FlisKits Whirlygig

FlisKits - Whirlygig

Contributed by Matthew McFarland

Manufacturer: FlisKits

FlisKits Deuce-Bash Contest

T' followin' article was a submission t' t' FlisKits, me bucko, Inc Deuce-Bash Contest and is archived with permission from FlisKits. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Some o' these designs are nay actually kitbashes, me hearties, however, all come from t' basic motor design feature of t' FlisKits Deuce's Wild.


(Contributed - by Matthew McFarland - 02/07/07) (Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig

Brief:
Here is another entry for t' FlisKits Deuce Bash. Begad! It uses only t' Deuce kit parts and leaves several parts for other projects.

Construction and Finishing:

  • Take t' body tube and mark several lines on it. Avast! All lines will be t' length o' t' tube. Aye aye! Usin' your Deuce's Wild template mark all five lines (the four fins and t' launch lug). Now turn t' fin template 180 degrees and line up all t' fin marks with t' template. Begad! When it is lined up, mark t' launch lug line again. Aye aye! Arrr! T' second launch lug line should be 180 degrees opposite t' first launch lug line. Begad! T' launch lug lines are t' top and bottom lines o' the rocket. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! You now have 6 lines, arrr, but you will only use four: t' top and bottom for centerin' t' motor mount wedge and the two bottom fin lines for t' fins.
  • Find t' center o' t' tube on t' top and bottom lines. Ahoy! Begad! Mark it well.
  • Take t' motor mount from t' kit and get t' cute little wedge. Begad! Avast! Mark center o' t' bottom o' t' wedge. Now cut a slot on t' bottom line in t' center just big enough for t' center wedge t' fit in. Ya scallywag! You will also have t' cut a little slot in t' top tube line centered about 2mm long. T' wedge should just reach from bottom t' top bein' flush with t' tube. Arrr! Glue it in.
  • Cut circles right next t' t' wedge t' accommodate t' motor mounts. Repeat on top and bottom.
  • Glue motor blocks in tubes and install tubes in t' body tube.
  • Cut t' bottom o' t' nose cone off and save it for a nose block on another project. Begad! (T' recessed part that fits inside t' BT-60 tube)
  • Cut a radius in t' bottom o' t' nose cone t' fit t' BT-60 tube. Begad! Begad! Sand well t' get a nice fit.
  • You will notice that t' motor tubes stick out t' top o' t' body tube. You must cut recesses in t' newly formed nose cone t' accommodate this. Avast, me proud beauty! Now glue t' nose cone on. Begad! Begad! I taped t' top o' t' motor mounts closed and then used gel epoxy as t' add nose weight and nay create voids in t' nose.
  • Make two fins from t' Deuce pattern sheet and glue them on different fin lines on opposite ends o' the tube. Begad!
  • Now we need a launch lug. Ya scallywag! Drill a hole as close t' centerline as you can up from t' bottom through t' nose cone.
  • Paint, fly, me bucko, etc.

(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig
(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig
(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig

Flight:
I used B6-0 engines and had 3 great flights. Begad! I did nay paint it because quite frankly, I did nay know if it would be stable and I could nay figure out how t' put this rocket into RockSim. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' first flight be a beauty and I got a great picture o' it leavin' t' pad. Begad! You can see t' swirls in t' exhaust as t' rocket has already made a revolution. It peaked out at about 150 feet as a guess and then tumbled about 4 times before it started spinnin' its way back t' the ground. Avast, me proud beauty! All landings were soft and close. Avast! T' first one was about 20 feet from t' launcher, matey, ya bilge rat, t' second two feet from the launcher, and t' third 15 feet from t' launcher.

Now it is painted a beautiful yellow (OSHA warnin' color for rotatin' hazard) with one black fin so you can see it rotate.

(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig
(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig(Deuce's Wild) Whirlygig

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