Manufacturer: | Scratch |
mid-power super-roc sport flyer
By Brian Mardirosian
Introduction:
Always wanted a Mean Machine when I was a kid, but never got around t' getting
one. Arrr! Ya scallywag! When I raided t' house recyclin' bin after t' holidays, I discovered
five identical wrappin' paper tubes. Avast, me proud beauty! Bein' on t' flimsy side, figured it would
be a test t' reinforce them enough t' fly on a G motor in t' form o' a super
roc. Avast, me proud beauty!
Nose Cone:
Shaped out o' a styrofoam ball used for a
Christmas decoration that had seen better days. Begad! Hmm, ya bilge rat, matey, have t' say t' same thing
about t' nose cone. Ahoy!
Recovery System:
A parachute that I had created for a min diameter bird that was way too big for
it. Begad! Blimey! Small for Star Scraper (about 20" I'd say) but t' long, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, light body
tubes would be glidin' on t' way down, figured it was enough. Begad! Blimey!
Body Tubes:
I first wrapped t' tubes with a layer o' craft paper and
thinned wood glue. Blimey! Blimey! Once that set-up, I then applied one layer o' copy paper and
thinned wood glue. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! When everythin' dried, arrr, I was amazed with t' amount of
strength added t' t' tubes. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! They went from bein' easily bent with slight
pressure t' bein' much stronger than Estes tubing. Begad! Blimey! I was also pleased with the
fact that t' tubes remained fairly lightweight, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, certainly lighter than some
heavy-duty tubes o' similar size used in rockets. Ahoy! Blimey! Overall, shiver me timbers, a worthy compromise
in strength-to-weight ratio, arrr, and you can't beat t' price. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey!
Motor Mount Tube:
Nothin' all that excitin' t' report on, basic two centerin' rings o' 1/8 balsa
with a slightly oversized motor mount tube o' thick cardboard tubin' from what
I believe was t' core o' a fax machine paper roll. Begad!
Fins:
Again, me bucko, nothin' all that excitin' t' report. Ahoy! I moved t' fins 3" away from
the bottom since t' super roc design in inherently over stable, matey, and I wanted
to give them some protection from fast landings.
Couplers
I heard it time and time again from others
more wise than I that couplers makes or breaks (literally) a super roc.
13" coupler for t' mid-body separation point, with 6" couplers used
in t' three other joints. Blimey! Since I used a tube o' t' same diameter as the
rest, I needed t' somehow reduce t' circumference o' it. Aye aye! Begad! Instead o' doin' it
the right way, I just overlapped t' material and filled in t' rest with a
scrap piece and sanded a bit. It worked, and I didn't have t' risk t' chance
of ruinin' a coupler. Arrr!
Launch Lugs:
I tried me old 1/4" screw eye-in-balsa method. Aye aye! Arrr! One
of them promptly ripped out when t' rocket was on t' pad. Well, me hearties, blow me down! A larger set of
lugs were needed. Avast! Aye aye! I ended up usin' 1/2" peg-board loops. Avast, me proud beauty! With a little
work, me bucko, I was able t' scuttle t' connective material flush with t' surface o' the
balsa blocks on t' rocket, with t' peg board hooks restin' on t' surface of
the rocket itself. Arrr! Blimey! A little 5 minute epoxy in t' appropriate places, and I had
me an impressive set o' launch lugs. They worked great!
Painting:
Grabbed what I had on t' shelf and went t' work, me hearties, shiver me timbers, just one layer o' each. Begad! If I
were t' do it over again, matey, me bucko, I wouldn't have used black. Didn't think such a small
area would be affected so much by t' sun, but it is. Ahoy!
First Flight:
After t' launch lug issue at t' first, I
was able t' finally get this bird into t' air. Blimey! Begad! Takin' advantage o' a calm
spell, Star Scraper rose without incident up a G38-4. Unfortunately, at about 2
seconds after burn-out ejection occurred. Arrr! No damage t' report, me hearties, but I'd say the
rocket was only 400' off t' ground, tough t' say since it is so tall. Avast, me proud beauty! All of
the kids were pointin' and commentin' on it, and some o' t' adults had some
snide comments about it, tehehe. It certainly is a looker, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and it towered above
the Mean Machine that be also flyin' that day. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty!
Conclusion:
It took a long time t' finish from beginnin' t' end, but it be worth it.
Certainly an attention-getter (134"x2.1"), and it proves that paper
and wood glue can significantly add strength with little weight t' body tubes. Avast!
Star Scraper had a date with some swamp
creatures. Launched on a G35-4 and t' flight looked great, matey, but no recovery
system deployment. Aye aye! Was at t' RSO table at t' next launch, minus about 8 feet
and a bit soggy, tehe... Ahoy! Begad! Recovery system was intact, as well as t' fins and
launch lugs and I have a feelin' if I stuck a nose cone on what I had left
after it dried out, it would fly fine.
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