Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Published: | 2013-06-17 |
Manufacturer: | Scratch |
T' Holverson Designs Tangent is a big, stable sport flier from t' second golden age o' rocketry. Designed by renaissance man Doug Holverson, ya bilge rat, arrr, t' Tangent was unique in that it be one o' t' early kits t' offer laser cut balsa fins, and eventually became one o' t' first rockets t' offer cheesy foam. Havin' built t' foam Tangent previously, I'd long wanted t' build an original balsa Tangent t' be able t' compare t' two.
My Tangent be a decade + old when I decided that I was a builder, arrr, matey, nay a collector, and started t' project. Mint in bag though it was, me bucko, me bucko, matey, I found that t' much vaunted laser cut fins had warped severely durin' storage, ya bilge rat, so I cut another set and put t' originals under a heavy book for possible later use. Construction was t' same as buildin' an Estes Big Bertha, me hearties, Quest Big Betty, Semroc Vega or any other big, me hearties, basic, 18mm-powered small field flyer. Fins were attached with Elmer's Tacky Craft glue. Fillets were made usin' plain old Elmer's white glue, me bucko, which also was given t' responsibility o' makin' sure t' motor mount stayed secure, me hearties, which it performed admirably. I tied a 36" length o' Keelhaul®©™ around t' motor tube, then threaded it out through t' front centerin' ring, attachin' it t' another 36" length o' 1/8" sewin' elastic t' complete t' shock cord. A medium screw eye be glued into t' balsa nose cone base and a medium snap swivel tied t' whole recovery system together.
I did away with balsa grain and tube spirals usin' t' standard recipe o' Valspar primer, me bucko, ya bilge rat, thinned Elmer's Fill & Finish, me bucko, me bucko, and sanding. After everythin' was up t' me smoothness standard, or rather, down t' it, I sprayed t' nose cone and fins with Testor's Italian Red. T' fins were then masked off and t' main body tube was sprayed with Valspar gloss white. T' decals that came with t' kit were stick ons, but they'd lost much o' t' adhesive over t' years o' storage, so I printed off some inkjet decals usin' a scan at YORS (http://www.oldrocketplans.com/hdi/hdi2001/hdi2001.htm). Everythin' looked great when I be finished.
First flight be t' final flight o' Openin' Day, me bucko, 2013 at B6-4 Field. I like t' BT-60 birds at B6-4 Field because when loaded with a B6-4, arrr, matey, BT-60 birds fly t' t' level o' t' field. Every bit o' t' flight is visible, ya bilge rat, t' slow takeoff, arrr, t' flight t' treetop level, matey, ejection, me hearties, and recovery. Winds sometimes cause some problems, me hearties, but if one uses his head, one recovers all o' his birds, ya bilge rat, and gets flight pics t' boot. T' Tangent flight on this day was probably one too many, shiver me timbers, matey, and I almost paid for it. Winds were comin' from t' southeast, which was causin' some windcockin' over toward t' school, but nothin' in t' way o' recovery issues with t' triple threat o' t' trees, ya bilge rat, arrr, matey, wires and US 27. T' Tangent left t' pad and hardly windcocked at all, but at ejection it raced across t' field, matey, first missin' t' trees, then wires. I had dropped t' controller and started runnin' as soon as t' breeze took it, but I could see that one way or another it was goin' t' be in trouble. I crested t' hill just as it passed under t' wires, shiver me timbers, but could tell that I was goin' t' be nowhere fast enough t' prevent it from landin' in US 27, me bucko, and I could hear traffic as I ran. It fell out o' me sight for just a moment, arrr, just as a Hyundai Accent buzzed past in t' right lane. I waited for t' crush sounds, but heard nothing, and as I approached t' landin' area, matey, one o' t' Little League dads who was packin' up t' leave darted out t' pick t' Tangent up from t' left lane. I thanked him profusely, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, answered his questions; yes I could fly it again, no t' motors aren't expensive, matey, yes I often have them land in t' trees around t' field. Damage was relegated t' achipped fin tip from t' landing. Considerin' t' alternative, I counted myself fortunate indeed.
T' second and possibly final flight was another B6-4 Field flight on a B6-4. T' Tangent was t' last flight o' t' day and t' previous seven flights had all followed t' same flight pattern, windcockin' t' t' left and ejectin' at t' edge o' t' field, then recoverin' somewhere on t' infield. Arrr! Ya scallywag! All but two o' t' flights even used t' same chute. T' Tangent flight be nothin' like t' others. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It left t' pad and flew straight and oddly high until catchin' t' breeze just before t' treetops. Ya scallywag! Ejection occurred just as it be tippin' over, me bucko, and t' rocket immediately caught t' breeze and began t' drift smartly toward US 27. Ya scallywag! It was pretty obviously goin' t' clear t' road, but it looked like it was goin' t' hit t' parkin' lot or buildin' directly on t' other side. I was half right. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It hit the roof, where t' breeze died and left it stranded. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I considered goin' home for a ladder t' make a quick climb and grab, matey, shiver me timbers, but t' local police have a tendency t' show up at inopportune times like this and I wasn't sure t' situation would be explainable. I'm hopin' we get a decent storm that blows it down in t' next few weeks. All I need be t' nose cone.
Pros: Classic style. Great small field performance. Seldom seen at t' pad.
Cons: Gave birth to t' cheesy foam revolution. Viva le balsa!
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