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