Brief:
Built for t' Design This Spaceship Contest. This is a single staged, me bucko, dual 18mm clustered rocket built from an Estes Baby Bertha kit.

Parts List

**Note: Engine parts listed here are for buildin' a 2x18mm cluster model. Part numbers and quantities will vary dependin' on how you build t' model.

Assembly Instructions

T' followin' instructions are for buildin' t' SilverBelle from an Estes™ Baby Bertha kit. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' pre-cut fins and engine mount will nay be used, unless a single 18mm model is built. Ahoy! T' single engine mount will be replaced using a 2x18mm cluster mount. Well, blow me down! New fins will be cut usin' t' fin patterns supplied in these instructions. Avast, me proud beauty!

Engine Mount Assembly (2x18mm Cluster)

Begin t' engine mount assembly by gluin' one o' t' green Thrust Rings into one end o' t' blue Engine Mount tube. Avast, me proud beauty! T' Thrust Rin' should be flush with t' end o' t' engine tube.

Measure ¼ inch down t' engine tube, from t' same end as t' thrust ring, matey, and make a mark. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Make a small cut through t' tube at this mark usin' a hobby knife. Begad! Find one o' t' metal engine retainin' clips, me hearties, and place t' end that is bent 90° into t' cut you just made.

Run a bead o' glue around t' middle o' t' engine tube. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Find one o' t' black, ya bilge rat, or dark grey, rings, me bucko, shiver me timbers, slide it over both t' engine tube and engine retainer clip and through t' bead o' glue. Arrr! Adjust t' engine clip as needed t' keep it straight. Avast! Allow t' glue t' dry

Repeat procedure for second engine tube.

Take one o' t' Cluster Centerin' Rings and slide it over t' end o' both engine tubes with t' green thrust ring. T' centerin' rin' should butt up against t' engine retainin' clip. Create a glue fillet around both sides o' the centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! Allow t' glue t' dry.

Measure 1 inch down on t' opposite end o' t' engine tubes and make a mark. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Slide t' second centerin' rin' over both tubes and retainin' clips t' t' mark you made. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Create a glue fillet and allow t' dry.

**Note: If you are havin' trouble slidin' t' centerin' rin' over t' retainin' clips, make notches in the centerin' rings t' allow t' rings t' slide over t' clips.

Once t' glue has dried on t' engine mount assembly, place a liberal amount o' glue t' a Q-Tip or a scrap piece of balsa, and spread t' glue, as far as you can reach, shiver me timbers, all around t' inside o' one end o' t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Slide the engine assembly inside t' body tube, ya bilge rat, but nay all t' way t' t' second centerin' ring. Blimey! Spread a liberal amount o' glue just inside t' end o' t' body tube, and then slide t' mount t' rest o' t' way into t' body tube, matey, until t' engine tubes are flush with t' end o' t' body tube. Create a fillet on t' outside o' t' aft centerin' rin' and allow glue to dry.

Engine Mount Assembly (Single Engine)

If you plan on usin' only a single engine in t' build, me hearties, follow t' instructions included in t' Estes Baby Bertha ^TM kit.

Fin Installation Instructions

Make three marks on t' body tube, ya bilge rat, 120° apart from each other, on t' same end as t' engine mount, me bucko, t' locate where t' fins are t' be mounted.

Place t' body tube against a door frame and draw three straight lines up t' tube usin' t' marks as a starting point. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! If you have a Fin Alignment Tool, me hearties, you can use this as well.

Cut t' three large fin set out o' t' material o' your choice. Blimey! Balsa is used in these instructions. Well, blow me down! Spread glue on t' root edge o' one fin and place t' fin on one line on t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Sight down the leadin' and trailin' edges o' t' fin t' make certain t' fin is straight. Begad! Allow t' glue t' dry and repeat for the other two fins.

Cut t' six small fin set out o' 1/8 inch balsa. Attach one small fin t' both sides o' the large fin, matey, creatin' a sandwich. Arrr! Begad! Make certain t' leave about a ½ inch gap betwixt t' leadin' edge o' t' large fin and t' leadin' edge o' t' small fin. Arrr! This will create a "step" look t' t' fin. Arrr! Repeat for t' other fins. Ahoy!

Launch Lug Placement

Attach t' launch Lug t' t' rocket by spreadin' a small amount o' glue on t' bottom o' t' launch lug and placin' it on t' body tube. Blimey! T' launch Lug should be close t' t' center o' t' body tube, and centered betwixt two of the fins. Sight down t' launch lug t' make certain it is straight along t' centerline o' t' body tube.

Shock Cord Mount Assembly Instructions

Cut out t' tri-fold paper shock cord mount and fold it on t' dotted lines. Unfold t' mount and spread glue on the smallest section o' t' shock cord mount.

Place one end o' t' elastic shock cord in t' glue and fold t' mount, with t' shock cord, me bucko, t' t' second section. Begad! Press firmly t' spread out glue. Blimey! Arrr! Spread glue on t' third section o' t' shock cord mount and fold over the second section and elastic shock cord. Press firmly t' spread out glue.

Once all three sections have been glued t' each other, shiver me timbers, bend t' mount into a U shape so it will be easier t' glue to t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Tie t' other end o' t' shock cord t' t' nosecone. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Secure shock cord t' t' nosecone with CA if desired.

After t' glue has dried, me bucko, spread glue on t' bottom o' t' paper shock cord mount and place it about 2 inches inside t' opposite end o' t' body tube from t' engine mount. Blimey! Ahoy! Press gently but firmly t' ensure proper adhesion to the body tube.

Parachute Assembly Instructions

Assemble t' shroud lines onto t' parachute accordin' t' t' instructions, me hearties, me bucko, if t' shroud lines are nay already attached t' t' parachute. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Attach t' parachute t' a snap swivel by pushin' t' shroud lines through one end o' the swivel and creatin' a loop. Begad! Avast! Slide t' parachute through t' loop and pull tight. Ahoy! Avast! Attach t' other end o' t' swivel to the nose cone.

Paintin' your SilverBelle

T' SilverBelle’s paint scheme is silver with red trim. Avast, me proud beauty! However, matey, shiver me timbers, you may paint t' rocket any color you wish.

Start out by fillin' t' balsa and tube spirals in t' technique o' your choice. Begad! Blimey! Prime t' rocket usin' a sandable, automotive grade primer. Aye aye! Take some flat black paint and just "dust" t' entire rocket t' give the rocket a "splattered" look. Begad! T' flat black paint will show all t' low spots, spirals, matey, and wood grain. Avast! Allow the primer t' dry for at least 24 hours.

Sand all t' flat black paint off usin' medium grit sandpaper, me hearties, such as 220 or 240 grit. Well, blow me down! Clean off all sanding residue and oils from your hands usin' Windex. Begad! Ahoy! Re-prime t' rocket and "dust" it again with flat black paint. Allow t' primer t' dry for at least 24 hours. Well, blow me down! Sand all t' flat black paint off usin' fine sandpaper, such as 320, 400, arrr, me hearties, or 600 grit paper. Avast! Clean off all sandin' residue and oils from your hands usin' Windex. Avast! Avast! T' ammonia in Windex will remove most contaminates, and will leave t' rocket with a clean surface for painting.

Paint t' entire rocket with a silver base coat. Aye aye! Silver paint "runs" easily, me bucko, so apply t' paint using light coats. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Allow t' base coat t' dry for 24 hours, then mask off t' areas t' be painted red.

Scuff t' areas t' be painted a different color with a green scuff pad found in most grocery and hardware stores. "Scuffing" up t' paint creates scratches t' new paint can adhere to. Begad! Begad! If t' base color is nay sanded or scuffed up, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, t' paint on top will peal off.

T' paint t' nose cone, arrr, you should use tape that will stretch so you get nice curves. Arrr! I didn't have any on hand so I had t' improvise. Ya scallywag! Once that part is dry, take a touch-up brush and some yellow paint and paint t' yellow trim around red on t' nose cone.

For t' "port holes", I just cut out holes in maskin' tape with a razor blade and used a touch-up brush for both t' yellow and black trim.

Launchin' your SilverBelle

If you built t' SilverBelle usin' only one engine, me bucko, arrr, prep t' rocket as with any other single engine rocket by insertin' t' motor, shiver me timbers, igniter, and wadding. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Fold t' parachute accordin' t' your preferred method and insert into the body tube. Slide on t' nosecone and you’re ready t' go.

If you built t' SilverBelle usin' a cluster mount, me bucko, me bucko, preppin' t' rocket be t' same. However, you will be using two motors and two igniters. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Insert t' igniters into each motor and use a plastic plug t' hold t' igniters in place. Take one wire from each igniter and twist together. Aye aye! Arrr! Do t' same for t' other two wires. Blimey! Attach t' clips t' the igniter wires as you would with a single motor rocket.

Flight and Recovery:
T' first flight was less than spectacular. Begad! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I prepped t' rocket with two C6-5s and headed out t' t' launch pad. Arrr! The Range Officer pressed t' launch button, t' rocket went up about an inch, then sat on t' pad with a beautiful flame comin' out o' each motor. Well, blow me down! T' tips o' t' fins got pretty cooked, matey, and everyone, includin' me, got a good laugh. The Range Officer asked for t' motor t' check and see if these were from a bad batch.

T' second flight be much better. Begad! I loaded up two B6-4s and headed out again. Avast, me proud beauty! This time it left t' launch pad and had a good flight. It weathercocked a bit but recovered fine.

T' third flight was on two C6-5s from another batch. Ya scallywag! It weathercocked again but still had a good flight. The parachute got a little cooked from t' ejection charge and didn't fully open. It broke a fin tip on landing.

I have since repaired t' fin tip and have flown it twice more. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! T' last flight had separation o' t' shock cord from t' body tube. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! All parts have been recovered and it is ready for its next flight.

Summary:
T' main pro t' this rocket is its retro style and two engine cluster. Avast! Blimey! This be t' first time I have ever launched a cluster, so I was always worried about one motor nay firing. Avast! Blimey! Luckily, ya bilge rat, both motors have fired on all flights.

I would say t' main con t' this rocket are t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! They extend past t' aft o' t' body tube and will break if thar be a parachute failure. Arrr! Blimey!