Scratch Stiletto Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Stiletto {Scratch}

Contributed by Jim Senecal

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Published: 2012-05-22
Manufacturer: Scratch

Brief

This is an upscaled clone o' t' Estes Stiletto. Avast! Well, blow me down!  This is one o' me favorite rocket designs, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it looks fast even standin' still. Aye aye! Blimey!  This version uses BT-55 body tubes rather than t' BT-50 o' t' original and is approximately 29" tall. Well, blow me down!  

Components

T' parts list for this rocket includes an 18" Estes BT-55 body tube, arrr, an additional 6" section o' BT-55, matey, and a tube coupler. Well, blow me down!  T' nose cone came from t' Estes NC-55 nose cone set, me bucko, and be t' pointed straight cone.  Also used be some 3/32" balsa stock for t' fins, a small section o' 1/8" balsa strip used t' make t' raceway and forward thrusters, an Estes 18mm engine mount, an Estes 18" parachute, me hearties, 1/8" launch lug stock, and some 1/8" elastic fabric cord for t' shock cord.  Decals came from me stock o' leftovers from other kits. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!  

Construction

For intructions I downloaded t' original Estes instructions from t' JimZ website. Begad!  I made fin patterns by upscalin' t' JimZ patterns. Ahoy! Ya scallywag!  I then cut out t' fins from t' 3/32" balsa stock. Blimey! Begad!  I added a section t' t' root edge o' t' main fins as I intended t' make through t' wall fins.  I rounded t' fore and aft ends o' t' main fins as well as t' small secondary fins. Avast, me proud beauty!  I built t' engine mount in t' standard fashion, and added centerin' rings cut from some cardboard stock. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag!  T' two body tubes were glued together with t' coupler. Ya scallywag!  I inserted t' engine mount into t' body tube and allowed t' glue t' dry.  Once t' glue be dry I cut slits into t' aft o' t' tube large enough for t' main fin mounts. Blimey!  I glued t' main fins on and allowed them t' dry. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty!  I then lined up t' seconday fins above t' main fins and glued them on. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy!  Glue fillets were applied t' all t' fins. Aye aye!  I then created t' raceway out o' t' 1/8" balsa strip and glued it on, filletin' it as well.  T' forward thrusters were also made from 1/8" stock, and glued on in line with t' fins. Blimey!  I cut two launch lugs each about 3/4" long, me hearties, and mounted them on some thin cardboard. Well, blow me down! Blimey!  T' lugs were then glued t' t' side o' t' rocket as well, shiver me timbers, spaced along a side away from t' raceway.  T' final bit o' buildin' on t' body was t' create t' three raised bands around t' body. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!  One band goes directly t' t' aft o' t' small secondary fins, ya bilge rat, another directly t' t' aft o' t' foward thrusters, shiver me timbers, and t' last just above t' fore end o' t' raceway. Blimey!  I made t' bands from t' facecard frome an Estes rocket kit.  T' bands are about 1/4" wide and wrap around t' circumference o' t' body tube.  T' wraps were glued on with white glue. Well, blow me down! Ahoy!  Finally I added a shock cord usin' t' standard tri-fold method, substitutin' fabric elastic for t' typical rubber cord. Ahoy!  For a rocket this size I have had fair winds with this type o' cord. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty!  Constuction went well, matey, proceedin' without any problems.

Finishing

I sealed all o' t' balsa with thinned Elmer's wood putty, then sanded this smooth.  One thin' I should have done was t' fill and sand t' fins prior t' addin' t' body wraps.  Sandin' t' aft end o' t' secondary fins and thrusters be complicated by t' position o' t' wraps. Avast!  Several coats o' primer followed, arrr, sandin' betwixt coats. Avast!  T' final color was simple, me bucko, I used Walmart gloss white on t' entire body.  T' nose cone and t' upper inch o' t' body tube were then sprayed with Walmart gold. Avast, me proud beauty!  Once all t' paint be dry, me hearties, I added t' decals.  I searched me stash o' old decals and decal stripe stock t' make t' markings on t' rocket. Avast!  Luckily t' markings are fairly simple so it be possible t' do this. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty!  If you really want t' go crazy you could buy decals from one o' t' aftermarket companies. Begad!  I really had no issues overall with t' paintin' or decaling.

Construction Score: 4

Flight

This model has been flown twice usin' Estes B6-4 motors. Begad!  T' rocket performs very well on this motor, me hearties, and would really go on a C6, arrr, but at me flyin' field it would probably be lost. Avast, me proud beauty!  On both flights, me hearties, t' rocket flew very straight.

Recovery

T' rocket be equipped with a standard 18" Estes plastic parachute.  On both flights t' parachute ejected normally without issues and t' rocket was recoverd with no damage.

Flight Rating: 5

Summary

Overall this is a great rocket design. Well, blow me down! Avast!  It is only slightly more complicated than an ordinary 3FNC design, shiver me timbers, but really looks sophisticated.  It also has t' look o' a real Air Force missle with t' markings and t' raceway. Aye aye!  It also flies excellent.

Overall Rating: 5

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