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