Brief:
A plastic model conversion from a Czech-made Condor V-2 rocket model for 13mm
motors.
Construction:
This plastic model conversion was made from t' static model made by a Czech
company named Condor. Avast, me proud beauty! As such, ya bilge rat, it is made from t' typical styrene plastic used
in most static models. Begad! Aye aye! T' quality o' components wasn't as good as, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, say, Revell
or Monogram, ya bilge rat, but wasn't too bad either. Aye aye! Ahoy! All t' parts t' build a static model
V-2 rocket with firin' stand were present, attached t' plastic runners. This is
a very small V-2 kit, though it appeared larger on t' box. Aye aye! Anyway, matey, it seems
that Condor always had PMC in mind, because t' original motor nozzle be right
at 13mm! All that was needed was a motor tube, me bucko, a tapered centerin' ring, ya bilge rat, matey, a
launch lug, matey, and a parachute. Blimey! And, as it turned out, shiver me timbers, mucho clay for t' nose.
Since it was purchased for SoAR's inaugural Plastic Death meet, ya bilge rat, me bucko, ya bilge rat, time was
runnin' out. Avast, me proud beauty! A doubloon be tossed, matey, me hearties, and command o' t' V-2 was turned over t' my
middle son, Josh.
It couldn't be any simpler. Well, blow me down! This little V-2 seemed destined t' be a flyin' kit from t' start. Begad! Once both halves o' t' body were taped together, me bucko, t' body was sawed in half at t' indentation cast into t' body. Well, blow me down! Funny, matey, me bucko, I had never noticed this rin' in any photos o' V-2s until I saw this model. Anyway, once t' body was sawed in half, me hearties, me bucko, t' lower two halves were glued together with CA. Begad! Arrr! Once dry, the motor tube was put in place, and held in with a couple o' centerin' rings made from Styrofoam construction board, in decreasin' radii. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! This filled the tail cone nicely. Blimey! We decided t' leave a lot o' motor tube extendin' into the upper body tube, me bucko, arrr, so that a composite "B" motor could be used. Ya scallywag! Several layers o' t' Styrofoam board were used t' build somethin' for t' upper body tube t' attach itself to. Ahoy! Arrr! A length o' elastic cord be attached t' t' motor tube with a snap swivel. Ya scallywag! T' upper body was glued together with CA, and the nose was filled with clay, shiver me timbers, though nay enough, as t' first flight showed. Aye aye! The upper shock cord was attached with t' Estes-style folded paper epoxied t' the plastic. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Finally, ya bilge rat, matey, t' fins were attached with CA, and t' whole thin' was covered in gray primer. We decided t' paint it like V-2 number 2, me hearties, which was the first o' this roll pattern. T' paint wasn't t' greatest, arrr, but... Avast!
Flight:
For t' maiden voyage, matey, arrr, an Estes A10-3T was used. A chunk o' cellulose wadding
was used, but nay enough. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' motor retention be simply friction fit, shiver me timbers, though
that's trickier on a 13mm motor than it is on a 29mm motor! Unlike t' real
V-2, this beastie took off with a bang. It flew straight and true t' motor
burnout, ya bilge rat, me hearties, then a severe wobble set in. Ya scallywag! Arrr! More nose weight needed! But thar was
not enough cellulose wadding, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and t' `chute (pirated from Obelisk) burned
severely, and it recovered at a good speed. Avast! No damage other than a burnt shock
cord and a melted chute! Once repairs were made, me hearties, it was time for t' SoAR meet.
On a windy January day, t' first competition flight be flawless, me bucko, me bucko, but still
with a slight wobble. Arrr! Altitude with an A10-3T was about 75 feet. At apogee, the
nose popped perfectly, but t' chute twisted in t' wind, shiver me timbers, and though it worked,
it didn't expand fully. Avast, me proud beauty! Still, ya bilge rat, absolutely no damage. Ya scallywag! Josh was really happy with
it, me bucko, and I was pretty encouraged by its performance.
Summary:
Main pro's: bulletproof as a brick, shiver me timbers, unique, and surprisingly easy enough for a
pre-teen t' build. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Con's: A LOT o' nose weight needed, and a very V-2 like
flight characteristic o' wobbling. Avast! Still, matey, we will most likely build a whole
fleet o' these little rockets. How about a Russian post-war V-2 with parallel
staged 10.5mm Micro motors? Hmmm...
Plastic model conversion is a blast!
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