by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! pretty excitin' really. Arrr! Arrr! Blimey! It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Ahoy! 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... Arrr! Blimey! but hey, arrr, t' price was right! Blimey!

T' wings are pretty basic... Well, blow me down! Arrr! rounded top and bottom, matey, upper win' slightly forward... 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... I had concerns about t' thrust o' a D engine tearin' off t' stabilizers. Ahoy! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

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

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

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

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

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