by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Aye aye! pretty excitin' really. Begad! It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! 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... Ya scallywag! Arrr! but hey, t' price was right!

T' wings are pretty basic... rounded top and bottom, upper win' slightly forward... Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! 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! Begad! I had concerns about t' thrust o' a D engine tearin' off t' stabilizers. Blimey! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

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

Same parts... Ahoy! Blimey! I had another picture, ya bilge rat, arrr, me bucko, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Ya scallywag! Cheap, arrr, really, matey, really cheap!

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

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