Violet Riot

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

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

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

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

Now I needed t' come up with a name. Well, blow me down! The name was goin' t' have t' be just as cool as t' rocket itself. Avast! Hmmm... Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Violent Violet? Violet Violence? Neither one sounded just right. Begad! Purple Bomber? Naw, that sounds lame. Arrr! I thought and thought. Begad! Aye aye! Then it came t' me like a flash of lightning. Avast! VIOLET RIOT. Yeah, matey, it's cool, tough, matey, and it fits t' paint job nicely. Now I would have t' find some artistic way t' make this rocket live up to it's name. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I connected t' Ask Jeeves picture search and typed in rioter. Begad! I found some pretty cool pics. Begad! I saved t' ones I really liked which consisted of molotov cocktails, 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. Aye aye! I proceeded t' resize and then print out me rock-art. Avast, me proud beauty! Then I got out some newspapers and cut out t' letters t' name me rocket. Well, blow me down! Begad! I glued t' pics and letters onto t' rocket and t' molotov cocktails on t' fins. After it dried, I used some clear paint in a number o' very light coats t' protect me homemade decals. There we go. It looks better than I ever could've imagined. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Hmmm... I think this might need a nose cone. I thought o' turnin' me own out of styrofoam, me hearties, but I'll wait till I build a few more rockets before attempting that. Blimey! T' Estes Fat Boy I have on me shelf stares me down just waitin' t' be used for another purpose. Arrr! I couldn't take it anymore. Avast! Arrr! Aaargh! I ripped t' nose cone out o' that sucker and sanded off t' red paint. Aye aye! Then I painted it in a soothing, calmin' purple. Avast! Well, arrr, blow me down! Ahhh. Now I can Relax. But nay before addin' a parachute, matey, shiver me timbers, o' course. Avast, me proud beauty! My Violet Riot looks really awesome considerin' I didn't know exactly what I was plannin' on buildin' in t' first place. Arrr! It all just came together, ya bilge rat, 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, ya bilge rat, 60 degrees. Blimey! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Wind be about 5-7mph. Start t' long awaited countdown... Well, blow me down! 5, matey, ya bilge rat, 4, ya bilge rat, 3, 2, arrr, me bucko, 1... Aye aye! Woosh! T' rocket took off. I was hopin' for a good flight and I am pleased t' announce it went better than I could've ever imagined. Well, blow me down! My Violet Riot took t' t' skies as if it was destined t' go t' it's home in space. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Then after t' 4 second delay, me hearties, the parachute deployed. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' wind took me rocket on a little journey, matey, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but it landed safely in t' grass. No damage whatsoever. Begad! Begad! I could fly again! Second launch, temp 47 wind 10mph. Another safe and beautiful flight, just as majestic as the first. I am lookin' forward t' many more beautiful launches from this super cool rocket. Arrr! Avast!