Brief: Three fins, me bucko, Three motors, me bucko, and a Nose Cone. Arrr! A very simple design

Construction:

• (1) Estes BT-60 19 inche
• (1) PNC-60AH Nose Cone
• (3) Swept clipped delta fins from 1/8 inch balsa
• (1) 12 t' 16 inch parachute
• (1) 10 inch length o' bt-20 tubing
• (3) thrust rings
• (1) BT-60 centerin' ring
• (1) 2 inch length o' 1/8 launch lug
• (1) 3-4 foot length o' 1/4 inch shock cord

Thanks t' Tim Van Milligan at Apogee Components for providin' t' BT-60 body. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' body tube was cut t' a length o' 19 inches and set aside. Begad! Blimey! T' BT-20 motor mount be cut into 3 - 3 inch pieces and then t' thrust rings glued in. They are glued together into a triangular shape. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Fins were cut out into a slightly swept clipped delta and given a coat o' Elmer's Fill n Finish and then given airfoiled edges. T' motor mounts, now dry, is glued in t' body flush with t' end o' t' tube. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' spaces are filled with putty and then t' whole end is covered with a light coatin' o' wood glue for sealant. Ahoy! Blimey! T' tube is marked for three fins and they are glued on. Begad! Blimey! Do glue fillets when dry. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Build a shock cord mount and attach t' t' interior o' t' body tube. Avast! Blimey! Attach t' shock cord t' t' nose and t' parachute about 6 inches down t' shock cord. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Cut the launch lug into t' 1 inch pieces and attach one near t' empty CG point, me hearties, about 8 inches from t' aft o' t' body tube, and t' other 2 i! Blimey! nches from t' end of t' tube. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! No real "gotcha's" except just t' watch t' fins as they dry.

Finishing: T' rocket be given a 2 coats o' gray primer, shiver me timbers, a coat of flat white, then I masked off t' tip o' t' nose cone and 1 inch o' t' tips of t' fins. I then gave t' rocket a few coats o' a beautiful dark red. Avast! The rocket is then given a gloss clear coat.

Flight: T' first flight was at a local park usin' three B6-4's. Avast, me proud beauty! The rocket be prepped normally with waddin' and motors installed. A clip-whip was used t' ensure ignition. Begad! A 5-count be given. Ahoy! Ignition be very slow. Aye aye! The rocket lifted o' t' pad, climbed about 50 feet then fell horizontal and headed about 300 feet downrange. Avast! Arrr! It barely slowed down before ejection. Ya scallywag! T' chute popped and rocket be recovered. Begad! Ahoy! Upon inspection t' see what went wrong, me hearties, we found that only two motors lit, shiver me timbers, apparently causin' t' rocket t' head downrange like it did. Blimey! Ya scallywag! No damage was apparent. I believe that t' one motor did nay light because o' nay enough power, arrr, causin' only two motors t' light before t' third could.

Second flight be at t' ICBM Freedom Launch 2002. Aye aye! I borrowed a 16 inch nylon parachute from me Aerotech Mustang in place o' t' 12 inch plastic one. T' rocket was prepped usin' 3 B6-4's. Arrr! Clip-whips were used. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' rocket had plenty o' power this time, shiver me timbers, climbin' t' about 600 feet. Avast! Liftoff be very quick, with power translatin' out t' about a D18, shiver me timbers, I think. Avast! Ejection was just before apogee. Blimey! T' rocket was recovered with no damage.

Summary: Overall, ya bilge rat, this is a great cluster rocket.