Descon Skyrocket

Scratch - Skyrocket {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Richard Stafford)
Skyrocket
by Richard Stafford
Motivation
Several summers ago, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I became reacquainted with t' hobby for t' third time, havin' just picked up a copy o' High Power Rocketry. Well, blow me down! While vacationin' at Myrtle Beach, I spent many hours readin' t' magazine, ya bilge rat, contemplatin' me first high power project, me hearties, and generally thinkin' rockets. Since it was near t' 4th of July and thar be no shortage o' fireworks stands in South Carolina, matey, there was also no shortage o' fireworks 'leftovers' on t' beach. Begad! Blimey! I couldn't resist grabbin' nose cones and plastic fin units, me bucko, which were stashed safely with the shells t' kids found (not high power stuff, shiver me timbers, but what t' heck?). When I got home, matey, it wasn't long before I wanted t' put some t' use. Aye aye!

Construction
T' diameter o' t' plastic fin unit and many o' t' nose cones are pretty close t' BT-50 and, t' me amazement, t' fin unit had a small shoulder that fit perfectly into a BT-50 tube. Avast, me proud beauty! However, a 18mm motor would nay fit through its aft end. Avast! Ahoy! Then t' idea hit me - use t' fin unit as part o' a motor retention scheme. Aye aye! I scavenged t' followin' from t' leftovers o' an Estes Designer's Special:

1. Blimey! Avast! 18" section o' B-50
2. Aye aye! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! shoulder section o' a 2-part nose cone (could use any BT-50 coupler, crunched nose cone, etc.)
3. Blimey! Ahoy! elastic shock cord
5. Aye aye! 18mm motor mount for BT-50
6. Arrr! launch lug
7. two (2) 18mm motor retention clips

I first built t' motor adapter, which included a thrust ring. This unit was glued into t' BT-50 by insertin' a spent casing, ya bilge rat, matey, placin' t' plastic fin can over t' end o' t' casing, and pushin' in t' adapter until t' fin can was seated in t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I then took t' engine retainer clips, matey, placed t' ends over t' fin can, and marked where t' forward tabs would go. Slits were cut to accommodate t' tabs on t' retainer clips. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' hold t' clips, shiver me timbers, matey, I cut 1/2" strips from some reinforced packin' tape, placin' one near t' forward tabs and one about 1/4" behind that. Begad! I put a thin layer o' epoxy on t' tube before the tape and used 2 wraps o' tape. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

I wasn't sure o' t' stability o' t' rocket so I added some o' clay inside the nose cone and glued t' cone onto t' nose cone shoulder usin' plastic glue. Blimey! Aye aye! This was later proven t' be a mistake.

Flight Report

Flight #1
I prepped t' rocket and inserted a C6-5 engine. Avast! Begad! Blimey! T' fin can was slipped over the motor and was secured with t' clips. Begad! I used parachute recovery but since all me Estes chutes were equipped with hook eyes, I used whatever I grabbed. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

T' flight was high and straight. Begad! Avast! T' body was recovered undamaged but the nosecone separated and be lost. Arrr! Begad! Too much weight and t' wrong glue. Avast! Ya scallywag!

Post Mortem
After me copy o' Rocksim arrived (or more accurately several months after it arrived), me bucko, I discovered that t' added nose weight be nay required and that a C6-7 was more appropriate. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Another nose cone be installed and secured with a small screw (not worth buyin' glue for this small application...and who knows what type is appropriate anyway?). Well, blow me down! Ahoy!

Flight #2
This time I tried a C6-7. T' flight profile appeared identical t' t' first flight, arrr, me hearties, with t' exception that t' nose stayed on!

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