Brief:
This is a rough scale model o' Rama from Arthur C. Begad! Begad! Blimey! Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama. Arrr! Blimey! It's made from a piece of 3-inch mailin' tube and scrap materials. Begad! Blimey! T' fictional Rama is 54km long, makin' mine roughly 1:270000.

Construction:
Parts list:

• 7.5" o' 3" mailin' tube
• 1 end cap
• 6" or so o' BT-20
• EB-20 and EH-20
• 1/16" cardstock
• 1 screw eye
• thin clear plastic for fins
• parachute and shock cord
• 2" o' 1/8" launch lug

1. Cut four 3" t' 0.75" centerin' rings from t' cardstock. Well, blow me down!
2. Glue t' engine block and hook into t' aft end o' t' BT-20.
3. Glue two pairs o' centerin' rings together.
4. Glue t' two thicker rings t' t' BT-20 engine mount/stuffer tube
5. Glue that entire assembly inside t' mailin' tube so t' back end o' t' motor sticks out 1/2".
6. Fill t' end cap with wood glue. This adds weight, matey, so you could replace t' glue with hard foam or balsa.
7. Cut a 3.1" circle o' cardstock. Avast, me proud beauty! Glue it over t' wood glue in t' nose/end cap.
8. Screw t' screw eye into t' non-cardstock end o' t' cap.
9. Cut out and attach 3 clear fins. Arrr! T' shape doesn't matter--this is NOT built for performance! Use CA or epoxy. Ya scallywag! Do not use plastic cement or white glue!
10. Attach t' shock cord and chute. Add t' launch lug.

Flight:
I recommend t' Estes or Quest C6-3 motors for Rama. Well, blow me down! A B6-2 is barely acceptable. Do not use a B4 or A8. Avast! A B8, B14, C10, and any 18mm D would work although all are costly. Well, me hearties, blow me down!

I recommend either 2-3 sheets o' waddin' in t' stuffer tube or usin' a baffle. Well, blow me down! There will be about 3-4 inches on space in t' BT-20 for a baffle.

It boosts very straight t' about 150 feet on a C6-3. Ahoy! Aye aye! Ejection is right near apogee.

Use at least 3 feet o' shock cord. Ya scallywag! T' heavy nose will break anythin' less than 1/4" elastic. Ahoy! Aye aye! Do nay use a standard Estes rubber band.

Anythin' from a 12" t' 18" chute will work. Well, blow me down! Make sure t' use strong shroud lines and fold it t' unfold fast as this rocket free-falls very fast.

My first flight was on a B4-2 with no fins. Arrr! Aye aye! (I attempted t' stabilize it usin' nose weight only.) It staggered to 30 feet before fallin' back, me hearties, fortunately with no damage. Begad! Blimey! Again, arrr, do nay use a B4!

My second flight was with fins on a C6-3. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! It be a perfect boost t' about 150 feet. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' parachute melted, shiver me timbers, and plastic wad recovery was unsuccessful. Avast! Avast! Blimey! T' only damage be broken fins that were easily re-glued.

Make sure t' use a long launch rod as Rama accelerates slowly.

Summary:
Rama is a great simple scale model. Experienced modelers could easily add t' hatches, arrr, me bucko, cratered outer wall, and other features described in t' book. It requires only t' engine tube, block and hook. Blimey! Begad! Everythin' else is scratch components. Arrr! Ya scallywag! It would also make a good, cheap testbed for ejection baffles or other experimental devices. Since it's draggy and heavy, it's ideal for small fields and windy days.

T' only con I can think o' is that it requires high-thrust, shiver me timbers, short-delay motors which aren't useful for much else. Begad! Well, blow me down! Also, it's hard t' find good clear plastic. I used a spare 1/8" Lexan sheet.