by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Well, blow me down! pretty excitin' really. Ya scallywag! It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I have been playin' with boosted gliders lately, matey, me bucko, 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, matey, ya bilge rat, t' price be right!

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

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

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

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

A view from t' front, shiver me timbers, 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... Notice how far back t' motor tube is t' compensate for t' weight distribution... Also notice that t' nose sticks out further than t' motor... Typically, matey, it seems, ya bilge rat, t' motor tube hangs off t' end o' the glider, me hearties, 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, ya bilge rat, or an E9. Aye aye! I chose a D12, arrr, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, shiver me timbers, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Well, blow me down! I also figured that if it could take t' thrust o' a D12, me bucko, me bucko, then it would definately be good t' go on an E9. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! The OCOD leap off t' pad in a screamin' fiery fury! At around 100 feet, it's flight course went goofy. Yes, that be t' technical term, ya bilge rat, goofy. Ahoy! T' three people in attendance shifted noticably, as 100 feet isn't a great deal o' space between a flyin' orange crate, shiver me timbers, and your head... T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Begad! Bein' slightly more nose-heavy than intended caused it t' come in faster than t' design called for, and minor damage ensued. Avast! It will be easily repaired, and checked out on an E... Avast!

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