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