by Chris Kiekens

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

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

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

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

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

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

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