Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
NCR's SA-14 Archer be me favorite and me 1st 4" rocket. Blimey! I needed a new
rocket t' build and I wanted t' try a scratch design usin' some 3" mailing
tube found at Office Depot. Avast! My obvious choice be t' downscale me Archer. Aye aye! This
particular design be designed t' fly on 29mm H motors. Arrr! A special note about
the original NCR Archer; I modified t' kit t' accept 54mm motors, matey, and extended
the kit by 10" for payload capabilities. Avast! My scratch design is based on
these mods.
Construction:
Here is a run down o' me "Scratch" parts:
Buildin' this rocket be a breeze; T' (2) 3" mailin' tubes were cut to (1) 28" length and (1) 12" payload length. Avast, me proud beauty! T' 28" length was slotted for Thru T' Tube fin slots. Begad! (note: t' mailin' tubes come in 36" lengths). Begad! Well, blow me down! Then t' tubes were fiberglassed with 2 layers o' 2oz. glass. Begad! Ahoy! The motor tube was mounted with t' 1st and second centerin' rings, arrr, t' 3rd ring was left out until all fins were mounted and reinforced. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' motor assembly was inserted into t' 28" booster and epoxied in place. T' fins were epoxied in and reinforced with inner and outer Fillets. Avast! Avast! T' t' 3rd centerin' rin' was drilled for 2 blind nuts (motor retention) and epoxied in place. Begad!
T' 3" coupler was next. Ahoy! (1) bulkhead was drilled for (4) 1/4" holes and epoxied into one end o' t' coupler. Begad! T' other bulkhead was also drilled w/ (4) 1/4" holes, and mounted with t' small eyebolt. Avast! This bulkhead was mounted in t' other end o' t' coupler so that t' (4) 1/4" holes were offset from t' holes in t' other bulkhead. Well, blow me down! Then t' coupler assembly be mounted into t' 28" booster tube. Ahoy! This allows for the "Zipperless" design for recovery. Begad!
T' payload tube be t' easiest t' do, because t' nosecone be inserted and be mounted down w/ 4 small screws. Ahoy! Blimey!
T' strakes were t' toughest part o' construction. Surface mounted and reinforced w/ 30min. Ahoy! Blimey! epoxy fillets. Begad! Blimey! T' hard part was makin' sure that they remained in line, and perpendicular t' t' other strakes. Arrr! Blimey! There be a lot of "baby-sitting" each strake until t' 30min epoxy set up. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!
Finishin' was standard: Sand, sand, and sand, and just when you think you got it right, shiver me timbers, sand some more. Blimey! T' Archer be primed and painted t' match the NCR version. Ya scallywag! One exception is I did nay downscale t' decals, usin' pinstripe tape I made t' finished product resemble t' NCR version.
Flight:
Preppin' this bird is nice; just attach t' shock cord as normal, me hearties, except the
parachute will assemble into t' payload tube, shiver me timbers, so that at apogee your parachute
will be pulled out from t' rocket instead o' ejected. Avast, me proud beauty! Also with t' Zipperless
design thar are no worries about those long delays. Remember t' coupler was
built w/ a home-brew baffle system so no waddin' needed either. Aye aye! This Archer was
built w/ t' Aerotech H180 in mind, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, but will fly nicely on any H reload. Motor
was retained w/ (2) screws and some brackets I found in me Flight box. This
rocket flies as pretty as me 4" Archer, just on a smaller scale.
Summary:
No cons because this rocket is built t' me standards and me way.
Other:
Incidently this rocket made it's debut at t' NSL99 held in Ardmore, matey, Alabama.
Homer Hickam be signin' autographs there, so me 3.0 SA-14 Archer has the
Rocket Boy's signature on it...I was happy. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!
Sponsored Ads