Brief:
I liked my DG&A Armageddon so much that I wanted t' build a smaller version that I could fly with me kids up at t' school. I started with some Estes BT-60 body tubes that I had leftover from another build. Well, blow me down! T' original Armageddon has a 4" body tube so that makes t' BT-60 a 0.4 scale or 2.5 times smaller. Aye aye! Ahoy!

Bill o' Materials:

• 2 BT-60 body tubes
• 2 BT 60 couplers
• 6" x 32" x 1/8" balsa fin stock
• One 5/16 x 1/8 balsa stick (Optional)
• 1 nosecone
• Centerin' rings
• Estes E-9, arrr, 24mm engine mount
• Two 3/16 launch lugs
• Parachute and shock cord

Construction:

Main Airframe

Cut one o' t' BT's t' 5.25" and glue it t' t' full length BT-60 with a coupler. Ya scallywag! This tube coupled with a full 18" BT-60 will be your airframe. Cut a 6 5/8" section from t' remainin' BT-60. Avast! This will be t' forward "payload" section. Arrr!

Motor mount

I used a 24mm engine mount made for t' Estes E-9 engines because it's a longer tube. Avast! I chose nay t' use the engine hook and this enables t' fly it on Estes D12's and Aerotech E motors also. Begad! Tape must be used for a friction fit on t' motor if t' engine hook is left out. Avast, me proud beauty! Glue a centerin' rin' t' t' end o' t' motor mount tube. Glue the second centerin' rin' t' t' MMT 7/8" from t' other end and allow t' dry. Glue this assembly into t' airframe so that t' aft centerin' rin' is 1/8" in t' tube. Begad! Cut t' balsa stick into eight 1" long pieces. Avast, me proud beauty! If you want, me bucko, shiver me timbers, you can just make them from scrap leftover from makin' t' fins. Aye aye! Aye aye! This is how I did it. Aye aye! These pieces will make t' finned tail cone. Arrr! Glue t' eight pieces t' t' MMT so that they are evenly spaced and touch t' centerin' ring. This will make them 1/8" into t' BT. Aye aye! I used 60 grit sand paper t' taper the eight tail cone fins from t' BT t' t' MMT. Blimey! It took all o' ten minuets to sand them t' ! t' taper. Finish them with 120 grit paper. Blimey!

Main fins

Here be t' hard part. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! You will need t' do one o' two things; download the RockSim file I made for t' original Armageddon t' get a fin template, ya bilge rat, or try t' use the fin template jpeg. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Just use the given dimensions and multiply them by 0.4 inches. Ya scallywag! Blimey! You should end up with the root edge bein' about 12.5" long. Ahoy! Blimey! I used Bud Nosen 6"x 32" x 1/8" A problem you will find here is that t' grain o' t' balsa will be parallel t' t' BT. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This makes for weak fins. Begad! Blimey! Paint a coat o' CY or epoxy to strengthen t' fins. If you use CY, make sure you are in a well-ventilated room or better still, do it in t' garage. Ahoy! Blimey! Some people glue paper or cardstock to weak fins t' strengthen them. Arrr! Blimey! This works well and cuts down on finishin' time but it will make this rocket too heavy t' fly on t' Estes E motors. Ahoy! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Make four fins and glue these so that t' trailin' edge o' t' root is 1/8" from the end o' t' tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! Make sure they are lined up with four o' t' tail cone fins.

Forward canard fins

These are much simpler t' make. Begad! Ahoy! Usin' leftover stock from t' fins cut out four fins t' match t' canards in t' template jpeg. Aye aye! Glue them t' t' forward "payload section" so that they are flush with t' end. Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Nosecone / Parachute

I chose t' use t' Estes way o' mountin' t' shock cord. T' other end of the shock cord is just tied t' t' nosecone before it is friction fitted into the payload section. I used a 20" Aerotech parachute.

Finishin' Touches
Cut t' tips o' t' two 3/16" launch lugs at a 45-degree angle. Avast! Glue one at t' aft end o' t' rocket and one just behind t' forward edge o' t' main fins. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:
I chose t' paint t' finned tail cone gold but (obviously) paint it as you wish. Paint t' fins, payload section and nosecone blue and t' rest o' the body white. Well, blow me down!

Flight:
Flights I have flown this rocket at least two dozen times. Begad! Most flights have been on a D12-5 but recently I've been usin' t' new E-9 motors. Avast! Begad! Two successful flights have been made on t' Aerotech E30 and two on t' E15. Arrr! All flights, like t' original Armageddon, have been straight as an arrow and impressive. Ya scallywag!

Summary:
T' only minor problem is that t' 24mm MMT is larger in proportion t' a BT-60 than t' 38mm on me original Armageddon is t' its 4" BT. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' fins can be hard t' make if you don't have t' originals t' model them after.