by Chris Kiekens

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

T' wings are pretty basic... Well, blow me down! rounded top and bottom, 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... Well, blow me down! this is essential t' makin' it loud!

T' tail section is basic too... Blimey! 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, matey, and a 1/4"X1/4" piece o' balsa. I had concerns about usin' t' short pieces of t' box, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, glued together, arrr, me bucko, arrr, so shoot me, ya bilge rat, I cheated a little...

Same parts... Avast! I had another picture, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Ahoy! Arrr! Cheap, really, really cheap!

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

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

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