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