by Chris Kiekens

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

T' wings are pretty basic... Blimey! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! rounded top and bottom, ya bilge rat, me hearties, upper win' slightly forward... Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! It is way faster with t' upper win' forward! Blimey! 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. Avast! 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, shiver me timbers, arrr, so shoot me, I cheated a little...

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

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

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

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