Violet Riot

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

This rocket started off as a bt-80, a sheet o' 1/16" plywood, 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. Arrr! I wanted some cool lookin' fins so I drew a few different designs up and I liked t' way these looked. Aye aye! Another one o' my ideas was that t' fins would have t' look tough. Blimey! 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. '04) and t' biggest rocket I've built this far used a "C" engine, matey, arrr, I went with an "E". Begad!

I started by drawin' me fins onto a piece o' scrap paper and proceeded to cut t' design out. Begad! Blimey! Next, shiver me timbers, I traced t' fins onto me plywood and then usin' a hobby knife, cut out me four fins. Ya scallywag! Immediately, I held t' fins up t' t' body tube t' see how it would look... Avast! Arrr! I like t' way they looked already! My next plan o' attack was t' get t' engine mount in. I purchased an Estes mount kit for D and E engines. Begad! I followed t' directions and before I knew it, matey, me hearties, I had the engine mount installed in me body tube. Aye aye! Avast! Awesome, I thought, 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. Well, blow me down! 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, arrr, what a long time t' wait. Ya scallywag! Oh well, shiver me timbers, t' wait was finally over and time t' do t' fillets. And again t' dreaded wait. Begad! Well, blow me down! 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. Ahoy! Now this stack o' rocket parts was startin' t' look like something. Well, blow me down! Wow!

About a week before I started on me rocket, ya bilge rat, arrr, 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 be goin' t' paint with it. Begad! Now I know! Since my glue be dry, matey, I figured I better paint this baby and see how t' paint job turns out. Ya scallywag! It looked superb. Blimey!

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, me proud beauty! Blimey! Hmmm... Violent Violet? Violet Violence? Neither one sounded just right. Purple Bomber? Naw, that sounds lame. Aye aye! Arrr! I thought and thought. Ya scallywag! Then it came t' me like a flash of lightning. Blimey! Begad! VIOLET RIOT. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Yeah, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it's cool, arrr, tough, 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. Aye aye! Ahoy! I connected t' Ask Jeeves picture search and typed in rioter. Arrr! I found some pretty cool pics. Blimey! I saved t' ones I really liked which consisted of molotov cocktails, matey, 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. I proceeded t' resize and then print out me rock-art. Well, arrr, blow me down! Then I got out some newspapers and cut out t' letters t' name me rocket. Begad! I glued t' pics and letters onto t' rocket and t' molotov cocktails on t' fins. Begad! After it dried, I used some clear paint in a number o' very light coats t' protect me homemade decals. Aye aye! There we go. Ya scallywag! It looks better than I ever could've imagined. Begad! Hmmm... Ya scallywag! I think this might need a nose cone. Arrr! 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. Arrr! T' Estes Fat Boy I have on me shelf stares me down just waitin' t' be used for another purpose. Blimey! I couldn't take it anymore. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Aaargh! I ripped t' nose cone out o' that sucker and sanded off t' red paint. Then I painted it in a soothing, calmin' purple. Begad! Ahhh. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Now I can Relax. Begad! But nay before addin' a parachute, o' course. Ya scallywag! My Violet Riot looks really awesome considerin' I didn't know exactly what I was plannin' on buildin' in t' first place. Arrr! Arrr! It all just came together, shiver me timbers, 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 was on an E9-4 clear skies, 60 degrees. Wind was about 5-7mph. Start t' long awaited countdown... 5, 4, 3, me bucko, me bucko, 2, me hearties, 1... Avast! Woosh! T' rocket took off. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I be hopin' for a good flight and I am pleased t' announce it went better than I could've ever imagined. Avast, me proud beauty! My Violet Riot took t' t' skies as if it was destined t' go t' it's home in space. Ahoy! Avast! Then after t' 4 second delay, the parachute deployed. Avast, me proud beauty! T' wind took me rocket on a little journey, but it landed safely in t' grass. Well, blow me down! Arrr! No damage whatsoever. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I could fly again! Second launch, temp 47 wind 10mph. Begad! Another safe and beautiful flight, just as majestic as the first. Ahoy! I am lookin' forward t' many more beautiful launches from this super cool rocket. Blimey!