Eagle Five

from Spaceballs by Mel Brooks

Bad science fiction comedies seem never t' die, shiver me timbers, they just become legend. Avast, me proud beauty! Hence t' reason that Spaceballs is still known as one o' t' best science fiction comedies o' all time. I toyed with t' idea o' makin' mega maid, me bucko, shiver me timbers, or space ball one, or even that cute little mercedes Princess Vespa used (the one kin' Roland got from his brother in law who owns a dealership in t' valley and got him a good deal)

But t' me, nothin' shows state-of-the-art cool-ness like a beat-up rust "detailed" dented-fender ship like Eagle V reconstitutin' parts. Aye aye!

Mainly, I wanted t' design a rocket with an outer "shell" that would have a standard inner unit in order t' fabricate more than one design (see me other entry).

First I took 1/2" strip o' t' face card and fashioned a ring, I took another strip and glued it t' t' first one for reinforcement. Begad! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! I then took t' three smallest tubes and cut them in half (three halves for each unit) I took t' three tubes and glued them t' t' rin' t' make up t' beginnings o' a tripod.

I then took t' two larger tubes and cut them in half. I then slit along t' length o' one tube and wrapped t' un-cut one with t' bag t' protect from gluing. Blimey! I then too t' slit tube and put it over this assembly and glued two strips o' t' instruction sheet over t' gap. Ya scallywag! I then glued t' tripod t' t' larger tube. Avast!

I took t' hang tag and cut this up t' make motor mounts by wrappin' them around a micromaxx engine and gluin' CAREFULLY. Aye aye! Blimey! I made a total o' six o' these for both entries. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I then glued them t' t' end o' t' uncut larger tubes. Begad! Blimey!

At this point I realized that I should nay have cut t' tubes in half, me hearties, as this would cause a lot o' friction upon ejection. t' then trimmed t' uncut large tube t' about 1/2" long. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! I then took t' balsa nose cones, cut t' points off, ya bilge rat, glued t' kevlar betwixt t' widened large tubes and t' "plugs made from balsa nose cones. Blimey! I then made an Estes style motor mount and glued that t' t' motor mount. Begad! Blimey!

Lost? This is a aft ejection unit. At ejection t' engine mounts, shiver me timbers, uncut large tube, shock mount and kevlar are kicked out t' back pullin' t' streamer till t' kevlar reaches its full length. Ahoy! Think o' t' parachutes used on funny car dragsters.

I then took t' remainin' face card and built up t' Eagle Five usin' online photos for reference. Begad! Halfway through t' build. Avast, me proud beauty! Drake "Doc" Damerau's entry shows up! Cool, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, matey, I didn't think it would have been stable without external fins. Begad! Well, arrr, blow me down!

Paintin' them winnebago stripes was hard. Avast, me proud beauty!

Anyway, I never played with Micrommaxx, me hearties, let alone a cluster, arrr, I heard some bits o' rumor, includin' soldering. I went and loaded them up and put it on t' pad. Avast!

Nice thin' is, matey, that with Micromaxx you can do all your prep indoors and use your back yard t' launch!

Got off work, arrr, it be dark. Begad! Begad! Night Launch! in t' headlights o' me trusty truck I was able t' get things all prepped

IT WORKS! Blimey!

Ready t' go again!