Kit ReviewsReviews by Ryan ColemanReviews of U.S.S. Vesta

Descon U.S.S. Vesta

Scratch - U.S.S. Vesta {Scratch}

Contributed by Ryan Coleman

Manufacturer: Scratch
U.S.S. Begad! Vesta
(Contributed - by Ryan Coleman) 

Idea

Once again, me imagination and t' spare parts layin' around got t' better of me, and t' U.S.S. Vesta was born. Arrr! Blimey! I think it looks futuristic and somewhat cool. T' capability t' cluster with some extra mini's also adds some excitement t' t' design. Arrr! Blimey!

Diagrams

Here's a small diagram view o' t' completed rocket: [Diagram]

Pictures

Here's an unpainted but completed picture:
[Rocket Pic]

Flight Report

First flight. May 30. Arrr! Nice day, arrr, no wind, matey, arrr, arrr, sunny. Begad! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Flight on B6-4 severely arced (as somewhat expected). Begad! Aye aye! Ejection be at apogee and it recovered nicely on a 18" chute. As a result, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, I'm tryin' t' consider how much weight would be necessary on t' underside for it t' fly straight. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Maybe it just needs more power. Definitely less than a B6-4 is nay recommended. Arrr! Unfortunately, the camera was nay cooperatin' and t' pictures will probably nay come out.

Second flight. June 28. Aye aye! Blimey! Hot, light breeze. Went for t' cluster, 1 B6-4, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and 2 A3-4Ts. Twisted leads together (the motors are mounted close enough). Ya scallywag! Blimey! I used a Estes Command Control (one o' their few decent products), any 12 volt or higher system is recommended for clusters. Arrr! Blimey! All three lit, model jumped off t' pad. T' model did nay arc this time, it went almost straight up, slightly rolling (cool!). Ejection was just about a half-second before apogee, arrr, a B6-6 for the main motor might be o.k. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' 12" parachute brought t' model down. Because of t' slightly premature ejection, and perhaps a shock cord that could be a little longer, a dent developed at t' top end o' t' tube. Begad! Blimey! It was bent back into place without damage. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Still no flight picture :(

Parts

  1. 12" length o' BT-50
  2. 3" length o' BT-20 (main motor mount)
  3. 20-50 Centerin' Rings x 2
  4. Engine block for BT-20
  5. BT-50 45' diagonal cut from 2 11/16" t' 1 11/16" (Upper)
  6. BT-50 45' diagonal cut from 2 1/4" t' 1 1/4" (Lower)
  7. 1 7/8" BT-5 (Upper)
  8. 7 1/8" BT-5 (Lower)
  9. Engine Block for BT-5 x 2
  10. 5 3/8" BT-5 (Upper Wing)
  11. Endcaps for BT-5 from middle o' Centerin' Rings x 2
  12. 1 3/8" BT-5 Paper Conical NoseCone
  13. 3 3/8" Small Plastic Sticks x 2
  14. Small Strips o' thin Cardstock
  15. 30" length o' 1/8" Sewin' Elastic
  16. Paper Shock Cord Mount
  17. Launch Lug
  18. 12" or 18" plastic or mylar parachute
  19. 4 1/8" length o' BT-4 (10.5 mm)
  20. 2" length o' BT-2 (6 mm) x 2
  21. 2 1/4" length o' BT-2
  22. 2 5/8" length o' BT-2 x 2
  23. 3 1/4" length o' BT-2 x 2
  24. 3 3/4" length o' BT-2
  25. Endcap for BT-4
  26. Endcap for BT-50
  27. 1/2" length o' BT-50
  28. some Clay
  29. 1/8" Balsa Stock
Here's a scan o' t' Fins:
[Template]

Construction Outline

  • Main Body
  • Engine Mount
  • Glue t' Engine Block into t' Front o' t' Motor Mount and one rin' at the top and one 3/8" from t' back. When dry, ya bilge rat, glue t' whole thin' so it sticks out 3/8". Avast! Ahoy! Add an engine hook if you like, matey, I don't.
  • Nose Cone and Recovery Systems
  • Instead o' a typical nosecone, which I had none of, arrr, I opted for something completely different. T' BT-4 tube forms t' center o' t' nosecone and the multiple BT-2 tubes go around t' sides t' center it perfectly in t' BT-50. All t' ends o' t' tubes are even. Ahoy! I glued mine in t' followin' order:
  • T' second shortest length
  • T' either side o' it, t' shortest length
  • T' third shortest lengths on both sides o' those
  • T' second longest lengths go next
  • T' longest length. This is nay a perfect fit, me bucko, but it still looks cool
  • Glue t' shockcord t' t' inside o' t' BT-4. Avast, me proud beauty! Push some clay in t' top just for stability safety for t' paranoid. Arrr! Then glue on t' front BT-4 endcap. Cut a small hole in t' BT-50 endcap, matey, arrr, thread t' shockcord through it, and then glue it on. Arrr! Glue t' BT-50 rin' 7/8" from t' back o' t' 'nose' t' act as a forward stop. By t' way, matey, these multiple tubes are NOT missile launchers, phasers, laser beams, nuclear weapon devices, me hearties, arrr, or cannons o' any sort.
  • I used a long length o' sewin' elastic and a typical paper mount. Avast, me proud beauty! I also use snap swivels on all me parachutes, shiver me timbers, so I'll just throw an old one on. 12" will be fine for smaller fields, shiver me timbers, 18" for larger ones.
  • External Assemblies
  • Left and Right 'wings'
  • T' outer parts o' each win' go forward. Avast, me proud beauty! I held mine together with masking tape and glued them together. Begad! Sand your favorite airfoil t' each after you glue them. Blimey! Also, a small triangle will need t' be cut off t' back o' each outer portion. Ya scallywag! Sand and Seal usin' your favorite method and then attach on opposite sides o' t' tube 3/8" from t' rear. I angled mine 'down' about 3 or 4 degrees.
  • 'Upper' Assembly
  • Glue a BT-5 engine block into t' front o' t' shortest tube. Then glue the half-block made from balsa or cardstock into t' same end. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Glue the assembly with t' blocks at t' same end as t' diagonal cut into t' longer of the side BT-50 pods. Well, blow me down! Begad! It should stick out 3/8" like t' main tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! The closed half should face t' tube. Arrr! Blimey! When it's all dry, glue it t' t' main tube between t' wings so that t' end o' t' BT-50s and t' end o' t' Engine Mounts are even.
  • Sand and Seal t' Upper Fins. Begad! Ahoy! T' cross goes in t' slot in t' other piece. Arrr! Ahoy! It should be in t' middle. Glue t' root o' t' fin so t' cross piece is away from t' main tube and down t' t' top o' t' longer BT-50 piece.
  • Take t' middle length o' BT-5. Well, blow me down! Glue t' cone into it, slanted down so one edge is even with t' tube. Blimey! Arrr! This tube does NOT hold a motor. It is for aesthetic purposes only. Well, blow me down! Glue it t' t' top o' t' upper fin and cross piece so it sits 1/2" back from t' back o' t' cross piece.
  • Lastly, glue t' plastic sticks t' either side o' t' cross piece so they look like forward pointin' antennae. Begad! Arrr! These are NOT guns, me bucko, lasers, shiver me timbers, cannons, me bucko, arrr, shiver me timbers, or any weapon at all.
  • Lower Assembly
  • Start by gluin' t' smaller diagonal cut BT-50 piece t' t' 'underside' of the tube so it is even with t' main tube. Begad! Ya scallywag! Push t' Engine Block into t' back of t' tube. Arrr! Cut or punch a vent hole at t' top and glue t' whole endcap onto the front o' t' tube. Blimey! When dry, glue it t' t' underside o' t' tube 3/8" from t' aft through t' diagonal cut tube. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' vent hole should face out. Aye aye!
  • Sand and seal t' lower fin. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Glue it t' t' Diagonal cut BT-50 and the BT-5 tube as far back as will fit.
  • Launch Lug
  • Glue half t' lug next t' a wing. Glue t' top half 8" up t' tube.
  • Decor
  • Strips o' Cardstock
  • I used those strips o' cardstock (from a Estes Sidewinder kit) t' add some futuristic lookin' details t' t' main body. I cut down t' biggest piece to 3/4" x 3 1/8" and wrapped it 2" back from t' nose. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! I then used a 6 3/8" x 1/8" strip from t' upper diagonal tube t' t' wrap I just put on.
  • Paint
  • My g/f has been complainin' that all me 'futuristic' type rockets look too dismal (shades o' grey), me bucko, so I gave me U.S.S. Vesta a white undercoat as a prep surface for silver. Avast, me proud beauty! I masked off most o' t' model, except for some 'wing' areas, shiver me timbers, me hearties, arrr, t' upper diagonal cut BT-50, ya bilge rat, some fins, and a small stripe around the cardstock ring. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Painted silver over t' white, arrr, then removed all t' tape. Blimey! I then painted t' inside o' t' 'nosecone' tubes black.

Flyin' Tips

Single-engine flying.

A B6-4 is suitable for low-altitude test flights. Aye aye! A C6-5 should be just fine. You'll have t' friction fit t' motor, matey, which isn't hard. Begad! Ya scallywag! Just wrap maskin' tape around t' motor until you can't yank it out with your fingers. Prep t' rocket just like any other, a bit o' maskin' tape may be needed t' get t' nose cone fit a little tighter. Aye aye! I'd use a 12" chute or maybe an 18" if you have the field. Ahoy! No damage was taken t' t' rocket on either landin' on a 12", though. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down!

Clustered flying

Because o' t' asymmetrical nature o' this rocket, it probably isn't the perfect first cluster. Dependin' on your skill, me bucko, you could try it for your first cluster if you want.
Here are t' motor combinations I'd stick with.
B6-4 & 2x1/2A3-2T
B6-4 & 2x1/2A3-4T
B6-4 & 2xA3-4T
B6-6 & 2xA3-4T
B6-4 & 2xA10-3T
B6-6 & 2xA10-3T
C6-5 & 2x1/2A3-2T
C6-5 & 2x1/2A3-4T
C6-7 & 2xA3-4T
C6-7 & 2xA10-3T
Remember, a B and two 1/2As is equal t' a mid-C motor. Ya scallywag! A B and two As is equal to a C. Begad! Well, blow me down! A C and two 1/2As or As is equal t' a low D. Ahoy! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! This will take t' rocket pretty high. Avast! I also haven't flown it yet in that configuration. If you built carefully, even white or yellow glue with fillets can hold up t' low-D power. Blimey! Aye aye!
This rocket is an in-line cluster, requirin' no extra clips t' launch, arrr, arrr, extra a heavy duty battery is mandatory. 12 volts minimum. Well, blow me down! Friction fit t' main motor first, and then t' sidepods. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I lined me motors up at t' back end. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Now, startin' with one o' t' mini's, put in t' igniter very carefully and then insert plug. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Next, shiver me timbers, put t' igniter/plug into t' main motor. Ahoy! Do t' last mini now. Aye aye! Blimey! I installed t' igniters so that t' little paper strips are parallel to each other, me hearties, and perpendicular t' t' line o' motors. Ahoy! Blimey! Now take one lead from each motor, and twist together and away from t' other. Do t' same with the remainin' three.
Install t' parachute and waddin' like usual. Well, blow me down! Put t' whole thin' on t' rod, hook up t' clips well t' each twisted threesome o' leads. Blimey! Launch it. Ahoy! Aye aye! If they all light, me bucko, me hearties, you're in luck. If only one or two light, shiver me timbers, you may be in trouble. This is why you are careful t' insert t' igniters properly.
A Cluster will look pretty cool. Avast! A good picture is obtained by takin' it from the side, matey, so (hopefully) all three plumes will be visible. (Even though I haven't managed it yet on this rocket). Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy!

Future for t' U.S.S. Well, matey, blow me down! Vesta

Hopefully I'll be able t' test out some more motor combos. Avast! Blimey! Perhaps t' C & 2xA will be next t' see if it will hold. If anyone has any problems, questions, or comments, contact me by email below.
rcoleman@erinet.com

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