by Chris Kiekens

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

T' wings are pretty basic... Ahoy! Blimey! rounded top and bottom, ya bilge rat, upper win' slightly forward... 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... Ya scallywag! 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. Aye aye! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

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

Same parts... Ya scallywag! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I had another picture, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Ahoy! Cheap, matey, me bucko, really, arrr, 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... Notice how far back t' motor tube is t' compensate for t' weight distribution... Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Also notice that t' nose sticks out further than t' motor... Aye aye! Begad! Typically, it seems, ya bilge rat, 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. Ya scallywag! I chose a D12, matey, ya bilge rat, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, ya bilge rat, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Well, blow me down! I also figured that if it could take t' thrust o' a D12, 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, arrr, it's flight course went goofy. Yes, shiver me timbers, that be t' technical term, arrr, ya bilge rat, goofy. Aye aye! 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... Blimey! T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Bein' slightly more nose-heavy than intended caused it t' come in faster than t' design called for, matey, and minor damage ensued. Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! It will be easily repaired, and checked out on an E... Begad!

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