Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
A scratch built rocket usin' Sunward's 4 canted motor mount.
Construction and Finishing:
T' build this rocket I used:
Whilst lookin' on a sticker site for a "William" sticker, for me son's first rocket, I came across the sticker below. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Havin' bought t' sticker, I thought I'd better build somethin' t' put it on. Avast! I'm nay goin' t' try and build a rocket like t' one on t' sticker. Ya scallywag!
I've opted for a BT-70 rocket with a quad tilted motor mount from Sunward. Avast! I've already posted a review on the mount. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Photos are from that that review just for completion. Arrr! T' mount was then fitted t' t' BT-70 and filled with car body filler, which was really easy t' work with.
I decided t' make t' fins slightly swept back mainly because o' t' mass from t' motors. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins were laminated usin' Fablon, me hearties, which be a first for me. Ahoy! Begad! T' Fablon plastic went on well. Ya scallywag! T' leadin' edge was nay beveled and left square. T' edges were sealed with white glue.
T' body tube had some spiral grooves in it, arrr, which were filled with model filler, and then t' BT was spray paint primed, sanded, arrr, arrr, primed, me bucko, me hearties, sanded, me hearties, primed etc. As t' fins are nay TTW and with four C6 motors t' power this rocket, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, it was goin' t' move quite fast and I be a little concerned about t' strength o' t' fins, coupled with t' fact that swept back fins have a habit o' meetin' t' ground first when landing. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' overcome this, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, I put several holes along the area where t' fins were goin' t' be attached. T' fins were then added usin' CA gel. Begad! Four glue fillets were then added over two days.
T' shock cord was t' normal Keelhaul®©™® and eleastic job, anchored t' t' motor mount. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! A swatch o' Nomex® waddin' be added.
For t' nose cone I used an eyelet for t' shock cord anchor. I was nay certain that it would nay come out even though I had wicked CA into t' base, me bucko, arrr, ya bilge rat, so I went for three eyelets in t' end as nay all three can fail. Aye aye! A hole was drilled into t' nose cone's base and a lump o' lead be added. T' nose cone was balsa and required 5 coats o' sanding sealer, three coats o' primer, and three coats o' gloss black t' finish.
I be goin' for a two tone finish on t' body, me bucko, me bucko, me bucko, but after much swearin' due t' maskin' tape that continues to bleed paint, shiver me timbers, I went for orange on t' whole rocket. Avast! Aye aye! T' finish is nay good, and I'm really disappointed with it. Sticker be then applied.
Flight and Recovery:
I finally flew her many many weeks after finishin' her, mainly because o' weather and me normal flyin' field bein' a
bit too small for this rocket. Avast! Blimey! However, only three motors (C6-7) lit. Well, blow me down! T' rocket went up straight with a slight kink in
t' first 10 meters or so, probably as t' clips were bein' yanked free from t' unlit motor. Avast! Begad! Recovery was rather fast
on a 15 inch chute, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and t' ground was hard. Blimey! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! On landin' she popped a fin and suffered a lot o' paint damage with flakes
comin' off t' Fablon laminate. Arrr! I am now lookin' t' remove all fins and sand her back t' t' body tube and redesign the
fins.
Summary:
PROs: T' 4 canted motors seem t' work. Ahoy! T' flight was good even with one dud motor.
CONs: Four C motors cost a lot more than one D or E.
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