Scratch Superscale Ninja Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Superscale Ninja {Scratch}

Contributed by Eric Speckman

Manufacturer: Scratch

Superscale Ninja
(Contributed - by Eric Speckman)  

[Rocket Pic]

For someone who is used t' Estes kits, this thin' is huge. Ya scallywag! Blimey! For people in HPR, arrr, this isn't so big. Aye aye! This rocket stands 4' 9.4" tall, and is 4" in diameter. Arrr! Ya scallywag! As o' now, me bucko, I don't know what t' exact weight is, but I it is around 3 1/5 lbs (Loaded weight was 4.5 lbs). A lot o' t' weight is in t' payload section. Arrr! Arrr! T' heavy bulkhead and t' 10 oz. Avast! PML nose cone add up t' quite a lot. It has a 36" round chute from.

[Rocket Pic]It has a 29mm motor mount tube, me hearties, and I built a booster pod for it. Arrr! It consists o' a rin' o' 8 24mm engine tubes glued t' t' inside o' a coupler. Blimey! For a picture or t' back o' t' loaded rocket, ya bilge rat, click here. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! My original idea (Which changed) be t' following: It will have a timer t' air start t' main G64 Aerotech reload. Begad! Arrr! T' flight plan is as follows (hopefully): Ignition o' t' 8 D11-P's with a car battery. Well, blow me down! At a either .5 or 1 second, matey, t' timer (or thermalite) ignites t' G64, shiver me timbers, me hearties, and boosts it higher. Ya scallywag! T' main motor's ejection will hopefully deploy t' chute. If t' main motor doesn't light, t' timer will ignite an ejection charge, and push the chute out. Avast, me proud beauty! It better fly right, arrr, or I will have a lot o' work t' do!

[Rocket Pic]Flight #1: (1)H180 + (8)D11's

T' Ninja flew for t' first time on July 20, 1997. After talkin' t' some people, shiver me timbers, I decided that boostin' on t' D's and airstartin' t' G was a bad idea because composites are harder t' light. Aye aye! Begad! So I needed a more powerful engine. Begad! Begad! An announcement be made askin' if anyone could help me, arrr, matey, and Frank Noble was willin' t' help me with me project. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I ran a computer altitude sim, me bucko, and found that an H140 SU would work, but t' motor dealer did nay have any. Avast! Well, blow me down! So, I was able t' borrow a reload casing, arrr, and fly it on an H180. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Frank loaded t' motor, and explained how t' drill t' delay t' t' right length. Ahoy! He showed me how to use teflon tubes and thermalite t' ignite t' D11's. Well, blow me down!

[Rocket Pic]Finally, it was ready t' fly. We took it out t' t' pads, ya bilge rat, and set it up on pad 5. Arrr! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' rocket be angled a little bit away from t' spectators (and downwind) for safety. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When if finally came time t' launch, shiver me timbers, matey, t' LCO made everyone stand up and watch this rocket, ya bilge rat, matey, and it was a very heads up flight. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! 5...4...3...2...1...Launch... Aye aye! Blimey! T' H lit after a short delay. Begad! Blimey! It boosted straight up on a column o' smoke. Just after t' H burned out, matey, t' D's lit for a little extra smoke and noise. Ya scallywag! Blimey! After it coasted for 9 seconds, and t' ejection went off and t' chute came out. It took a little while for t' chute t' open, but it deployed after a second or two. Begad! Blimey! It drifted for a long way, and was recovered undamaged. When I recovered the rocket, I smartly looked, and it appeared that all engines ignited. Avast! Blimey! Later, it was pointed out t' me that only 6 o' t' 8 lit, ya bilge rat, but it was still spectacular. Aye aye! Blimey!

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