Brief:
T' ATTABOY is a boattailed FATBOY with 24mm upsized motor mount that can be flown in two different configurations--both with and without upper payload tube.

Modifications:
I be inspired by Michael Bade's "Big Bad V-2 Daddy", me bucko, Kevin Johnson's "OY!FATBOY", me hearties, and David Fergus' "Boattail FATBOY".

I applied similar techniques t' those that Michael Bade describes for his "Big Bad V-2 Daddy" MOD but used two FATBOY kits in place o' Big Daddy kits.

T' supplied fins must be replaced with slightly larger ones t' fit t' curve o' t' boattail. Arrr! Blimey! T' keep down t' weight on t' tail end o' t' rocket I decided t' stick with balsa wood. Blimey! T' begin, I made t' new fins by tracin' one o' t' stock fins on a piece o' paper and then, placin' a nosecone on t' paper and linin' it up t' t' top o' t' traced fin, me bucko, me bucko, I held a pencil straight up and down against t' nosecone and transferred t' curve o' t' nosecone onto t' fin pattern. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! I added 1/2" at t' bottom t' t' length o' t' outside edge then drew a new trailin' edge line up t' meet t' nose cone line. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! T' span remains t' same on t' fins but they are 1/2" taller on t' outside edge. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' added height and t' additional fin area where it curves in at t' bottom o' t' boattail give t' fins a slightly larger surface area. Begad! Blimey! I reasoned that would move t' center o' pressure back slightly, shiver me timbers, offsettin' t' increased weight o' t' boattail and larger engine. Arrr! Blimey! I added tabs t' t' fin template for through t' wall fins and left them long. Arrr! I trimmed them t' fit after I installed t' 24mm engine tube and centerin' rings.

After makin' t' new fins, I began t' boattail by first cuttin' slots in one o' t' nosecones for t' through t' wall fins. Ahoy! I did this by insertin' t' nosecone into t' bottom o' one o' t' body tubes and usin' t' fin slots (that would later be filled) on t' body tube, I lined up a flexible ruler t' t' slots and marked t' location o' t' new fin slots on t' boattail. Arrr! Then I cut them out carefully with an X-Acto knife and sanded until t' tabs o' t' 1/8" balsa fins fit snuggly but nay too tightly. Aye aye! I measured t' bottom o' t' boattail for t' engine openin' (actually t' top o' t' nosecone) t' find where it was 1 1/2" in diameter. I marked it, me bucko, placed it in one o' t' body tubes temporarily, me bucko, matey, and used a miter box with a hacksaw (because it has relatively fine tooth blade) t' cut t' bottom off t' boattail for t' engine opening. Well, blow me down! Avast! I then marked t' same boattail nosecone at t' halfway point (3/4") o' t' section that fits into t' body tube and cut it carefully with an X-Acto knife. Blimey! I kept t' part that has t' lug for attachin' t' shock cord and parachute t' use in t' bottom o' t' payload tube when t' rocket is flown in its payload tube configuration.

Next, I used a 24mm engine tube and traced enlarged openings in two centerin' rings and cut them with an X-Acto knife. Arrr! Then I trimmed and fit t' outside diameters o' t' centerin' rings until they fit into t' boattail--one above and one below t' fin tabs. Ahoy! I did this by trimmin' and test fittin' until they fit. Blimey! Blimey! T' diameter o' t' bottom one will be smaller than t' top one. Avast! Blimey! Since I had two engine clips I put them both on t' engine tube in t' standard Estes manner but one would probably do t' job. Aye aye! I tend t' error on t' side o' caution and I figured if one was good, two was better. Avast, me proud beauty! Then I added an engine block made from a 1/4" piece sawed from a spent D motor and epoxied t' centerin' rings onto t' 24mm motor tube. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Now, me hearties, I epoxied t' assembled motor mount into t' boattail. NOTE: It is possible t' misalign t' motor tube so I suggest usin' 1 hour Epoxy for this step t' give enough time t' get it aligned properly. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey! (I used 5 minute epoxy and almost ran out o' time.) Finally, ya bilge rat, t' fins were glued into t' boattail and epoxy fillets added.

T' fin slots in both body tubes were filled as Michael Bade did on his "Big Bad V-2 Daddy, arrr, by epoxyin' strips o' balsa on t' inside o' t' tubes, takin' care t' leave room at t' bottom (just below t' slots) for insertin' t' boattail on t' lower body tube and t' part that has t' lug for attachin' t' shock cord and parachute in t' upper payload tube. Well, blow me down! After t' epoxy dried I glued small strips o' balsa in t' fin slots and sanded flush. Avast! T' small gaps that were left were filled with automotive body putty and sanded smooth.

I added a launch lug, shiver me timbers, epoxied t' boattail and fin assembly into one o' t' body tubes and t' epoxied t' piece leftover from t' bottom o' t' nosecone that became t' boattail into t' other tube which becomes t' payload tube. Ya scallywag! Well, me bucko, blow me down! I used 48" o' 1/2" elastic purchased from a fabric store for $1.75 and attached it 2" below t' top o' t' bottom body tube. I used t' standard Estes "3 fold" technique. Well, blow me down! T' unaltered nosecone can be taped for a snug fit and placed on t' top o' t' payload tube with t' shockcord and one o' t' 18" parachutes attached t' t' bottom o' t' payload tube or you can eliminate t' payload tube (my preference) and attach t' shockcord and parachute t' t' standard nosecone and fly in t' shorter configuration.

Construction:

• Two Estes FATBOY Kits
• 1/8" Balsa for Larger Fins
• 4' o' 1/2" Elastic for shock cord
• 24mm x 2 3/4" motor tube
• 24mm engine block (made from spent D motor)
• Total cost o' t' project was:
• 2 Estes FATBOY kits - $20 (I found t' Estes FATBOY kits on sale at Toys R Us for $10 per kit)
• 1/8" Balsa - $3
• 1/2" x 48" elastic - $1.75
• Primer and Metallic Paint - $10
• 24mm motor tube - Had on hand
• Pinstripe - Had on hand
• Total = $34.75

Finishing:
Finish preparation included body filler betwixt t' seam o' t' boattail and t' body tube and on t' spirals o' t' body tubes. Avast! Lots o' primer and sanding. Blimey! Blimey! I finished t' "ATTABOY" usin' Red DupliColor Metalcast Anodized Paint which I purchased in t' automotive section at Meijers. This is a 2 part paint system with a reflective ground coat and a transparent color top coat. When applied correctly it turns out beautifully. Blimey! I added a rin' o' Chrome auto pinstripin' t' t' bottom o' t' payload tube t' enhance t' metal look o' t' rocket, Followin' t' lead o' Kevin Johnson and his 2 stage OY!BOY, me bucko, me hearties, I thought about what name I could conjure usin' two sets o' FATBOY decals. Arrr! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I came up with t' "ATTABOY". I kinda like it.

Flight:
Like a lot o' BARs, arrr, I like FATBOYS. Can't tell you why, matey, I just do. But like many things I like, shiver me timbers, they have some irritatin' features. In t' case o' t' FATBOYS, they weathercock too easily. Aye aye! When I conceived t' ATTABOY I knew I would be addin' weight t' what I I believe is an already underpowered rocket so I chose t' increase t' engine diameter t' 24mm t' allow me t' use C11-3 and D12-5 motors. Blimey! Aye aye! I wanted t' added trust t' overcome t' weathercockin' tendency and t' carry t' added weight o' this design.

To date, I've flown it 4 times. Ahoy! T' first flight be with t' payload tube on a C11-3. It be a somewhat gusty day. It launched straight up off t' pad and arched gently into t' wind. Blimey! It did weathercock, but nay nearly like me other FATBOYS that seem t' do 90° turns into t' wind. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I estimated it's altitude at 150-200'. Blimey! Ejection was right at apogee and recovery be slower than I expected on t' 18" chute given that I had t' mass o' almost two FATBOYS on one 18" chute. Avast! Blimey! It landed just before t' rocket eatin' tree line that borders me launch field for a successfully first flight.

Next, I launched it without t' payload tube, matey, ya bilge rat, again on a C11-3, but this time, I cut a spill hole in t' chute. Blimey! Beautiful straight up flight t' and estimated 200'. Arrr! Very slight arc into t' wind. Begad! Begad! Ejection at apogee and safe recovery.

A couple weeks later we got a wonderful early sprin' low wind day. Begad! Begad! That's a rare event in Southwest Michigan in sprin' so I had t' chance t' try it on D12-5s and I took it. Well, blow me down! Begad! Surprisingly, arrr, t' flights were very similar. With t' payload tube, it arched gently into t' wind. Without t' payload tube it went virtually straight up. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Again usin' me height calibrated altitude guesstimater, matey, I'd say they reached 400-450'.

Recovery:
While I like t' thrill and t' height o' t' D motors, shiver me timbers, me hearties, They push t' limits o' me flyin' field. Both flights on Ds recovered way too close t' t' tree line for comfort. Ahoy! I think I'll stick with t' C11-3s except on a dead calm windless day.

Summary:
I think t' larger motors, shiver me timbers, boattail, me bucko, ya bilge rat, slightly larger fins and slightly taller height make a huge improvement over a stock FATBOY's flight characteristics. Well, blow me down! Avast! I also think t' design is very elegant. Begad! I guess t' only cons that I can think o' are t' price and t' time spent fillin' t' slots in t' body tubes. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! But it is a pretty unique rocket so t' me, it was worth it. Aye aye! Begad! It helped t' find t' kits on sale.