by Chris Kiekens

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

T' wings are pretty basic... Ahoy! Blimey! rounded top and bottom, upper win' slightly forward... Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It is way faster with t' upper win' forward! Blimey! A speaker must be used to clamp t' wings while t' glue dries... Arrr! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Begad! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

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

Same parts... Blimey! Aye aye! I had another picture, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Cheap, really, matey, really cheap!

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

Second Flight:
T' second flight be on an E9-6, arrr, with a new bulkhead installed. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! 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 was a cool flight!