by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! pretty excitin' really. Begad! Avast! It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Aye aye! Begad! 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... Blimey! but hey, arrr, t' price was right!

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

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

Same parts... Avast! Blimey! I had another picture, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Cheap, ya bilge rat, really, me bucko, really cheap!

A view from t' front, 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... Arrr! Begad! 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... Typically, shiver me timbers, it seems, me bucko, 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 be slightly windy (10MPH); me choices for t' maiden flight were a D12, me bucko, matey, me bucko, or an E9. Avast! Blimey! I chose a D12, matey, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, shiver me timbers, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Begad! Aye aye! Blimey! 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. Aye aye! The OCOD leap off t' pad in a screamin' fiery fury! Blimey! At around 100 feet, it's flight course went goofy. Blimey! Yes, that be t' technical term, shiver me timbers, me hearties, goofy. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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, me bucko, and your head... Aye aye! T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Aye aye! Blimey! Bein' slightly more nose-heavy than intended caused it t' come in faster than t' design called for, shiver me timbers, and minor damage ensued. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! It will be easily repaired, and checked out on an E... Ya scallywag! Blimey!

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