I get a big kick out o' t' challenge o' makin' rockets from "found objects". I tend t' walk through stores in a kind o' a daze sometimes, ya bilge rat, wonderin' what sort o' adapter or how much thrust it will take t' "fly" certain objects on t' store shelves. Avast! This is one o' me recent attempts. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Everythin' is found or made from scratch except t' engine mount tube, centerin' ring, shiver me timbers, arrr, and thrust rin' in t' "nose cone" (launch lug was hand-rolled).

This be t' completed rocket next t' an 18mm engine casing

A shot with t' nose cone off...

Showin' t' streamer...

And with t' streamer folded and packed into place.

T' egg gives interestin' and fun flights from 200-300 feet. Blimey! Blimey! T' streamer recovery can brin' t' rocket down a bit fast, esp. Avast! Blimey! if it lands on concrete, me bucko, so t' construction needs t' be robust (either that or you need t' take a big bottle o' CA glue t' t' range). Aye aye! Short delays work best as this thin' has enough drag that it stops goin' up when t' engine gives out.

Engines I've flown it on: first flight was on an A8-3. Begad! Just wanted t' make sure it would fly. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Then followed with B6- and C6-3 engines. Blimey! T' B engines really scoot off t' pad, ya bilge rat, but I think t' egg goes higher on a C. Be sure t' tape t' engine because this is a serious dart if t' engine is spit out rather than t' streamer.

Parts List: Plastic Easter Egg (mine is about 3" long by about 1 3/4 dia.), engine mount tube and thrust ring, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, paper centerin' ring, ya bilge rat, external couplin' tube, 1/8" plexiglass (fins), launch lug, and streamer. Aye aye! T' engine mount, centerin' ring, and green external coupler tube came from an Estes parts kit (engine mount kit?). Blimey! Fins are 1 1/2" wide at t' root, arrr, and have a span o' 2" long. Ya scallywag! I just guessed at t' curve aroung t' egg and sanded until they fit. They are swept at about 30 degrees.

Construction note: t' front half o' t' nose cone, matey, arrr, ya bilge rat, forward o' t' thrust rin' is filled with epoxy (you can see t' rin' left in t' first picture where t' epoxy heated and slightly melted t' nosecone as it cured. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This was done for several reasons. Begad! Blimey! First t' mount t' green couplin' ring. Avast! Blimey! Since t' area forward o' t' engine be so small, matey, I thought that somethin' was needed here t' prevent t' rocket from splittin' rather than seperatin' at t' seam. Blimey! Blimey! Second, shiver me timbers, it adds strength in case it lands on t' tip o' t' nose. Begad! Blimey! And third, t' add weight t' move t' CG forward. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' lips where t' two halves snap together need t' be sanded down so they pop apart easily.

any questions or comments? mail to: major@tensor.nssl.noaa.gov