by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Ahoy! Begad! pretty excitin' really. It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Aye aye! I have been playin' with boosted gliders lately, ya bilge rat, but balsa gliders don't seem to do well with a D engine attached...
I thought t' wood may be a little heavy... but hey, t' price be right!

T' wings are pretty basic... Avast, matey, me proud beauty! rounded top and bottom, me bucko, upper win' slightly forward... Aye aye! It is way faster with t' upper win' forward! A speaker must be used to clamp t' wings while t' glue dries... this is essential t' makin' it loud!

T' tail section is basic too... Ya scallywag! I had concerns about t' thrust o' a D engine tearin' off t' stabilizers. Ya scallywag! Avast! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

I cheated some for t' fuselage and used a piece o' aircraft plywood, arrr, and a 1/4"X1/4" piece o' balsa. Well, blow me down! Begad! I had concerns about usin' t' short pieces of t' box, shiver me timbers, glued together, arrr, so shoot me, I cheated a little...

Same parts... Ya scallywag! Blimey! I had another picture, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Cheap, me hearties, really, really cheap!

A view from t' front, with t' motor tube installed... I used a 1/4" launch lug because it is what was layin' on me desk...

A shot from t' side... Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! Notice how far back t' motor tube is t' compensate for t' weight distribution... Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! Also notice that t' nose sticks out further than t' motor... Typically, matey, it seems, arrr, t' motor tube hangs off t' end o' the glider, but i found with t' heavy win' assembly it needed t' be move back somewhat.

Just another filler shot...

Consider this a scale shot..see me hand...

First Flight:
It be slightly windy (10MPH); me choices for t' maiden flight were a D12, or an E9. I chose a D12, me bucko, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I also figured that if it could take t' thrust o' a D12, then it would definately be good t' go on an E9. Ya scallywag! Blimey! The OCOD leap off t' pad in a screamin' fiery fury! Blimey! At around 100 feet, it's flight course went goofy. Yes, me hearties, shiver me timbers, me bucko, that be t' technical term, me hearties, goofy. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Blimey! T' three people in attendance shifted noticably, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, as 100 feet isn't a great deal o' space between a flyin' orange crate, me bucko, and your head... T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Avast! Blimey! Bein' slightly more nose-heavy than intended caused it t' come in faster than t' design called for, matey, and minor damage ensued. Begad! Blimey! It will be easily repaired, and checked out on an E... Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey!

Second Flight:
T' second flight was on an E9-6, with a new bulkhead installed. I used a 6 foot 1/4" rod t' launch from this time, me bucko, in an attempt t' cause it t' fly straighter... I have no idea what t' acheived altitude was..but it be a cool flight!