by Chris Kiekens

I had purchased a couple o' Gemini DC kits t' enter in this DesCon, me bucko, shiver me timbers, but alas, ya bilge rat, holidays, arrr, sick kids and work seemed to drain t' majority o' me time.. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty!

I did have time t' bang this one out howevera

I worked on this rocket obsessively(accordin' t' t' wife), matey, shiver me timbers, and be havin' a great love affair with ita

Parts List: 1-2.14. Aye aye! LOC Nose cone 1-13. 2.14. Fiberglass tube 1-9. 29mm LOC tube 3-2.14.-29mm Centerin' Rings (home made) 1/8. Avast! ply 1-pot scrubber(stainless) 2-3/16 eye bolts 2-machinein' threads w/ bolts 20 feet Pratt 500lb Keelhaul®©™ 1-LOC 18. Arrr! parachute 1-1/8. Quick link

Construction:

Puttin' it all together was pretty basic, arrr, ya bilge rat, slap t' centerin' rings on t' motor mount, epoxy liberally.. Ya scallywag! Avast! add another CR attached with t' eyebolts, ya bilge rat, arrr, and sandwich a piece o' steel mesh in t' space.

T' fin slots were cut usin' a miter saw, me hearties, t' allow TTW construction.

T' Keelhaul®©™ was attached t' both eyebolts, me bucko, matey, and epoxied with a nut into t' nose(after cuttin' off t' shoulder), both givin' a solid attachment, matey, arrr, me hearties, as well as addin' some weight t' t' nose.

T' parachute was attached with a 1/8. Avast, me proud beauty! quick link, arrr, t' allow it t' be transferred t' other toys..

Steel machine threads were epoxied into t' aft centerin' ring, t' be used with washers for motor retention.

Flight Report:

Maiden Flight be on an Aerotech G75-medium delay, arrr, it leapt off t' pad like a screamin' mother-in-law, t' an estimated 3561 feet, ejection was just after apogee, and deployment o' t' recovery system(parachute) was normal.

Apparently t' chute was slightly oversized, me bucko, as we watched it float away for some time, ya bilge rat, and I looked for it for about two weeks after..

Conclusion:

I will build another, ya bilge rat, and will fly it in a larger field, arrr, with a smaller chutebut t' tube was free, shiver me timbers, and I have lots more o' them, me hearties, so I may build a 38mm version as well, because I can seem t' lose enough o' me rocket stuff!