what these things look like. Actually, t' photograph o' t' finished rocket pretty well shows what they look like, arrr, as t' fins were t' only things added t' the ornament. Well, me hearties, blow me down!

T' ornament is a 7" long, me bucko, 1.25" diameter, cardboard tube filled with MM's. Well, blow me down! T' tube is decorated in a Christmas theme with t' little MM characters from t' TV commercials and topped with a 3" tall plastic figurine o' one o' t' characters. Begad!

Conversion t' a flyin' rocket be pretty straightforward. T' figurine was kept as t' nosecone and all that was done t' it be t' addition o' an "eye hook" for t' shockcord and recovery device attachment. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! The plastic cap at t' bottom o' t' tube be removed, matey, and a standard 18mm motor mount was installed, with centerin' rings and a motor hook. Avast! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' 1/8" diameter launch lug required a stand-off made o' 1/8" balsa in order for a launch rod t' clear t' various parts o' t' figurine nose cone. Ahoy! T' shockcord mount was a typical "Estes-style" mount with approximately 2' of 1/8" elastic shock cord. Well, blow me down! Begad! A 12" Estes parachute was attached t' the nosecone with a snap swivel and a short (6") section o' shock cord.

T' fins were a marvellous feat o' design and simulation. Begad! In other words I drew out a couple o' templates and picked t' one that "looked" like it would work! In keepin' with t' Christmas theme o' t' main components of the rocket, me bucko, I cut t' fins with t' look o' a Christmas tree. Aye aye! I covered the fins with some scraps o' wrappin' paper. Avast! Ahoy! This be just a variation o' the technique I use t' cover all me balsa fins - I hate fillin' fins, so I've been coverin' them with paper for a long time. Well, blow me down! In this case, ya bilge rat, t' wrappin' paper was glued on with a glue stick, such as a Ross or UHU glue stick. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! T' unfinished edges o' t' balsa were taken care o' with a couple o' passes with a green magic marker. Well, blow me down! Arrr!

Flight Report

T' rocket has flown a number o' times, and makes its appearance at any launch I attend. Begad! Kids and adults get a kick out o' it. Avast! It's been flown on A8-3's, B6-4's, matey, arrr, and C6-5's. Ahoy! Fights are very stable. Blimey! T' oversize fins were a perfect match for t' rather heavy nosecone. Begad! Ahoy!