Dark Comet

by Mark Schrader

This model started out as an Estes Maxi-Alpha III. Ya scallywag! I thought this would be a fun build, me bucko, buy when I saw t' thin plastic fins, my first thought be that these need t' be reversed or they'll need o' constant repair. I was also buildin' me Estes Renegade at t' time and thought that side pods on t' fin tips would be a nice touch. Begad! Begad! And as long as I'm add it, ya bilge rat, why not two boosters along side and add a Silver Comet nose cone for a star fighter look... Well, matey, you get t' picture. Avast, me proud beauty!

Unfortunately, it's been a long winter and I was left with t' unfortunate dilemma o' finishin' me taxes or paintin' me RMR Descon rocket. Arrr! Arrr! Since Descon can't send me t' jail, I opted for a naked rocket for now. Ahoy!

T' premise o' this rocket is that a warlike race o' aliens from a distant star system has pirated a Silver Comet. Findin' its navigation and sensor systems superior t' their own technology, they keep those sensors but modify both t' weapons and propulsion systems. Well, blow me down! Blimey! (For t' future paint scheme, picture a battered Silver Comet up front, fadin' t' a blackish green-metallic with weld lines indicatin' t' alien modifications.)

Construction

This went together mainly accordin' t' t' Maxi-Alpha instructions. Arrr! To reverse t' fin direction, simply reverse t' two fin rings. Ahoy! T' only modification I made t' t' body o' t' rocket be t' addition o' a length of an 18 inch length o' 1000 pound test braided Keelhaul®©™ (tm) cord glued t' the motor mount tube t' which I attached about six feet o' ¼ inch sewing elastic.

T' side boosters are 10 inch BT-55 with Black Brant-style nose cones and they feature 18mm motor mounts. Each booster has three ¼ inch vent holes near t' top o' t' booster at t' nose cone shoulder. Well, blow me down! Ahoy!

To line up t' boosters and fins, I used VCP t' create a five-fin wrap with the correct geometry. Aye aye! I used a card stock stand off for t' boosters t' avoid contact with t' plastic fin rings. Begad! Aye aye! They are attached with wood glue and generous fillets. Aye aye!

T' fin tip pods are made from a Viking-style nose cone, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, a conical nose cone, and an Estes 18mm motor mount tube similar t' those found in t' Alpha kit. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! T' three were glued together with plastic cement. Ahoy! I then drew a line down the center o' each pod. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Startin' at t' base o' t' paper tube, I used my Dremel tool with a cuttin' disk t' cut along t' line until t' slit be just the right length t' fit flush over t' plastic fin. This was repeated for the other two pods and they were attached with plastic model tube cement and generous fillets. Blimey!

I replaced the Maxi-Alpha nose cone with one from a Silver Comet kit. Ya scallywag! I needed t' add nose weight so I cut around t' base o' t' cone t' reveal t' inside. Ahoy! I added about 1 ¼ ounces o' BBs and anchored them in t' tip o' t' nose cone with 90-minute epoxy. I also embedded a loop o' 1000 pound test braided Keelhaul®©™ (tm) cord t' which I connected t' shock cord. Finally, I used a military surplus 36-inch parachute I bought from Commonwealth Displays. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! These parachutes are very silky and feature eight shrouds with a ninth in t' center t' prevent cupping. Aye aye! Arrr!

One thin' I did notice in construction was that unless your two fin rings are perfectly lined up, matey, t' fins have a very subtle cant t' them. Blimey! More on this later.

Flight Report

First flight was on Easter Sunday morning-beautiful sunny skies, ya bilge rat, light variable wind less than 5 mph. Temperature about 400 F. Arrr! Arrr! I be a little concerned because our launch field had some fairly wet low lyin' areas, but it be now or never. Avast!

I loaded t' rocket with two outboard B6-0s and a central D12-5. Aye aye! I used ample dog barf waddin' and prepared t' chute. Well, blow me down! I launched from an Aertotech Mantis pad with a four-foot ¼ inch rod. I also used me new clip whip made from heavy-duty clips and heavy gauge wire-to many misfires lately with speaker wire and micro clips. Well, blow me down!

Launch was fairly slow but perfect and straight. Rocket climbed t' about 600 feet, arrr, slowly spinnin' as it went due t' t' slight cant in t' fins-I liked it. Ejection be at apogee and t' 36-inch parachute be just perfect for this heavy rocket. Well, blow me down! It was a soft recovery be 50 feet from t' pad-no damage. I would have launched again but realized I hadn't take any photos yet. Avast, me proud beauty! Didn't want t' tempt fate on this perfect rocket launchin' morning!

This was a fun rocket t' build usin' basic techniques. Startin' with the most basic three fins and a nose cone design, shiver me timbers, matey, I ended up with a very different lookin' rocket that's a great flyer.

Some last minute shots o' a hasty paint job. Ya scallywag! T' dark part of the rocket is a mix o' silver, shiver me timbers, green, ya bilge rat, me bucko, bronze, me hearties, and flat black paint. Begad! Avast! Blimey! I used a lot o' layers and added a lot o' texture t' t' rocket. I like t' way it came out. Begad! Blimey! Blimey!