Brief:
This project started with a mailin' cardboard tube that be nay standard "rocket" size. Aye aye! Avast! I ended up havin' t' create me own balsa nose cone (accomplished in a rather amateur fashion on me electric drill). Ahoy! I also used up some old 10.5 mm body tubes. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' S.S. Begad! Begad! Gulliver uses 18 mm motors and features a mylar parachute.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 11" mailin' Tube style Body Tube, just about t' diameter o' a BT-60
• balsa nose cone custom made t' fit mailin' tube (Big Bertha style)
• balsa for fins
• motor mount system consistin' o' BT-20, BT20-60 centerin' ring, ya bilge rat, engine block
• cardboard for shroud
• 10.5 mm body tubes, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, 3 quantity, arrr, cut t' 3.75"
• 3 electrical wire nuts, me bucko, matey, 10.5 mm in diameter
• shock cord material
• Keelhaul®©™®
• mylar parachute
• screw eye and BB's for nose weight
• rocket sketch

T' trick t' this rocket is gettin' t' motor mount t' sit correctly in the body tube with about 4cm o' t' motor mount projectin' out t' back o' the rocket. Ahoy! Before gluin' this in, ya bilge rat, I test fit it with a shroud that fit snugly with the body tube t' t' motor mount, matey, approximately 4 cm in length. Ahoy! Begad! I also made sure I tied t' Keelhaul®©™® to t' centerin' rin' before gluin' t' assembly into t' body tube.

Next, matey, me bucko, I cut t' 3 fins usin' a hand drawn template. Ya scallywag! T' fins fit flush with the bottom o' t' rocket and thus need t' be against both t' shroud and body tube. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' three small body tubes are then glued t' t' fin tip o' each fin. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I epoxied t' wire nuts on t' t' top o' each 10.5mm tube. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I also stuffed the bottom o' each 10.5 mm tube with a mixture o' yellow glue and tissue paper to fill t' gaps that existed on either side o' t' fin.

I created me own nose cone usin' an electric drill and a sandin' block. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I drilled a hole in t' bottom o' t' nose cone t' add additional weight, in this case, me bucko, shiver me timbers, some epoxy and BBs. I capped t' bottom o' t' nose cone with more epoxy and balsa and inserted a screw eye. Ya scallywag! T' center o' gravity for an empty S.S. Gulliver should be 7.75" from t' bottom o' t' motor mount assembly.

I added an elastic shock cord and a mylar parachute that I had in me extra parts box.

Finishing:
I painted t' rocket silver and painted t' nose cones black. I printed the decals on 8.5" x 11" clear Avery label sheets. Ahoy! I designed t' decal images in Microsoft Word, arrr, hence their cheesy, ya bilge rat, poor quality. After I added the decals, I gave t' Gulliver a clear coat o' lacquer. Begad! [Note: the decals are available for download.]

Paintin' t' rocket was no big deal. Ya scallywag! T' difficulty be gettin' t' decals to adhere correctly t' t' rocket. Well, blow me down! I used a clear Avery label sheet because this is what I had. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It printed rather well, but I did nay seal t' inkjet ink before cuttin' t' decals free and addin' them t' t' rocket. Avast! This meant that some o' t' ink began t' smudge. Also, me hearties, with Avery labels, shiver me timbers, they really don't like t' have any extra paper visible beyond t' colored portion o' the "decal". Well, blow me down! Doin' so will reveal a kind o' grayish coat t' t' perimeter of each decal. Avast, me proud beauty! I had t' cut t' decals as close t' t' edge as possible. Avast, me proud beauty! Hence, decals with straight lines look best while decals with rounded corners or circles can look a little awkward.

Flight:
I have flown this bird half a dozen times, all on either B6-4s or C6-5s. Begad! It is a very steady performer with nice flights. Well, blow me down! T' altitude is respectable, me hearties, but it certainly will nay break any NARRRRR records. Blimey! All o' me recoveries have been perfect except for me last flight in which t' mylar parachute ripped. Blimey! Blimey! It still came down smoothly and gracefully, me bucko, me bucko, although t' shroud line ripped into the side o' t' parachute so much that t' parachute needs t' be replaced.

Recovery:
This wide-neck bird is easy t' prep. Well, blow me down! Plenty o' room for dog barf an parachute. No problems with parachute deployment either.

Summary:
This was a fun build for me. Blimey! It was a first in many ways:

• First homemade nose cone

• First shroud that mated nicely t' body tube

• First attempt at creatin' decals

This be a positive experience, ya bilge rat, and it is a nice flyer.