Brief:
Single-staged 2 or 4 x 38mm cluster rocket. Designed for t' Aerotech J350 and 570, and also suitable for t' upcomin' Redline equivalents. Begad! Arrr!

T' rocket can recover perfectly usin' long motor delays or with an altimeter in t' payload bay. Dual deployment is also possible. Blimey!

This rocket is inspired by the Quadra G, by AAA Model Aviation Fuels and is somewhat like a modified upscale of that great kit.

Construction:
T' nose cone is a 4 inch by 15 inch Ace plastic cone with 8 ounces o' ballast foamed into t' tip with 2-part polyurethane foam. Blimey! T' nose cone is screwed in place with 4 wood screws and is thus removable in case electronics are t' be placed in t' payload section or even a second parachute is used and deployed from this section. Aye aye!

T' body tubes are 2 48 inch lengths o' Maximum Thrust Rocketry 4 inch motor tubes. They are paper and ultra thick and strong. Aye aye! They are further reinforced internally with Red Arrow Hobbies 4 inch phenolic couplers from t' motor tubes all t' way up t' t' middle o' t' payload bay. One o' t' couplers contains a 1/4 inch thick birch bulkhead for drogue/main attachment (if just one chute is used) and allows t' rocket t' separate in t' middle. Arrr! These couplers are affixed in place by generous amounts o' West Systems slow epoxy.

There are 4 fins, fashioned from 2 pieces o' .125 inch thick G10 from Scott Eakins in t' ROL auctions. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! These pieces are 1 by 2 foot rectangles with a sliver cut off at t' tip edges t' make t' tips 6 inches long. Avast, me proud beauty! T' trailing edges will be 12 inches each once t' two pieces are slotted down t' middle and interlocked together at right angles. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' assembly gets a thorough epoxy fillet in t' middle. Glass it with a strip o' 4 oz weight glass cloth if you plan t' use really hot motors with high average thrust. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' 4 38mm motor tubes are 36 inch lengths o' Red Arrow Hobbies phenolic tubin' and are a snug fit into t' main body tube...Rocksim 4.0 insists that they don't fit, ya bilge rat, but me experience says that they do indeed...and t' tubes are pushed in 12 t' 18 inches and epoxied well and t' gaps foamed with polyurethane foam. t' remainin' length o' 18 t' 24 inches extends outward from the main body. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Be sure that t' tubes are flush at t' ends, arrr, that is, equal in length. Aye aye! T' interlockin' fin assembly then slides among t' 4 motor tubes so that one motor tube is on each fin "corner." T' assembly is epoxied into place. All t' motor tubes are glassed together with wraps o' 4 oz. weight fiberglass cloth. Well, blow me down! Begad! I also glassed t' launch lugs onto t' airframe. Arrr! Blimey! the airframe can be glassed as well, matey, but I only did t' tops o' both and t' bottom where t' motor tubes start, matey, for stress reinforcement and zipper prevention. I also glassed t' fins t' t' motor tubes. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I did this with strips o' glass cloth. Begad! t' entire fin face can be glassed, ya bilge rat, but I did nay choose t' do so. Well, blow me down! You might if you really push this rocket with mighty motors. Ahoy!

1/4 inch birch centerin' rings provide more internal support and are between the first 2 6 inch lengths o' phenolic internal couplers. Begad! T' second ring contains t' u-bolt that connects t' 6 feet o' tubular Keelhaul®©™® plus 10 feet of 1/4 inch thick wire wrapped bungee. Arrr! T' shock cord is connected t' t' u-bolt with a quick link and t' two materials in t' shock cord are connected with one as well. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! I used square knots, nay granny knots. T' Keelhaul®©™® came from Rocket Silo and t' bungee came from American Science and Surplus. Begad! Aye aye!

T' second length o' body tubin' contains t' coupler and 1/4 inch birch bulkhead assembly that allows middle separation and also attaches a u-bolt for the forward connection o' t' shock cord and drogue or main chute. This assemble is screwed into place with 6 wood screws, nay epoxy, me hearties, because this allows removal and replacement o' electronics and bays from a point in the rocket nay too high t' arm on t' pad. Ya scallywag! I say this because me level 3 project needed t' be armed from a standin' position atop me husband's pickup truck cab!!

T' chute is a Sky Angle chute rated for 10 pound rockets. Aye aye!

A 6 inch heavy duty eyebolt is epoxied and foamed into t' nose cone t' form an anchor for 5 feet o' wire wrapped bungee shock cord and a second chute, arrr, this one a 60 inch military surplus cargo chute from Everythin' Surplus, ya bilge rat, a ROL online auction vendor. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! T' shock cord attached aftward at a 1/4 inch birch centerin' rin' halfway down t' payload tube. Ahoy! Blimey! I'd attach it lower, but I need space for t' protective bay needed for t' altimeters below. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

T' only trick in buildin' this rocket was t' G10 cutting. Do use respiratory gear and blades meant t' cut this stuff. Well, matey, blow me down! Wood blades dull and stress on this and saws heat up as a result. Aye aye!

T' rocket is sturdy and strong. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I was pleased when t' guys picked it up and marveled at its strength and weight. Begad! Aye aye!

I decorated it in purple and orange, with metallic accents from self adhesive mylar from local hobby shops. This also coordinated with t' two chutes, shiver me timbers, which are purple and orange.

Flight:
I recommend long delays for t' J350 and 570 if 4 are used, medium delay if 2 are used. Blimey! Well, blow me down! I used 4 J350's. Begad! One o' them was prepped with a long delay and the other 3 were nay given charges, just t' trackin' delay grains, and their delay wells were plugged with grease and sealed with duct tape. There were aft loops of piano wire embedded in t' fillets used t' affix t' fins, arrr, arrr, and around the necks o' all 4 motors be tied a loop o' 1/8 inch thick Keelhaul®©™® rope that was tied up onto t' u-bolt where t' recovery line be attached. Well, blow me down! I didn't want any of t' motors t' be ejected. Ahoy! Aye aye! I anticipated a fast and high flight. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag!

Nomex®/Keelhaul®©™® chute protectors were employed with redundant worm bed wadding in t' prep. Avast! Avast!

A Skyward Electronics altimeter was placed in t' payload bay and all was a go until I accidentally set off t' altimeter with a BANG. Begad! That scared me! Blimey! But I was determined t' let me bird fly, so I screwed on t' nose and sealed the payload bay and flew t' bird with t' motor ejection. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I really had wanted to stress test t' altimeter for me upcomin' level 3 flight, but that was nay to be. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! I mainly wanted t' test me buildin' techniques t' see if I could hold this bird together with a predicted mach 1.3 and altitude near 5,000 feet. Ahoy! Ahoy! Blimey! I used 4 low current large tungsten bridge igniters from Fire in t' Hole, and a large marine 12 volt deep cycle battery. Well, blow me down! T' launch rod is a lightnin' rod 3/4 inch thick by 7 feet long. Ya scallywag!

I was nervous as I readied myself for this flight. Avast! Begad! I momentarily questioned my sanity. When t' flight was announced, dead silence ensued as opposed t' the usual guffaws when I do a funny theme rocket. Ahoy! Aye aye! I think everyone be aghast. Well, t' rocket ROARED. Ahoy! Begad! I mean, me hearties, roared straight up. Ya scallywag! T' flame trail looked easily as long as t' rocket. Avast! Begad! I heard a deep fawumpf sound that others confirmed was probably mach. Begad! At apogee, t' chute deployed and everyone cheered then, me bucko, breakin' t' silence. Well, blow me down! T' RSO said, "I don't know about you, arrr, but I think that was awesome."

I made a fast chase a mile downrange. Aye aye! It ended up in a field o' grazing cattle, shiver me timbers, and I be a bit scared o' them because I'm an avid beefeater... Mind you, I had set up with 2 chutes and t' one that finally did t' job was really underrated, me bucko, arrr, so I was worried. Begad! Begad! But t' rocket came down flyable again and ready for t' Redlines!

Summary:
If thar's any CON, clusters do cost more t' fly. Arrr! But thar's nothin' like the roar you get from multiple motors. Avast, me proud beauty! I was high on t' adrenaline for weeks. the pros include ease o' buildin' and great fun for t' flyer and spectators.

Other:
Always ohm out your igniters t' be sure they match, shiver me timbers, or get professionally made ones from Fire in t' Hole. Well, blow me down! Avast! That will ensure that all t' motors light.