Almost 1 year t' t' date, matey, shiver me timbers, I determined that I was goin' t' build a 29mm scratch Star Wars Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle. But that isn't what this article is about, you can read about it here. While buildin' t' 29mm version, arrr, I decided that I ought t' build an 18mm version t' test out t' flight characteristics and concept. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! It turned out so well that I sold 36 kits and currently offer plan-paks. Ahoy! Blimey! This article isn't about that version either, but you can see Jason's review o' one here. I also generated plans for a Micro-Maxx version and have forwarded them onto someone who may try t' kit it. But, shiver me timbers, you guessed it, this article is nay about the MMaxx version either. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! No, matey, this article is about what I thought t' be the perfectly sized Lambda-Class Shuttle; t' 24mm version.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' project was relatively straightforward since I simply took me 18mm designs and scaled them up t' 24mm. Avast! Blimey! But I planned a number of various enhancements:

1. Front Air Intakes (more t' scale)
2. Angled down Cockpit (more t' scale)
3. Angled and capped front strut (for looks)
4. Motor Retainer
5. Upper Win' Supports (more t' scale)
6. Double-ply, sealed Wings (Strength)
7. Shaped Upper Canopy (more t' scale)
8. Conformin' Cockpit (looks)
9. Capped aft strut (looks)
10. (not shown) Stronger Keelhaul®©™®
11. (not shown) Sturdier Inner Plastic Nose Cone
12. (not shown) Additional Decals Types
13. (not shown) Rail Buttons

T' primary objective was t' be able t' have t' rocket capable o' flyin' on 24mm motors and especially Aerotech's 24mm RMS (which I am a huge fan of). Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! I wanted t' weight t' be kept down, ya bilge rat, but definitely wanted to strengthen t' wings since t' upper win' on both t' 29mm and 18mm version have proved t' be a weak spot.

I decided t' create a double-ply wing. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! This turned out to be outstandin' (as you will be convinced o' when readin' t' flight section).

T' build was pretty much t' same as t' 18mm version. It is build up on a 1/4" base o' balsa. Everythin' else is balsa with the exception o' t' 24mm (4" long) motor tube, matey, me hearties, t' plastic nose cone (inner structure) and t' recovery system.

T' Keelhaul®©™® shockcord was tied t' t' top o' a standard Estes motor retainer. Arrr! This is then glued along side t' motor tube. I didn't use any "banding" like other kits, arrr, ya bilge rat, so it is just glued with epoxy heavily, leavin' t' bottom 1-2" with no glue so that it will flex outward.

I'd like t' describe t' double-ply, sealed wing construction so that other may benefit from this technique. Begad! In me case, instead of havin' a single piece o' balsa for each wing, I used two 3/16" thick balsa. Begad! I made 1 upper and 2 lower balsa fins with t' grain parallel t' the leadin' edge. Blimey! I then made 1 upper and 2 lower balsa fins with t' grain going straight up and down. I also used t' same template and made 2 upper and 4 lower tracin' paper fins.

Then with wax paper, business cards or card stock, a lot of 5-minute epoxy and some heavy books I commenced t' put t' pieces together.

I would lay one win' on top o' some wax paper on a table. I mixed up a lot o' 5-minute epoxy (better t' have too much) and then spread it out on t' balsa wing. Begad! I took care nay t' have it drip down t' edges o' the balsa. I then used a business card t' spread t' epoxy around and t' make it very thin. Avast! I would continually be wipin' off t' excess. Well, blow me down! I ensured that it was thin (wet) and even, then I put on t' second piece o' balsa. Ya scallywag! I pushed them together and aligned them. I placed another piece o' wax paper on top and then stacked on t' books and went away for an hour.

T' next step was t' apply epoxy, in t' same manner, ya bilge rat, to the outside o' t' fin and apply t' tracin' paper (seal). I, matey, first, shiver me timbers, did one side, ya bilge rat, ensurin' t' use t' wax paper and heavy books immediately afterward. Begad! I only waited about 15 minutes and flipped it over t' do t' other side. Avast, me proud beauty! Then I waited at least 1 hour.

There was some clean up, since all t' patterns didn't match perfectly. Begad! So usin' a sandin' block, I squared t' edges, sanded o' any epoxy that seeped out, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and trimmed t' tracin' paper (which is stiff from the epoxy so it sands fine).

Double-ply, sealed balsa fins that are very light and very strong.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

I had felt at design time that t' 24mm would be a good size t' get some motor variety. Begad! T' 18mm could only fly on a B6-2 or a C6-3 (for all practical purposes). T' 29mm could really only fly on a G35, ya bilge rat, arrr, G38, matey, or a G64. So t' plan for t' 24mm was t' be able t' fly on a C11, D9, shiver me timbers, me hearties, me hearties, D12, arrr, D15, E9, arrr, E11, E15, E18, or a F12.

T' finished rocket weighed in at 9.6 ounces, me bucko, me bucko, so I lost the "C11" capability, but, arrr, felt that 24mm RMS and "E9" were still possible.

FLIGHT #1:

So, I set off for me first flight attempt and used an RMS D15-4. Begad! T' flight was great! This rocket design gives a very unique flight pattern. Begad! Regardless o' t' size (29mm, 18mm, me bucko, or 24mm), t' flight pattern of this rocket is interesting. Ahoy! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! It is generally straight and stable off t' pad until thrust stops. Avast, me proud beauty! Then it levels off and coasts at a small angle upward or near horizontal. Avast, me proud beauty! Then ejection.

Well, t' flight pattern o' t' RMS D15-4 be not different. Very enjoyable. Avast! But t' 4 second delay be too long, matey, so no ejection.....until........ Aye aye! ~3 foot off t' ground. Blimey! Blimey! Shredded t' parachute, drove t' nose cone into t' soft dirt. Avast! But, what is this? Lookie there, the upper fin did nay break! In fact, ya bilge rat, arrr, me bucko, t' upper fin is so strong now that t' upper canopy cracked t' length and t' upper win' detached from t' inner tube. (NOTE: On both me 29mm and 18mm t' upper fin would crack on landings right at the part that hangs over cockpit with no support. Aye aye! It would crack with t' grain of t' balsa).

FLIGHT #2:

T' rocket be repaired and I waited for another opportunity to fly it. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! That opportunity came a month later. Avast! Well, I don't why, shiver me timbers, but I did. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I was out flyin' and said t' myself, matey, matey, "self, I supposedly designed t' 24mm Lambda t' fly on Estes D12's, arrr, me bucko, so let's give it a try." I apparently wasn't thinkin' as I loaded an Estes D12-3 into t' rocket, especially, me bucko, considering the D15-4 results!

Great flight t' watch as it thrusted about 25 feet and then went nearly about a 30 degree trajectory t' about 50 feet then headed down. At t' exact time it hit t' ground t' ejection fired! Upon impact, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, this rocket just totally came apart.... Begad! Ya scallywag! you'd think it was part o' the design!

But, again, t' most pleasin' thin' is how well me wings (fins) held up. Ya scallywag! T' technique I used really made them strong. Begad! Begad! Look, me bucko, no damage and it came in hard. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' interestin' thing, arrr, matey, be t' separations are so clean that I actually can glue this all together and try yet again.

FLIGHT #3:

Since t' breaks were so clean, me bucko, I put this rocket back together again. Arrr! All t' cracks were repaired with super thin CA, matey, t' pieces were re-attached with 5-min epoxy and then lightly sealed with 5-min epoxy. Arrr! Avast! The one exception is that t' bottom o' t' upper fin t' t' motor tube be hit with a thin coat o' Gorilla Glue (polyurethane) so that it would expand into the gaps.

It be another month and in t' snow o' Vermont that the 24mm Lambda flew again. Avast, me proud beauty! This time on an E28-4 (RMS). I have t' admit, this is the right motor combination... BUT, me hearties, shiver me timbers, at what would have been t' perfect point for ejection I heard, phhisssss. I had hoped t' hear a pop!

Here is what I believe happened. I did nay put a lot of the BP in t' ejection cap o' t' 24mm RMS motor. I used t' red cap. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Since this rocket goes nearly horizontal at end o' thrust (this is consistent), me bucko, I believe t' BP spread out in t' red cap and therefore did nay pop and also there may nay have been enough BP t' overcome t' tightness o' t' red cap and therefore hissed out t' thrust nozzle. Arrr! No damage other than a slightly stretched out motor tube where t' nose cone inserts.

FLIGHT #4:

Attemptin' t' get it right, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I popped out 3 days later with only 1 flight intention. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! T' 24mm Lamba on another E28-4.

Another great flight, which confirmed t' E28-4 as a good motor for this rocket. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Ejection worked this time! Blimey! T' parachute even came out!

Upon landin' (usin' t' small 'chute) t' lower fin broke off, matey, due t' damage on previous flight t' motor tube and upper canopy were damaged. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! She's done!

If anyone would like t' templates for this version, let me know.