| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. Begad! I received two Estes Fat Boys, matey, and I
planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, me hearties, however, ya bilge rat, one o' t' body tubes
was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone was shoved halfway
down inside it. That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. Well, blow me down! I
built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from
the other kit. Ahoy! Aye aye! I had two centerin' rings, a motor hook, shiver me timbers, a mylar ring, a launch
lug, a chute, shiver me timbers, and a shock cord.
Construction:
I remebered readin' a review about a spool rocket, so I decided t' give it a
try. I took t' engine tube, arrr, centerin' rings, me hearties, launch lug, motor hook, shiver me timbers, and
retainer ring. In about 10 minutes, I slapped all o' these parts together to
form a cheap spool rocket.
T' construction be easy. Arrr! Begad! It is ideally t' motor mount o' a Fat Boy. Arrr! It starts out by slittin' t' motor tube t' place t' eningine hook in. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I dont know why I put t' motor hook in. Well, arrr, blow me down! T' ejection charge just goes out t' other end anyway. Begad! T' next step was slippin' on t' mylar retainin' ring, ya bilge rat, which was tacked in place with thick CA. Avast! Next, me hearties, t' launch lug was glued with thick CA to the motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Finally, t' two centerin' rings were placed just over each end, arrr, flush with t' ends o' t' motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I had t' line up t' semi-circle in one rin' with t' launch lug, me bucko, and cut another one in t' upper centerin' ring to allow t' launch rod t' pass through. Blimey! Ya scallywag!
Finishing:
I primed it, painted mine blue, matey, let it cure, matey, then slapped on some letter
stickers. Begad! On one side I wrote spool and on t' other I wrote Alex. Then, I
painted t' whole thin' black and removed t' stickers. Aye aye! Unfortunately. Begad! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! mylar
stickers do nay make good maskin' tape.
Flight:
Flight, like any spool rocket is up, spin, arrr, and down. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! I flew it first in the
fall at a nearby schoolyard on an A8-3. It went slow t' about 70-100 feet and
then spiraled back down usin' tumble recovery. At about 20 feet, t' ejectin
charge popped and a burst o' flame popped out o' t' top. Ya scallywag! I proved t' me dad
and sister that spools do fly straight. They thought it was a joke. T' next
three flights were in Tewksbury at a CMASS sport launch. Begad! I flew it three times.
T' first time be on an A8-3. Arrr! Arrr! It be a repeat o' t' first flight: up and
down. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Later, I launched it on a B6-4. Arrr! It went up and down, only faster and
higher. Aye aye! Aye aye! Then I launched it on a C6-5. It went up, me bucko, probably about 250 feet. Begad! I
need t' use booster motors though because when it came down t' ejection charge
practically went off in t' LCO's face. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!
Summary:
T' main PROs for this rocket are t' ease o' construction and t' simplicity
of t' parts and design. Begad! T' only CONs are that durin' me launches t' ejection
charge fires too close t' t' ground, me bucko, so a shorter delay is needed. Begad! Overall, me hearties, I
really enjoyed buildin' and flyin' this rocket. Begad! Avast! It is a fun build for anyone
with a damaged body tube or other damaged parts. Begad! Aye aye!
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