Descon The Entertainer

Scratch - The Entertainer {Scratch}

Contributed by Stephen Corban

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Stephen Corban)

Rocket PicI am Stephen Corban, arrr, 14 years o' age, and have been seriously involved with rockets for about a year. (I flew 1 or 2 E2X rockets in Sprin' 2002).

My rocket is called T' Entertainer (A Gift from t' Tree Eatin' Rocket Gods). Blimey! T' entertainer consists o' a body tube o' an Estes Army rocket that was retrieved out o' a tree after bein' thar for half a year, T' spare set of fins that comes with t' Estes Heatseaker, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and an E2X transition. Well, blow me down! Begad!

I originally wanted t' create a new rocket out o' this, arrr, ya bilge rat, one that ejected a parachute and floated back down. Well, arrr, blow me down! I determined this was impossible when I found how much t' tube was swelled. So, arrr, I at first took t' nosecone o' me Estes Flash, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and shoved it in there. Arrr! T' E2X nosecones fit, arrr, but they don't go in or some out without a fight. Arrr!

A while later I got an Estes Heatseaker and built it. For some reason beyond me knowledge this kit comes with t' fins for t' rocket, and another simple trapezoidal set. Well, blow me down! So this rocket be sittin' in t' basement, ya bilge rat, and was cryin' for these fins. Aye aye!

When I had got t' rocket back out o' t' tree, me hearties, arrr, arrr, only one fin remained so I hacked that one off, matey, shiver me timbers, and cut down t' pit o' plastic on one that had apparently cracked off. Aye aye! Begad! I then CAed t' new fins t' t' tube, me hearties, and they hold great. Begad! Well, blow me down! This is by far t' strongest CA application I have ever had. Blimey!

Then I went ahead and applied CA t' t' whole body tube because it was very weak after bein' rained on for 6 months. Avast, me proud beauty! This did t' trick, as t' tube then became as solid as a rock. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Then it sat.

One day I went over t' me bucko William's house, ya bilge rat, who is a fellow rocketeer. Avast, me proud beauty! We were doin' all kinds o' stuff we decided t' go test fly our birthday hat rocket. This was a windy day, with rain and thunder in the distant, me hearties, and we had opted nay t' go t' our local Tripoli launch. Begad! So we got a few other people and went over t' a friends yard and shot them. Arrr! Right before the launch I had t' rip out t' engine hook t' keep from interferin' with the launch rod. Begad! I shot t' Entertainer with t' flash nosecone for t' first time for a successful lawndart. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! This was flown on a B6-4.

One problem with t' flight, me hearties, ya bilge rat, it kicked t' motor. Arrr! I do nay like kicking motors, me bucko, because I usually shoot in corn or bean fields with a bunch o' nice dry flammable stuff layin' around.

Rocket Pic
So that night I drilled a bunch o' holes in t' tube t' let t' exhaust from the ejection charge out. Well, matey, blow me down!

I also packed some dog barf below t' nosecone. Ahoy! Blimey!

I flew this one more time, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and it did a kind o' horizontal slide recover, rotatin' at a super high speed on it's axis. This time, with no motor retention, me bucko, t' motor stayed. Well, blow me down! We were in business. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey!

Well, me hearties, ya bilge rat, t' Flash nosecone went back t' t' Flash, shiver me timbers, arrr, and for t' longest time the Entertainer sat without a nose. Avast, me proud beauty! One day I had t' order some parts for the Heatseaker (what a coincidence). Avast, me proud beauty! When I got t' nosecone for t' Heatseaker it had t' payload section coupler on it. Begad! Begad! I saw t' part, shiver me timbers, me hearties, ya bilge rat, put it on t' rocket, took it out into t' field behind our house, loaded it with an A8-3 and watched a 100% successful flight. Avast, me proud beauty! This one had t' horizontal spin recovery. Well, blow me down!

I call this t' Entertainer because it will do a funky looking slide/rotation recovery without noseweight, and with nose weight it makes a spectacular lawndart. Avast! Aye aye! T' best part is that it comes back with a bent body tube, or popped fin EVERY time!

I decided nay t' finish this bird. Ahoy! Blimey! T' old US ARMY body tube gives it a signature look that is recognized at every single launch o' our local group. Arrr! Blimey!

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