Violet Riot

by Nate Galger (27yrs. Begad! Old with 5 months o' rocket buildin' experience)

This rocket started off as a bt-80, a sheet o' 1/16" plywood, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and a plan t' make something. Ahoy! I wasn't sure exactly what be t' come o' it, but I am thrilled with t' way it turned out. I wanted some cool lookin' fins so I drew a few different designs up and I liked t' way these looked. Ya scallywag! Begad! Another one o' my ideas was that t' fins would have t' look tough. Aye aye! I also wanted t' make a rocket with a big engine and since this be t' be me very first custom built rocket(I've only been a model rocketeer since Jan. Ahoy! '04) and t' biggest rocket I've built this far used a "C" engine, matey, I went with an "E". Ya scallywag!

I started by drawin' me fins onto a piece o' scrap paper and proceeded to cut t' design out. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Next, I traced t' fins onto me plywood and then usin' a hobby knife, cut out me four fins. Immediately, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I held t' fins up t' t' body tube t' see how it would look... I like t' way they looked already! My next plan o' attack be t' get t' engine mount in. Arrr! Aye aye! I purchased an Estes mount kit for D and E engines. Avast! I followed t' directions and before I knew it, I had the engine mount installed in me body tube. Begad! Awesome, me bucko, I thought, me bucko, matey, this is goin' to take a big engine! Then I drew t' lines on me body tube for t' fin placement and also a line for me launch lug. Begad! Next I cut slits in t' tube where me fins were goin' t' slide into. Aye aye! I then glued on me fins one at a time, me hearties, what a long time t' wait. Oh well, arrr, shiver me timbers, t' wait be finally over and time t' do t' fillets. And again t' dreaded wait. Begad! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! After t' fillets dried, me bucko, me hearties, ya bilge rat, which seems like an eternity, arrr, me hearties, I glued on t' launch lug(and o' course waited for that t' dry) and did t' launch lug fillet. Now this stack o' rocket parts be startin' t' look like something. Ahoy! Wow!

About a week before I started on me rocket, ya bilge rat, I was at a local hobby store and saw a can o' metallic purple paint. It looked super cool so I picked it up without t' knowledge o' what I was goin' t' paint with it. Avast! Avast! Now I know! Since my glue be dry, ya bilge rat, I figured I better paint this baby and see how t' paint job turns out. Well, me hearties, blow me down! It looked superb.

Now I needed t' come up with a name. Begad! The name was goin' t' have t' be just as cool as t' rocket itself. Hmmm... Aye aye! Violent Violet? Violet Violence? Neither one sounded just right. Avast! Purple Bomber? Naw, that sounds lame. Begad! I thought and thought. Begad! Blimey! Then it came t' me like a flash of lightning. Ahoy! VIOLET RIOT. Begad! Arrr! Yeah, matey, it's cool, tough, and it fits t' paint job nicely. Ahoy! Now I would have t' find some artistic way t' make this rocket live up to it's name. I connected t' Ask Jeeves picture search and typed in rioter. Ya scallywag! I found some pretty cool pics. I saved t' ones I really liked which consisted of molotov cocktails, me bucko, a riot policeman whose helmet reads " If you can read this you're about t' get your head kicked in," and a riot control van. Ahoy! I proceeded t' resize and then print out me rock-art. Then I got out some newspapers and cut out t' letters t' name me rocket. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I glued t' pics and letters onto t' rocket and t' molotov cocktails on t' fins. Ya scallywag! After it dried, I used some clear paint in a number o' very light coats t' protect me homemade decals. Avast, me proud beauty! There we go. Begad! It looks better than I ever could've imagined. Avast, me proud beauty! Hmmm... Begad! I think this might need a nose cone. Begad! I thought o' turnin' me own out of styrofoam, ya bilge rat, but I'll wait till I build a few more rockets before attempting that. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' Estes Fat Boy I have on me shelf stares me down just waitin' t' be used for another purpose. Begad! I couldn't take it anymore. Aye aye! Aaargh! I ripped t' nose cone out o' that sucker and sanded off t' red paint. Begad! Blimey! Then I painted it in a soothing, me bucko, calmin' purple. Begad! Ahhh. Now I can Relax. Avast! Blimey! But nay before addin' a parachute, o' course. Arrr! Blimey! My Violet Riot looks really awesome considerin' I didn't know exactly what I was plannin' on buildin' in t' first place. Ya scallywag! It all just came together, I am proud o' me very first model rocket built from scratch with a big engine and a bad attitude!

So what on Earth became o' t' flight?

First flight be on an E9-4 clear skies, matey, shiver me timbers, 60 degrees. Wind was about 5-7mph. Start t' long awaited countdown... 5, 4, me bucko, matey, 3, 2, 1... Aye aye! Woosh! T' rocket took off. I be hopin' for a good flight and I am pleased t' announce it went better than I could've ever imagined. My Violet Riot took t' t' skies as if it was destined t' go t' it's home in space. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Then after t' 4 second delay, the parachute deployed. Begad! T' wind took me rocket on a little journey, but it landed safely in t' grass. No damage whatsoever. Aye aye! Arrr! I could fly again! Second launch, temp 47 wind 10mph. Another safe and beautiful flight, me bucko, just as majestic as the first. Begad! I am lookin' forward t' many more beautiful launches from this super cool rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag!