Brief:
A plastic model conversion from a Czech-made Condor V-2 rocket model for 13mm
motors.
Construction:
This plastic model conversion was made from t' static model made by a Czech
company named Condor. Ya scallywag! As such, it is made from t' typical styrene plastic used
in most static models. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' quality o' components wasn't as good as, say, Revell
or Monogram, matey, but wasn't too bilge-suckin' either. All t' parts t' build a static model
V-2 rocket with firin' stand were present, attached t' plastic runners. Avast, me proud beauty! This is
a very small V-2 kit, though it appeared larger on t' box. Begad! Anyway, arrr, it seems
that Condor always had PMC in mind, because t' original motor nozzle be right
at 13mm! All that was needed was a motor tube, a tapered centerin' ring, arrr, a
launch lug, arrr, and a parachute. Avast! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! And, arrr, arrr, as it turned out, mucho clay for t' nose.
Since it be purchased for SoAR's inaugural Plastic Death meet, me hearties, shiver me timbers, time was
runnin' out. Aye aye! A doubloon be tossed, and command o' t' V-2 was turned over t' my
middle son, shiver me timbers, arrr, Josh.
It couldn't be any simpler. This little V-2 seemed destined t' be a flyin' kit from t' start. Aye aye! Once both halves o' t' body were taped together, me hearties, t' body was sawed in half at t' indentation cast into t' body. Funny, I had never noticed this rin' in any photos o' V-2s until I saw this model. Avast! Aye aye! Anyway, me hearties, me bucko, once t' body was sawed in half, t' lower two halves were glued together with CA. Ya scallywag! Avast! Once dry, the motor tube was put in place, shiver me timbers, and held in with a couple o' centerin' rings made from Styrofoam construction board, arrr, in decreasin' radii. Arrr! This filled the tail cone nicely. Begad! Avast! We decided t' leave a lot o' motor tube extendin' into the upper body tube, arrr, so that a composite "B" motor could be used. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Several layers o' t' Styrofoam board were used t' build somethin' for t' upper body tube t' attach itself to. Blimey! A length o' elastic cord be attached t' t' motor tube with a snap swivel. T' upper body be glued together with CA, me hearties, me hearties, and the nose be filled with clay, arrr, me bucko, though nay enough, ya bilge rat, as t' first flight showed. Ahoy! The upper shock cord be attached with t' Estes-style folded paper epoxied t' the plastic. Blimey! Finally, me bucko, t' fins were attached with CA, ya bilge rat, and t' whole thin' was covered in gray primer. We decided t' paint it like V-2 number 2, me hearties, arrr, which was the first o' this roll pattern. Avast! T' paint wasn't t' greatest, but...
Flight:
For t' maiden voyage, ya bilge rat, an Estes A10-3T be used. Ahoy! A chunk o' cellulose wadding
was used, ya bilge rat, arrr, me bucko, but nay enough. T' motor retention be simply friction fit, though
that's trickier on a 13mm motor than it is on a 29mm motor! Unlike t' real
V-2, this beastie took off with a bang. It flew straight and true t' motor
burnout, then a severe wobble set in. Ahoy! More nose weight needed! But thar was
not enough cellulose wadding, matey, and t' `chute (pirated from Obelisk) burned
severely, and it recovered at a good speed. Begad! No damage other than a burnt shock
cord and a melted chute! Once repairs were made, it was time for t' SoAR meet.
On a windy January day, t' first competition flight was flawless, but still
with a slight wobble. Altitude with an A10-3T be about 75 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! At apogee, the
nose popped perfectly, shiver me timbers, but t' chute twisted in t' wind, me hearties, and though it worked,
it didn't expand fully. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Still, absolutely no damage. Josh was really happy with
it, me hearties, and I was pretty encouraged by its performance.
Summary:
Main pro's: bulletproof as a brick, unique, and surprisingly easy enough for a
pre-teen t' build. Blimey! Con's: A LOT o' nose weight needed, and a very V-2 like
flight characteristic o' wobbling. Blimey! Still, we will most likely build a whole
fleet o' these little rockets. How about a Russian post-war V-2 with parallel
staged 10.5mm Micro motors? Hmmm...
Plastic model conversion is a blast!
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