Here is me rocket design submission. Aye aye! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Thank you. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

This rocket has a 24mm motor mount and weighs in around 2.75 ounces (empty), so she's a high flier on D12 motors. Blimey! It can also be flown on C6 motors. I employed TTW fin attachment, shiver me timbers, so I'm sure it would do great on E15 or E30 SU motors. That is why I built t' motor mount for "E" motors instead of "D". Avast!

Construction:

T' make this rocket you need:

Parts List:

• 1 Estes 18" BT 55 tube
• 1 PNC 55 nosecone (5.5" long, conical or ogive, matey, dependin' on preferences)
• 1 24mm motor mount for an Estes "E" motor (or 4" o' BT-50)
• 2 AR5055 BT 55 centerin' rings (Estes #30166-2)
• 1 "E" Engine hook (Estes #35022)
• 1 engine block (can use a 1/4" wide section o' a used "D" motor)
• 3/16" x 2" launch lug
• 12" parachute (I used Estes plastic, me hearties, but nylon might be preferred)
• 3/8" elastic shockcord (I used 50" worth)
• 1/8" x 3" x 18" balsa stock for t' fins
• 1 square o' Estes clay for nose weight (not sure on t' weight)

I used 15 minute epoxy for all construction t' ensure t' rocket's fins would withstand "D" and "E" motor flights.

T' first step is t' cut t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins attach t' t' motor mount through t' wall o' t' body tube t' provide for more strength. Avast, me proud beauty! Makin' t' fins from t' template is easy, arrr, as long as t' template is correct. Avast! Arrr!

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I placed t' template against t' two square sides o' t' balsa stock so I would only need t' cut one side, then I used t' first fin as t' template for the rest o' them. Arrr! Sand fins so that they are t' same size, then sand leading and trailin' edges for desired shape, matey, if desired--I went with airfoil shape.

Now you need t' mark t' body tube for t' 3 fins. Begad! Blimey! I made a fin marking guide similar t' an Estes one, me bucko, matey, and that wasn't very difficult. After marking the lines for t' fins and t' launch lug, extend them all a good five inches or so, and take t' LL line up about 8 inches. Arrr! Mark along t' LL line a spot 11-13/16" from t' front o' t' body tube. Ahoy! This is where t' LL will go. On each fin line, place a mark 5/8" from t' aft o' t' tube, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and another 3" from t' rear. Avast! Usin' a sharp hobby knife, cut alongside t' fin lines (offset 1.5mm each side) betwixt t' two marks you made, This is for fin attachment. Once t' cuts are done, arrr, test each fin into t' slots. Blimey! Sand as needed. Begad! They should extend approximately 1/4" behind t' aft o' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy!

(Click t' Enlarge)

Assemble motor mount and centerin' rings as per instructions provided in the Estes "E" motor mount kit. Begad! If you are without a kit, me bucko, t' assembly is easy.

You may want t' mark t' motor tube on one end as "front" as to not get confused

Make a 3mm long cut, shiver me timbers, across t' tube, matey, 1" from t' front o' t' motor tube

Mark a line, me hearties, across t' tube, shiver me timbers, me hearties, 5/8" from t' aft o' t' tube

Insert "E" hook into t' cut you made, extendin' t' t' aft of the tube

Fit one centerin' rin' up t' t' 5/8" mark, shiver me timbers, and t' other up t' the 1" spot where t' hook is inserted. Ahoy! -- You may want t' dry-fit t' rings to ensure proper fit. Blimey! Well, blow me down! There should be approximately a 2-3/8" gap between the front and aft rings. Well, blow me down! Be sure it is big enough since t' fins will attach there. Ahoy! Aye aye! Glue into place with epoxy

Slide engine block into front o' motor tube so that it stops against the section o' hook comin' through t' top and glue it in place

Once t' epoxy has cured enough, the motor mount is installed flush with t' end o' t' body tube (the engine hook will stick out quite a bit). Avast! Be sure t' centerin' rings are nay inside the slots in t' tube, me hearties, as this will prevent your fins from fittin' in the slots. Be careful nay t' get epoxy into t' fins slots. Begad! Let dry.

Test t' fins into t' slots one more time and do any sandin' as needed. Once you are sure they all fit perfectly, put generous amounts o' epoxy on the root edge o' a fin and glue into place. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Ensure it is in thar straight. Begad! Let dry. Repeat with t' other two fins, one at a time. Begad! Ahoy! Once t' fins are all dry, apply fillets and let dry. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag!

After t' fins have been attached, take t' launch lug and glue it onto the LL line so that t' front o' t' LL rest on t' 11-13/16" mark you made. Make sure t' LL is straight and let dry, arrr, me bucko, then apply fillets.

Shockcord attachment is a matter o' preference. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I chose t' Estes method on this rocket, arrr, matey, makin' t' shock cord mount from some scratch paper. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I used 50" o' 1/8" elastic shock cord and attached it two inches down inside the body tube usin' generous amounts o' epoxy. Blimey! Blimey!

Pack t' clay square into t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! It helps t' roll t' clay into a long snake, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and then put that through t' hole in t' aft o' t' nose cone. I'm nay sure what t' weight o' t' clay was, arrr, but it is probably around 1/2 oz. Attach t' nose cone t' t' shock cord, me hearties, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, then attach t' parachute t' t' shock cord about 3" or so from t' nose cone. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:

T' rocket was lightly sanded t' aid in paint adhesion, shiver me timbers, then two layers of gray primer were used, lightly sandin' betwixt each application. Avast! Blimey! I chose black for t' body tube, matey, arrr, gold for t' fins, me bucko, and a gold/red fade on t' nose cone. Ahoy! I also added a couple o' red strips around t' body tube, with one o' them at the top. Begad! Blimey! Two layers o' paint were used on all parts, ya bilge rat, me bucko, then finished with Krylon Clear Glaze for a nice, glossy appearance. Avast! Avast!

Flight Tests/Motor Recommendations:

Rocksim showed that "D" - "F" motors would be fine for t' rocket. Blimey! Begad! Predicted altitudes for a D12-7 were betwixt 1200' - 1400'. Aye aye! Aerotech E15-7 motors should reach about 2700', matey, matey, and t' E30-10 a little lower at about 2600' (but hitting 575 mph). An "F" will take it past mach, and also send it flyin' very high, ya bilge rat, as long as t' balsa holds up. Avast!

T' first flight was on a single D12-7 in a 2-5 mph wind. Since t' motor mount is for an "E" motor, me hearties, I used an Estes EC-75 "D" engine spacer t' take up t' empty space inside tube. Begad! Lift-off be fast, me bucko, and flight was arrow straight. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I had no way o' checkin' t' altitude, but it easily went over 1000' and took quite a while t' make it's way back down, even under the small 12" parachute. Arrr! Begad! Ejection was at apogee--perfect. It was a perfect launch. Avast!

Second flight was t' check for t' rocket's ability t' fly under "C" power. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I used an expended "D" motor and bored the nozzle end out a little t' allow ejection gases t' freely pass through. Aye aye! I then friction fit a C6-3 inside t' "D" casin' so that t' nozzle end protruded out t' rear, me bucko, then placed tape around t' two cases t' ensure the "C" motor would nay kick out on ejection. Arrr! Flight on t' "C" was great. Begad! Nice lift-off and perfectly straight flight, reachin' about 500' - 700'. Ahoy! Begad! Ejection at apogee again. Arrr! Rocket came down nicely about 75' away.

Third flight: AT SU E30-7 Fast lift-off and arrow-straight flight t' around 2300'. Begad! Ejection be at apogee. Avast! Parachute didn't unroll due t' stuck shroud line, matey, but rocket recovered safely with only a small crack in one fin. Repairable and will fly again. Aye aye! Arrr!

Summary:

Both launches prove what Rocksim showed--the rocket is very stable and a good flyer. I'm sure it will perform well on any "E" motors you give it. Begad! It may even fly on a "B" with a short delay, but that be not checked on t' simulator. Arrr! Rocksim showed a CP (Barrowman) at 18.840, and a CG of 15.585 when loaded with a D12 (I checked t' CG just before flight and showed 16.45)--either is stable. Avast! Weight loaded with D12 is 4 oz. Aye aye! Aye aye!

Pros - TTW fin mounting. Blimey! Blimey! Flexible in t' range o' motors it can use, arrr, which eases stress on t' pocketbook and allows for various conditions. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Flies high due t' weight. Arrr! Blimey!

Cons - Need t' be very careful when cuttin' t' slots for t' fins t' avoid misalignment. Ya scallywag!