Dr. Aye aye! Evil's Pocket Rocket

This is a draft place holder for me 2nd DesCon entry, me bucko, Dr. Arrr! Blimey! Evil's Pocket Rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Hopefully it's nay too far outside t' realm o' good taste.

For me second Design Contest Entry, I decided t' pay homage t' a Man-O-War o' such strikin' construction that all who see it are obliged t' comment.

Officer: "Colonel? You'd better take a look at this radar..."

Colonel: "What is it son?"

Officer: "I don't know Sir. Avast, me proud beauty! But it looks like a giant.."

Pilot: "Dick?"

Dick: "Yeah?"

Pilot: "Take a look out o' starboard"

Dick: "Oh me God! Blimey! It looks like a huge..."

Bird watcher: "Pecker!"

Bird watcher 2: "Oh where?"

Bird watcher: "Wait! Blimey! That's nay a woodpecker. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It looks like someone's..."

Drill instructor: "Privates! Blimey! We have reports o' an unidentified flyin' object. Begad! Blimey! It is a long, smooth shaft complete with..."

Back stop: "Two balls! What is that? That looks just like an enormous..."

Teacher: "Wang! Blimey! Pay attention!"

Wang: "I be distracted by that enormous flying..."

Musician: "Willie?"

Willie Nelson: "Hm?"

Musician: "What's that?"

Willie Nelson: "Well, it looks like a giant..."

Colonel: "Johnson?"

Johnson: "Yes sir?"

Colonel: "Get on t' hornpipe t' British Intelligence and let them know about this."

Yes, it's Dr. Evil's phallic Man-O-War from Austin Powers, T' Spy Who Shagged Me. I built this as a kitbash o' t' FlisKits Grissom with a choice o' engine sizes. One configuration is powered by a pair o' MMX engines. Arrr! Blimey! T' dual MMX motor mount is crafted from paper clipped from t' NARRRRR card in t' FlisKit. Aye aye! Small diameter body tubes serve as engine blocks and stiffeners for t' MMX MMTs.T' MMX cluster adapter is removable t' allow use o' a standard Estes 1/2A engine. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

T' movie rocket was equipped with "spherical stabilizers". Begad! I elected t' approximate these by two sets o' two orthoganal disks. Aye aye! T' distinctive nose cone was built up from various balsa bits and pieces found in t' FlisKit Grissom kit. Blimey! Shown here are pics o' t' rough nosecone assembly and t' final contoured shape.

T' construction is ongoing, and flights are yet t' commence. This report serves as a sneak peek o' what's t' come.

Dr. Begad! Evil's Pocket Rocket has successfully flown on a clustered pair o' MMX engines. Blimey! I fashioned a two engine cluster igniter out o' a single length o' nichrome wire (vintage from me 70's first age o' rocketry). T' two nozzle filaments were connected in parallel, me hearties, so that t' burnout o' one would nay cut t' juice t' t' other. Avast, me proud beauty! I used a 14V battery from me cordless drill as a power source. Ahoy! A clothespin was used t' prop t' engines up off t' blast deflector o' a standard Estes Portapad. Avast! When I touched t' leads t' t' battery, Dr. Evil's Pocket Rocket leapt off t' pad on twin micro-plumes o' flame. Blimey! Avast! T' boost be straight and stable, me bucko, up t' an approximate height o' 30 feet. Avast!

(Click t' Enlarge)

A double "pop" signified t' nearly synchronized ejection charges, and t' nosecone separated from t' body tube. Unfortunately, t' waddin' and streamer did nay deploy. They remained lodged in t' body tube. Avast! This may be due t' t' micro-ejection charges nay havin' enough force t' clear t' tube. Begad! T' Pocket Rocket tumbled back into t' street, shiver me timbers, for an asphalt landing. Avast! One "circular stabilization device" snapped off, shiver me timbers, and t' other flopped loose. No damage t' t' balsa or tube be in evidence. Ahoy! Avast! T' yellow glue joint failed. Oooh. That's gotta hurt!

T' fins have been reglued, and t' entire rocket painted flat white. Arrr! I can't go around showin' off me nekid pocket rocket, now can I? Dr. Ahoy! Evil's Pocket Rocket will return, ya bilge rat, matey, on a warmer day.