Zvezdotchka-ACM - Target

(Micro-Maxx Carrot Missile)

by John McCoy

Construction:

Our club decided on a Group build o' t' same Odd-Roc for our March 12, sport launch. Ahoy! Blimey! Bein' sprin' we sprang for Peter Always Zvezdotchka-ACM (Anti Carrot Missile) T' Flyin' Rabbit. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Bein' just a little off, I decided that if we were goin' t' be flyin' ACM rabbits we should have a least one Carrot Target for them.

Choosin' t' stay with me Micro-Maxx power supply this model would start with a maximum base diameter o' BT-5 .544" endin' with a custom heat pulled and shaped 3/16" styrene tube tip. T' model ended up with five segments of scrap tubes .544", me hearties, .448", me hearties, shiver me timbers, .375", and .316" asymmetrically spaced around a core .281" diameter motor tube 6 inches long. Aye aye! Blimey! A nose section be fabricated o' a section o' .246" and a piece o' heat pulled and shaped .1875" styrene tube complete t' airframe. Begad! .281"dia. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! x .125" stop rin' was added t' t' .246" nose section t' form a .5" separation nosecone shoulder. See t' accompanyin' drawin' for exact part and overlap lengths. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Wantin' t' motor mount tube t' remain clear so that foliage detailin' could be painted on and would appear t' reach t' blunt end of t' carrot. Ahoy! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! A .321" OD, .281" ID clear polyethylene mailin' tube section was CA’ed onto ¼" o' t' 6" .281" diameter main tube with a .5" x .246"dia. Begad! motor stop, shock cord mounted flush with t' end o' t' .281 body tube. Ya scallywag! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! 30" o' 70lb braided Keelhaul®©™ line is CA attached t' t' nose section. Avast! Recovery is by ½" x 12" yellow Teflon permanent waddin' streamer. Begad! Blimey! Fins are .030" thick clear Lexan. Avast! Blimey! Fins are joined t' t' clear motor tube and fillets o' Weld-on #16 clear adhesive applied after t' model body be painted.

Finishing:

Body irregularities are formed with CA drip and run t' simulate growth ridges and fill t' gaps betwixt segments with tissue/CA packing. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! Once the model body had been assembled t' clear motor tube be mask off for primin' and paintin' brown/Green than Orange. Begad! Ahoy! Little sandin' be done on t' body prior to painting. Fin attachment occurred last after all body paint had a chance to dry. Begad! Ahoy!

Foliage cutouts o' green adhesive backed vinyl are attached t' one side only on each fin, arrr, then light and dark shadow highlights were hand painted on both sides o' each fin. Avast, me proud beauty! After all paint had dried t' model was swin' tested and ready for launch.

Flight:

Flight prep is very simple, stuff t' talc powdered Teflon streamer into t' body, followed by t' remainin' Keelhaul®©™ shock line and install t' nose cone. Ahoy!

MM-II .35 n/sec motor be t' only motor recommended for this model. Carrot tips t' scales at 10.6grams with a split .281" x .5" motor clamp tube and permanent recovery system. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down! MM-II motor is also externally taped t' the clear motor mount. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! A 1" long stir stick LL was added t' t' .544" base body diameter tube but t' model is just as easily flown from a micro tower. Well, blow me down! LOWt: 11.85 grams.

First flight 03-12-05: In me haste t' fly this model, I forgot to tighten t' .049" micro launch rod t' t' launcher base. Aye aye! At ignition the model rose with t' 12" long rod t' about 15 feet, ya bilge rat, arched over and ejected t' streamer. Arrr! Aye aye! Both rod and model were recovered undamaged. Begad!

Second Flight 03-13-05: Much better! Gee, matey, things fly a lot better when nay draggin' a launch rod with it. Aye aye! Begad! This MM-II flight sent t' model straight up t' +/- 65feet, ya bilge rat, ejected still on t' way up and landed in very high brush on t' edge o' t' field. Aye aye! T' model was finally found about an hour later undamaged. Ahoy! Arrr!

All in all a fun project which has already had quite a few folks askin' for the plan below.

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