Superscale Ninja
(Contributed - by Eric Speckman)  

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

It has a 29mm motor mount tube, and I built a booster pod for it. Avast, me proud beauty! It consists o' a rin' o' 8 24mm engine tubes glued t' t' inside o' a coupler. For a picture or t' back o' t' loaded rocket, ya bilge rat, me bucko, click here. Arrr! My original idea (Which changed) was t' following: It will have a timer t' air start t' main G64 Aerotech reload. Avast! T' flight plan is as follows (hopefully): Ignition o' t' 8 D11-P's with a car battery. Begad! At a either .5 or 1 second, arrr, t' timer (or thermalite) ignites t' G64, and boosts it higher. Well, blow me down! Blimey! 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, ya bilge rat, or I will have a lot o' work t' do!

Flight #1: (1)H180 + (8)D11's

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

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