Star Scraper

mid-power super-roc sport flyer

By Brian Mardirosian

Introduction:
Always wanted a Mean Machine when I was a kid, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but never got around t' getting one. Avast! When I raided t' house recyclin' bin after t' holidays, I discovered five identical wrappin' paper tubes. Ahoy! Aye aye! 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. Aye aye! Ahoy!

Nose Cone:
Shaped out o' a styrofoam ball used for a Christmas decoration that had seen better days. Hmm, have t' say t' same thing about t' nose cone. Blimey!

Recovery System:
A parachute that I had created for a min diameter bird that was way too big for it. Small for Star Scraper (about 20" I'd say) but t' long, light body tubes would be glidin' on t' way down, figured it was enough. Begad! Arrr!

Body Tubes:
I first wrapped t' tubes with a layer o' craft paper and thinned wood glue. Begad! Once that set-up, shiver me timbers, I then applied one layer o' copy paper and thinned wood glue. Ahoy! Avast! When everythin' dried, I was amazed with t' amount of strength added t' t' tubes. Aye aye! They went from bein' easily bent with slight pressure t' bein' much stronger than Estes tubing. I be also pleased with the fact that t' tubes remained fairly lightweight, me bucko, me hearties, certainly lighter than some heavy-duty tubes o' similar size used in rockets. Begad! Overall, a worthy compromise in strength-to-weight ratio, and you can't beat t' price. Ya scallywag! Begad!

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 be t' core o' a fax machine paper roll. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey!

Fins:
Again, nothin' all that excitin' t' report. Well, blow me down! Blimey! 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. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey!

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, shiver me timbers, with 6" couplers used in t' three other joints. Avast! Since I used a tube o' t' same diameter as the rest, arrr, me bucko, I needed t' somehow reduce t' circumference o' it. Well, blow me down! 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. Well, blow me down! It worked, and I didn't have t' risk t' chance of ruinin' a coupler. Blimey!

Launch Lugs:
I tried me old 1/4" screw eye-in-balsa method. Arrr! One of them promptly ripped out when t' rocket be on t' pad. Ahoy! A larger set of lugs were needed. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! I ended up usin' 1/2" peg-board loops. Arrr! With a little work, ya bilge rat, I was able t' scuttle t' connective material flush with t' surface o' the balsa blocks on t' rocket, ya bilge rat, me bucko, with t' peg board hooks restin' on t' surface of the rocket itself. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! A little 5 minute epoxy in t' appropriate places, ya bilge rat, and I had me an impressive set o' launch lugs. Aye aye! They worked great!

Painting:
Grabbed what I had on t' shelf and went t' work, ya bilge rat, just one layer o' each. Well, blow me down! If I were t' do it over again, I wouldn't have used black. Didn't think such a small area would be affected so much by t' sun, arrr, but it is. Begad!

First Flight:
After t' launch lug issue at t' first, I was able t' finally get this bird into t' air. Ahoy! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Takin' advantage o' a calm spell, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, Star Scraper rose without incident up a G38-4. Ahoy! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, me bucko, at about 2 seconds after burn-out ejection occurred. No damage t' report, but I'd say the rocket be only 400' off t' ground, tough t' say since it is so tall. Blimey! Ya scallywag! All of the kids were pointin' and commentin' on it, matey, me bucko, and some o' t' adults had some snide comments about it, shiver me timbers, me bucko, shiver me timbers, tehehe. Avast, me proud beauty! It certainly is a looker, and it towered above the Mean Machine that be also flyin' that day.

Conclusion:
It took a long time t' finish from beginnin' t' end, arrr, 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.

Star Scraper had a date with some swamp creatures. Launched on a G35-4 and t' flight looked great, but no recovery system deployment. Avast! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Was at t' RSO table at t' next launch, minus about 8 feet and a bit soggy, ya bilge rat, tehe... Recovery system was intact, matey, 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, me bucko, matey, it would fly fine.