by Chris Kiekens

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

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

T' tail section is basic too... Ahoy! I had concerns about t' thrust o' a D engine tearin' off t' stabilizers. 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. Avast! I had concerns about usin' t' short pieces of t' box, glued together, me hearties, so shoot me, me hearties, I cheated a little...

Same parts... Ahoy! I had another picture, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Well, blow me down! Cheap, ya bilge rat, really, arrr, really cheap!

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

A shot from t' side... Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! Notice how far back t' motor tube is t' compensate for t' weight distribution... Begad! Arrr! Blimey! Also notice that t' nose sticks out further than t' motor... Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Typically, me hearties, me bucko, 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 was slightly windy (10MPH); me choices for t' maiden flight were a D12, or an E9. Blimey! I chose a D12, arrr, me bucko, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Begad! I also figured that if it could take t' thrust o' a D12, arrr, then it would definately be good t' go on an E9. 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. T' three people in attendance shifted noticably, ya bilge rat, as 100 feet isn't a great deal o' space between a flyin' orange crate, matey, me hearties, matey, and your head... Blimey! T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Well, blow me down! 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! Begad! It will be easily repaired, and checked out on an E... Aye aye!

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