Brief:
This rocket was based on plans for a paper Proton launch vehicle and were available at t' Classic Paper Space Models website. Aye aye! Unfortunately, it appears this particular website no longer exists and t' plans are unavailable. I be generously provided t' plans by dtomko o' T' Rocketry Forum. Blimey! In me opinion, rocket manufacturers have overlooked Russian launch vehicles and I thought a conversion o' a Proton t' a flyin' model would be a fun challenge.

Manufactured by t' Khrunichev Design Bureau, ya bilge rat, arrr, t' Proton is a workhorse for t' Russian space program. It be originally designed as an ICBM in t' 1960's but was never deployed for that use. Well, blow me down! It continues t' fly today loftin' payloads for both Russian and international customers. Some famous payloads flown by Proton vehicles include t' Zond probes t' t' moon, shiver me timbers, t' Salyut series o' space stations, shiver me timbers, Mir modules, ya bilge rat, and pieces o' t' International Space Station (ISS). Avast! T' plans depict t' vehicle that carried t' Zvesda module t' t' ISS in July 2000.

For more information regardin' t' Proton rocket, matey, see t' International Launch Services (ILS) website for t' commercial marketer o' t' vehicle.

Construction:
T' followin' is a list o' materials I used t' build t' Khrunichev Proton:

• 65 lb cardstock
• foam core
• 18 mm tube
• 13 mm tube
• screw eye
• shock cord
• shock cord mount
• streamer or parachute
• standard launch lug
• clay for nose weight
• white glue
• yellow glue
• epoxy
• maskin' tape
• toothpick for applyin' glue and for rollin' small tubes
• Instructions and Patterns (3M Zip File)

T' plans come in nine separate JPG files. Begad! Well, blow me down! This allows t' builder t' scale t' plans t' any desired size. T' plans provided recommend scale factors t' build models o' scale 1/144, matey, shiver me timbers, 1/100, me bucko, 1/96, me hearties, me bucko, 1/97, and 1/50. Ahoy! I chose t' build me model at 1/144th scale because it would print on standard 8.5x11 cardstock. Begad! T' plans were straightforward and adequate for assemblin' t' model. Aye aye! Arrr! They offer short, shiver me timbers, concise, ya bilge rat, text descriptions. Blimey! There are many pictures o' t' various pieces and t' assembly process. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Anyone who has built rockets should be able t' follow them without difficulty. Ya scallywag! I followed t' plans with few deviations. These consisted o' changin' t' model t' handle a motor tube, me hearties, recovery system, matey, and a launch lug. Blimey! White glue was used throughout except for gluin' t' motor tube t' t' centerin' rings with yellow glue and gluin' t' screw eye t' a bulkhead with epoxy.

Construction began with t' first stage. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! T' Proton first stage consists o' a central oxidizer tank, six external fuel tanks, me hearties, matey, shiver me timbers, six rocket engines, and an interstage. Begad! T' external fuel tanks are often confused as bein' strap-on boosters. A hole was cut in t' bottom o' t' central oxidizer tank t' accommodate a 18mm motor tube. Begad! I chose 18mm mainly because I be unsure if I would build t' model light enough t' fly on 13 mm motors. Blimey! With no stabilizin' fins, I assumed a generous amount o' modelin' clay would be required t' make t' rocket stable. Begad! This would add weight t' t' model and possibly prohibit use o' t' smaller 13mm motors as well.

At this point I also chose t' stop t' 18mm tube at t' top o' t' first stage and t' carry a 13mm tube from t' interstage through t' third stage o' t' Proton. Begad! Ahoy! This was done t' ensure that t' ejection gases vented through a motor tube, as opposed t' t' cardstock body. Arrr! I made centerin' rings out o' foam core t' center t' 13mm tube within t' 18mm tube. I would nay recommend doin' what I did. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! In hindsight I should have kept things simple and used a single 18mm tube throughout t' rocket. In order t' strengthen t' model for flight, me bucko, discs provided in t' plans were glued t' centerin' rings cut from foam core.

Rollin' t' external fuel tanks into a nice cylindrical shaped proved t' be difficult for me. Begad! Well, blow me down! If I was plannin' t' only use me model for display, ordinary printer paper might be easier t' roll. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Since I wanted t' fly me model, I used cardstock for t' added strength. Arrr! Alignment o' t' six propellant tanks can be tricky. Aye aye! Mine is by no means perfect but I can live with t' results.

Once t' fuel tanks were glued t' t' oxidizer tank, I added t' many small details provided in t' plans. Aye aye! Rocket nozzles, outriggers, ya bilge rat, me bucko, aeroguides, me bucko, me bucko, and turbopumps are just some o' t' intricate pieces t' builder can use t' add realism t' t' model. A standard launch lug was glued t' t' oxidizer tank betwixt two o' t' fuel tanks. I made a standoff out o' foam core t' help t' lug clear t' model details more easily. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' help t' launch rod pass through t' launch lug a small notch be cut in t' appropriate aeroguide at t' bottom o' t' first stage.

T' second and third stage exteriors were built as specified in t' plans. Arrr! Since I be buildin' a flyin' model t' second stage was glued t' t' 13mm tube and t' third stage be glued t' t' second. Avast, me proud beauty! I omitted t' rocket nozzles and cylinders on t' third stage since mine was nay a display model. Avast, me proud beauty! As with t' first stage, foam core centerin' rings were used t' hold t' 13mm tube. Avast, me proud beauty! T' tube ends at t' bottom o' t' third stage. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! This allows t' third stage and t' Zvesda module t' be used t' hold t' recovery system. Aye aye! A coupler be made from cardstock and glued t' t' Zvesda module t' allow it t' attach and separate from t' third stage. Ahoy! By itself, t' coupler fit too loosely on t' third stage so I used maskin' tape t' achieve t' proper amount o' friction. T' recovery system consisted o' a standard 3-fold type mount and an 18-inch shock cord glued t' t' inside o' t' third stage section. Aye aye! A screw eye was epoxied t' a bulkhead made o' foam core. Avast! T' shock cord was tied t' t' screw eye and t' bulkhead was then glued into t' Zvesda module. Arrr! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Since thar was enough room in t' third stage and Zvesda module t' hold it, shiver me timbers, I chose t' use a 12-inch parachute for recovery. Arrr! This ensures a gentle landin' for t' model.

Approximately one ounce o' modelin' clay was added t' t' nose cone and upper tube o' t' Zvesda module--about half t' empty weight o' t' entire model! Blimey! With an Estes C6-5 installed t' CG was located just above t' interstage rin' with a total weight o' three ounces. A swin' test confirmed that t' vehicle was stable. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Despite a successful swin' test, I plan t' wait and only fly this model on calm days with no wind. T' overall length o' t' model is approximately 15 inches.

PROS:

• Fun build
• Quick construction
• Parts are easily replaced (just print more!)
• Lots o' small intricate details for nice realism

CONS:

• Website t' obtain t' plans is gone
• Lots o' small intricate details t' "fat finger" if you are a clumsy builder like me
• No fins t' provide stability
• Half t' empty weight is nose weight
• Not much room for parachute and wadding

Finishing:
Since all t' detail is printed on t' paper, thar be no finishin' required. Avast! Begad! I added all t' raceway and cablin' details t' t' model. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! This proved t' be time consumin' but really makes t' model look realistic. Aye aye! T' one thin' about paper builds be t' seam left betwixt t' various parts. Ya scallywag! If this had been a conventional build, some Fill N' Finish would eliminate those seams. Parts o' it are definitely rough but this can be blamed on me construction abilities as opposed t' poor design.

PROS:

• No painting! No sanding! No filling!

CONS:

• Seams

Flight:
I opted t' use friction fit for t' motor. Begad! Blimey! A motor block be formed from a section o' used 18mm motor and gluin' it into t' motor tube. Ahoy! I used a 12" chute for recovery and cellulose for recovery wadding. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! There is nay much room t' pack a chute into this rocket t' way I built it.

Launch day finally came but unfortunately all t' nice grassy fields I could fly from were packed with model airplanes or soccer players, so I went roughin' it. Begad! Well, me bucko, blow me down! I have a tendency for "go fever" so I went t' a just recently tilled cotton field. Blimey! Ya scallywag! It made for a less than ideal surface, but I be sick o' lookin' at this model sittin' on t' shelf and wonderin' if it be really stable. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! T' only way t' know for sure was t' fly.

An Estes B6-2 was chosen because I didn't want too much altitude, but wanted t' make sure thar be adequate initial thrust for stable flight once t' launch rod was cleared. Arrr! Begad! T' Two second delay chosen because I would rather err short instead o' long. Well, blow me down! If it turned out t' be an unstable flight, I wanted t' chute t' get deployed as smartly as possible.

Flight 1: After a nervous countdown t' Proton took t' t' air. T' initial trajectory was straight but as t' vehicle approached burnout a noticeable precession began. Blimey! Nothin' severe, matey, matey, but it was noticeable. Begad! T' two-second delay proved t' be early as expected. T' parachute ejected normally and t' rocket descended t' t' tilled clay. Begad! .

Flight 2: T' second flight was a mirror image o' t' first. Begad! T' bird proceeded t' do two revolutions immediately after clearin' t' launch rod. After t' second twist, me bucko, t' Proton straightened itself and flew a perfectly straight trajectory t' ejection. Well, blow me down! I guess I didn't use enough or incorrectly loaded t' wadding. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' chute was scorched by t' ejection and didn't unfurl completely. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' landin' be hard. T' Proton bounced approximately one or two feet on impact. Aye aye! There is some minor skin damage t' t' paper and some more clay markings on t' nose. Ahoy! If I had been flyin' on a grassy field, I'm sure it would have had some grass stains.

I flew t' Proton in a steady wind. Arrr! Aye aye! I knew this would nay be good for this bird, but me go fever said fly anyway. Ahoy! With calm winds and a longer launch rod, arrr, me bucko, t' stability o' this rocket should nay be a problem. Well, blow me down! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' hard clay was a less than ideal recovery surface so now me Proton has a few extra markings after two flights.

Summary:
This was a fun, ya bilge rat, inexpensive, shiver me timbers, project. Ahoy! I didn't have t' order a single part or have t' wait for a kit t' arrive in t' mail. It didn't take a long time t' build and I was rewarded with a unique lookin' scale model. Avast, me proud beauty! I flew it aggressively knowin' that if it failed, I could always build another. I am hooked on paper models and plan t' build more in t' future.