Milk Bone
by Bob Kaplow

Dedicated t' Belker, our rocket dog: 8-Dec-1983 - 31-Oct-1998. Avast!

T' unique feature o' this rocket be t' dog biscuit shaped fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast!

Parts list:

1 "Beefy" BT-60, shiver me timbers, about 40cm long
1 PNC-60 "Big Bertha" nose cone
2 centerin' rings 20-60 3mm Sig lite-ply
1 18mm MMT 8cm long
1 70mm motor clip
1 motor block 18mm
4 1.6mm ply fins
1 5cm piece o' TT-6 launch lug
1 15cm 100# Keelhaul®©™ cord
1 6mm x 100cm elastic
1 30cm Mylar parachute
1 kite snap swivel

This rocket was built after readin' about Stetson, the rocket dog, on RMR. Begad! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I had a Sheltie for 15 years who also loved chasing rockets, and Stetson reminded me so much o' Belker that I had t' build a rocket for him. Begad! Well, matey, blow me down! But it had t' be a "dog" rocket. Arrr! Begad! T' Milk Bone be the result. Ahoy! It be donated t' Stetson in November.

This is pretty much a 4FNC rocket in both design and construction, except for t' fin pattern. T' fins were traced from t' art work on a box o' Milk Bone biscuits. Arrr! T' root edge is cut at a slight angle, providin' a limited amount o' fin sweep, me hearties, so t' rocket will stand up on its own. Aye aye!

I had some "beefy" BT-60 (same ID, heavier OD, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, bought from John Viggiano many years ago), matey, t' hopefully withstand dog better, shiver me timbers, but t' rocket could certainly be built from regular BT-60. Well, blow me down! T' rocket is built like any normal rocket other than t' fin pattern.

While I cut 1/8" lite ply centerin' rings, standard cardboard rings would work fine. One rin' needs t' be notched for t' motor clip. T' clip is also taped t' t' MMT with a piece o' strappin' tape in t' center o' t' MMT. T' clip is backed up with a motor block t' prevent t' clip from rippin' the paper tube. Ya scallywag! Avast!

T' parachute was made from t' Mylar "party" wrap found at local card and party stores, usin' over t' top shroud lines. Begad! T' shock cord can either be anchored t' t' MMT with t' Keelhaul®©™ cord, or a LOC style mount can be installed in t' tube, me hearties, also usin' t' Keelhaul®©™. Ahoy!

T' "decal" be also photocopied from t' box art work, matey, and enlarged t' about t' same size as t' fins. Begad! Since t' artwork is black and white on a red background, I painted t' rocket red, matey, then clear coated both sides o' the  printer paper, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, cut it out, me hearties, and affixed it t' t' body with 3M 77 adhesive. Ya scallywag! Instant CHAD decal. Begad!

For some reason I didn't include a baffle in this rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! As a result, "dog barf" waddin' is a must! T' test flight on 7-Oct-2001 be with a B6-4, me bucko, which ejected well after apogee. Begad! A B6-2 or C6-3 seem like they would be a better choice.