Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
While buildin' t' Estes SpaceShipOne, me bucko, I encountered a problem when t' plastic cement recommended by the
manufacturer melted and deformed t' tail cone. T' their credit, and typical o' their customer service, ya bilge rat, arrr, Estes sent me a
replacement model immediately after I shared with them what had occurred.
Lookin' at t' undamaged parts from t' original kit, me hearties, I decided that I would use them t' create a variation on the original. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! This one would be longer and have a larger motor mount. Ahoy! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! I dubbed it t' SpaceShip2000, or SS2K.
Modifications:
This build wasnt too complicated. I began with t' motor mount and glued it into t' lower tube. T' BT was
marked for two sets o' fins and a launch lug. Well, blow me down! Ive learned t' hard way how important it is t' mark a narrower
lower tube first before gluin' it into a larger diameter upper tube. Aye aye! Arrr! Once it was marked t' centerin' rings were
attached and t' lower tube be glued into t' upper tube.
Next I made t' cardstock transition and attached it. Well, blow me down! Ive developed t' habit o' gluin' t' transition together with a glue stick and immediately puttin' it on t' rocket, shiver me timbers, thereby helpin' t' lower portion t' maintain its shape. Blimey! I also wrap cardstock around t' upper tube, me bucko, tape it together, shiver me timbers, and slide it over where t' tube and transition meet. Ya scallywag! This helps t' upper end o' t' transition dry in t' correct shape as well.
T' fins were put together accordin' t' t' instructions except for t' bevelin' o' t' root edge I wasnt interested in attachin' them t' t' body tube at an angle. Begad! Ahoy! I was worried that t' amount o' fin extending past t' end o' t' rocket combined with t' unique nature o' t' same would make t' fins susceptible t' damage but they have held up fine.
Knowin' this would likely go fairly high, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I painted it black for visibilitys sake. Avast! Both t' primer and spray paint came from Wal-Mart. Well, blow me down! I didnt put any o' t' decals on it because I didnt want t' take t' time t' do so on a rocket that may or may nay be stable and likely would be lost because o' t' motors I intended t' use.
Construction:
My primary components were:
Flight:
This rocket has flown numerous times on both D12-5s and E9-8s. Ya scallywag! Arrr! It has flown and recovered beautifully
every time. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! It comes down nicely under an 18 Hartle Engineerin' chute.
Summary:
This is one o' me favorite rockets in me fleet. It was fun t' build and flies really well. Aye aye! Its distinctive look
causes people t' pay attention when it comes out and flies. Arrr! Avast! For those who may have one o' these in their stash or find
it on clearance somewhere, arrr, this is a great modification.