Diary o' a Contest Rocketeer:

3-24-08: Got me box o' parts . Will post pics later.

3-26-08: Here are me parts. Begad! Arrr! Nay much for large nose cones, but looks like I can make somethin' up if need be.

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3-27-08: There was about three sheets o' paper inserted in t' box when I got it. Now I can't seem t' find those sheets.

3-31-08: I found those sheets o' paper I misplaced along with another tube coupler/tube and a mixin' cup... do I have t' retake t' picture o' all t' parts?

5-24-08: Just wanted t' mention that I started buildin' me contest entry . Aye aye! Was kinda hopin' for longer 18mm tubing, but I'll make due with what I have. If I can make it stable with t' length I have t' work with, arrr, this may be a two stage rocket.

5-27-08: Pretty much finished buildin' me entry. Aye aye! Goin' test fly it this weekend unpainted.

Question: Just went over t' rules again and it said good photos o' build process. Begad! I hope illustrations qualify for that because thats what I be doin' ><.

I thought about takin' photos o' t' build.... Begad! but me cheap camera is broke, matey, and I did nay want t' get glue, paint, matey, etc on me expensive gear.

5-29-08: Well, Construction o' me entry has been complete. Arrr! I wanted t' get in some test flights at todays CMASS launch, ya bilge rat, but that has been postponed till Sunday, me hearties, and I can't make it after church... Arrr! so since t' next CMASS launch I will be able t' go t' is nay until after t' contest deadline, I will have t' test it on me own. Arrr!

I am goin' test it as a single stage configuration first. Probably with a B6-4. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! It has an unique fin configuration, me bucko, matey, so I like t' see how it behaves before I try it with t' booster.

5-31-08: Minor setback - While cleanin' up I "bumped" t' rocket and crimped t' main body tube and sent one o' t' details flyin' across t' room. Aye aye! T' Crimp was easily fixed by splicin' t' tube, insertin' a tube, and gluin' them back together. T' detail was like findin' a needle in a haystack, shiver me timbers, but I found it after searchin' high and low.

6-01-08: Much t' windy today t' test fly me creation. Arrr! Blimey! Maybe tomorrow if I have time.

6-03-08: Got t' test flights done. Avast! Blimey! I First I flew it single stage with a B6-4. Good flight, did nay get very high. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! B6-2 would be a better choice. Second test flight was in its two stage mode. Arrr! B6-0 and B6-4 was used. Begad! Perfect flight but I did nay get a picture since t' guy pushin' t' button failed t' do a proper countdown ><. Today I started writin' t' documentation. Will paint me rocket soon . Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!

On T' Pad - Nekkid	Test Launch - Single Stage

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6-17-08: Had an issue where t' Krylon black reacted t' t' humidity and fogged up. I am paintin' rust oleum over it, I hope it does nay have a reaction . Well, blow me down! My Drawings for me rocket are almost done, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, so that means I will have t' documentation done soon . Begad! Weather is forcasted t' be poor all this week, so gettin' a in-flight picture before the deadline may be an issue.

BTW, ya bilge rat, requirin' an in flight photo shouldn't be a requirement. Aye aye! For me, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' next launch where I can fly it on larger motors won't be till after t' contest is over, shiver me timbers, so that means I have t' fly it at t' local park, matey, which limits me to B6-0 in t' booster, and I only got one left. Ahoy! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! And its hard t' take a picture and launch t' rocket at t' same time, and its hard t' get someone t' help . Avast! So If I miss t' shot, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I don't have any more B6-0's, me bucko, which limits me t' C6-0's which I will loose t' rocket, arrr, or A8-0's...

I got a shot o' t' unpainted test flights with it single stage on a B6-4. Would that count? I also flew it two stage, arrr, matey, but t' helper did nay know how t' do a proper countdown and I did nay get a launch shot o' it in two stages... T' paintin' and detailin' will be done this week, just at t' mercy o' weather t' get a finished launch in before the deadline (which for me be t' 27th, cause I am leavin' on vacation and won't be back till way after t' deadline).

6-20-08: My rocket is finished . I think me paint scheme came out extremely well. Now I need t' finish the documentation...

Fully Illustrated Instructions

Designin' t' Avenger

Two stage rocket design which is me entry for t' "Box-of-parts" design contest. Aye aye! Begad!

T' parts for this rocket be limited t' whatever parts were present in t' Priority mail triangle that I got. Upon openin' t' box, ya bilge rat, I noticed thar be only a limited number o' large tubes, and a large collection o' smaller tubing. Blimey! Arrr! Also lackin' was amount o' quality o' good sheet balsa, shock cord material, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, launch lugs larger than 1/8" or parachutes larger than 12." Pokin' around I noticed I had a Custom Eggloft cone, me bucko, which I decided right off the bat I wanted t' use. I also noticed I had a 2" wide strip o' aileron balsa stock. Blimey! I wanted t' use that to. Well, blow me down! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! There was also quite a collection o' BT20-50 centerin' rings which I decided would be used for detailing. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty!

Now t' challenge; design a rocket worthy o' placin' as high as possible in t' Box o' Parts contest usin' the materials I have at hand. I had t' design a rocket that was light enough t' be safely launched from a 1/8" launch rod (although I could make larger LL with t' paper included) and recovered safely from a 12" parachute with a typical rubber shock cord. Arrr! Begad!

After drawin' several designs, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I finally came up with a basic plan that I liked. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Blimey! I thought about layin' out the design in Rocksim, but decided against it because Rocksim does nay handle "Tail-Ring" designs well. I did end up usin' Rocksim t' help determine what span t' Pylons need t' be so I could create t' templates. For t' most part, buildin' t' rocket be easy. However, shiver me timbers, gluin' t' fins made from t' aileron stock was a bit tricky t' align properly, and gluin' t' tubes on t' tip be even more challengin' t' get aligned right. Ahoy!

To finish t' rocket, me bucko, arrr, I used Bondo Glazin' and Spot putty t' fill in t' joints betwixt t' aileron fins and the tubes. Ya scallywag! Then I applied several coats o' Rust Oleum Light Gray Automotive primer, sandin' betwixt each coat. Once I was satisfied, t' rocket be sprayed with a base coat o' Gloss White. Blimey! Avast! Then t' Fin Tip Tubes and t' center rin' o' the nosecone was painted Red. Arrr! T' top section o' t' nosecone was then painted Yellow and t' Base part was painted Black. Usin' a small paint brush, arrr, t' Guns were painted Black, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and t' missiles be then detailed with a Silver nose, and the tail end Silver, me hearties, Red, and Black. Avast, me proud beauty!

So far t' Avenger was flown three times. First time I launched it with a B6-4 in t' single stage mode. Arrr! The rocket did nay go as high as I thought it would, matey, so t' 4 seconds be t' long but t' parachute did deploy in time. Arrr! A B6-2 would be a better choice for a single stage B motor flight. Blimey! T' second flight be in two stage mode. Ya scallywag! Begad! A B6-0 in the booster, shiver me timbers, arrr, and a B6-4 in t' sustainer. Begad! Great Flight and I be happy t' see that a 12" parachute be t' perfect chute size for this rocket since it gently drifted towards t' end o' t' field and landed betwixt two trees.

T' most recent flight be a two stage flight with a B6-0 in t' booster and A8-3 in t' sustainer. Arrr! It be a perfect flight and recovery. Blimey! One o' t' Guns peeled off a layer o' paper, but I do nay know if that was damage from recovery or handling.