Scratch - Interceptor E (29mm) {Scratch}

Estes Interceptor Modification

Scratch - Interceptor E (29mm) {Scratch}

Contributed by Lester Anderson

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2013-06-23
Manufacturer:	Scratch

Brief

An upscale o' t' classic Interceptor (kit K-50 or 1250 dependin' on era o' manufacture). Begad! Upscaled t' a 2 inch body tube and more plastic details.

Components

Mostly a stock build. I did modify all t' fins by "glassing" t' fins with paper and epoxy. Avast, me proud beauty! I replaced t' 24mm motor tube with a 29mm one for better power due t' t' heavier fins.

Construction

T' pre-cut fin slots on t' lower body tube really made this easier t' position t' fins. How-ever, ya bilge rat, this would also make clonin' this bird much harder. Avast!

Finishing

T' large size made even paint application a little difficult for me. I accidently dropped t' poor rocket betwixt primer and topcoat application, shiver me timbers, crimplin' t' poor upper body tube. A replacement from Semroc was obtained for repairs, me bucko, arrr, shiver me timbers, and finishin' started over. Filletin' t' fins was actually easier than normal for me because o' t' larger gaps betwixt t' fins.

Flight

First flight occured on June 9, at t' flight field o' t' Tulsa Rocketry club (http://tulsarocketry.org/). I attempted flight on a AeroTech E30-4, me bucko, and she left t' pad perfectly on t' first attempt. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Straight up with flames out t' tail.

Recovery

I modified t' airframe for an attempted anti-zipper design, by havin' t' entire upper body tube come off with t' nose cone. Durin' consturction, shiver me timbers, I noticed a couple o' times that t' recovery harness I made kept gettin' tangeled up with t' parachute, so on launch day I purchased a foam ball from WalMart t' separate t' parachute from t' tangly bits further up t' body tube. Aye aye! Unfortunately, this last second mod was shoved in so tightly that it caused t' parachute t' get stuck also. A model this big was never ment t' use tumble recovery, me hearties, because t' included 30 inch nylon parachute never left t' upper body. Ya scallywag! This is wholy me error, shiver me timbers, matey, but now t' poor rocket has a serious crack/tear in t' lower body where t' "strakes" fins landed first, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and t' upper body is torn completely around t' center at a spiral.

Summary

I had a exceptional time buildin' this kit. Arrr! I would expect any fan o' scifi lookin' rockets t' enjoy havin' it. I don't fault Estes in any way for me flight failure.

Estes Interceptor Modification