Manufacturer: | Modification |
Brief:
This is an AeroTech Mustang made longer with an additional body and payload
section. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! Also installed PVC motor retainer.
Modifications:
Not bein' content t' leave well enough alone, arrr, I took one o' me favorite flyers
and stretched it out t' double its original size. Begad! Begad! I got t' parts listed above
directly from AT since I couldn't find one dealer that had all o' them. Well, blow me down! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! It's
not t' cheapest way t' go, but I wanted all real AT parts. Arrr! After tyin' on 8'
more shock cord, I glued t' coupler t' t' existin' Mustang body and t' new
body tube t' that. Begad! Aye aye! I built t' 9" payload section (I'd wanted 12" but
AT was out o' t' 12" tube) and hung t' shock cord t' it. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I also broke
off t' AT motor hook (rather than havin' it break on me by accident) and
installed a PVC motor retainer as described elsewhere.
Construction:
Additional parts include:
As a simple extension, thar were no plans t' work from but none were needed either. Begad! Havin' built an AT payload section before, shiver me timbers, that was even done from memory.
Finishing:
It all got a new paint job: a double coat o' black appliance enamel for
everythin' except t' nose and a spin stripe on t' payload section.
Flight:
First flight after t' mod be an F20. Avast, me proud beauty! Flight was flawless but too much chute
carried it a quarter mile. Begad! Second flight on an F25, matey, arrr, me hearties, also flawless and
impressive. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Third flight, me bucko, F50. BOOM. Massive CATO o' t' motor blew t' nozzle
off and blew t' flange off t' PVC bushin' cap. Avast! Ahoy! T' motor casin' be removed
with t' fuel grain intact, t' delay end had broken off, and was still in the
tube. Begad! Except for t' bushin' cap, matey, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, thar be absolutely no damage t' t' rocket.
I consider this a successful if unplanned test o' t' retainer, provin' it to
"fail safe" by blowin' out rather than havin' t' motor rupture the
rocket. Blimey! T' E clip portion o' t' retainer be retrieved and was unbent,
provin' it is plenty strong enough t' stand a normal ejection charge.
Summary:
On its first flight I found out I wasn't t' only one t' have this idea. Blimey! While
searchin' t' field next t' t' flyin' field for me drifted away rocket, shiver me timbers, I was
met by someone else doin' t' same, matey, also with a stretched Mustang.
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