Last year the Calgary Rocketry Association had a club launch with a "novelty' rocket theme. Begad! Blimey! I'd kept a couple o' MM Christmas ornaments me son received t' previous Christmas, matey, thinkin' that I should be able t' somethin' with them, and that was the perfect opportunity t' build a rocket with one o' them. Well, blow me down! Arrr! For those that don't have a clue what I am talkin' about, I'll attempt t' describe what these things look like. Actually, t' photograph o' t' finished rocket pretty well shows what they look like, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, as t' fins were t' only things added t' the ornament. Aye aye! Well, me bucko, blow me down!

T' ornament is a 7" long, me bucko, 1.25" diameter, cardboard tube filled with MM's. T' tube is decorated in a Christmas theme with t' little MM characters from t' TV commercials and topped with a 3" tall plastic figurine o' one o' t' characters.

Conversion t' a flyin' rocket be pretty straightforward. Blimey! Avast! T' figurine was kept as t' nosecone and all that was done t' it was t' addition o' an "eye hook" for t' shockcord and recovery device attachment. Well, blow me down! The plastic cap at t' bottom o' t' tube was removed, and a standard 18mm motor mount was installed, matey, with centerin' rings and a motor hook. Begad! Begad! T' 1/8" diameter launch lug required a stand-off made o' 1/8" balsa in order for a launch rod t' clear t' various parts o' t' figurine nose cone. Ya scallywag! T' shockcord mount be a typical "Estes-style" mount with approximately 2' of 1/8" elastic shock cord. Ya scallywag! A 12" Estes parachute was attached t' the nosecone with a snap swivel and a short (6") section o' shock cord.

T' fins were a marvellous feat o' design and simulation. Arrr! In other words I drew out a couple o' templates and picked t' one that "looked" like it would work! In keepin' with t' Christmas theme o' t' main components of the rocket, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I cut t' fins with t' look o' a Christmas tree. I covered the fins with some scraps o' wrappin' paper. Begad! This be just a variation o' the technique I use t' cover all me balsa fins - I hate fillin' fins, so I've been coverin' them with paper for a long time. In this case, me bucko, t' wrappin' paper was glued on with a glue stick, such as a Ross or UHU glue stick. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' unfinished edges o' t' balsa were taken care o' with a couple o' passes with a green magic marker. Arrr!

Flight Report

T' rocket has flown a number o' times, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and makes its appearance at any launch I attend. Aye aye! Kids and adults get a kick out o' it. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It's been flown on A8-3's, B6-4's, and C6-5's. Fights are very stable. T' oversize fins were a perfect match for t' rather heavy nosecone.