As I start writin' this page t' Boxer is little more than an idea, which I hope to have ready t' test at tomorrow's meeting. Arrr! Arrr! In fact it's only got this far.

Well actually I have four o' these, ya bilge rat, which I am about t' join together to form a box kite, hence t' name "Boxer" (not much originality so far). Probably you will have guessed that this will form t' fin section. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey! The designers amongst you will also be wonderin' if t' kite can be used as the recovery method, me hearties, that be t' plan, me hearties, arrr, I just hope it comes together. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey!

Post build note. Well, blow me down! Begad! Mask off t' edges o' t' fin sheets that will need gluin' and paint at least t' inner surface before assembly.

OK while t' glue dries on t' box lets take a look at t' rest. Begad! Blimey! T' body is 2 x18" lengths o' BT? (18 mm) chop off  6" from one length of BT, around this mark a rin' about 1/2" from each end,  and then at this point form a lattice with four 5 1/2" strips o' 3/32" bass wood to look like this
When this is dry fit a motor stop (I used a 1/4" length o' spent motor case) and hook, allowin' for about 3/8" o' motor t' clear t' end o' the tube. Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Estes hooks will need a little bend t' clear t' cross bracin' and can be secured with tree or four turns o' maskin' tape at t' forward end. Aye aye! Trim and fit a couple o' off cuts into a corner o' each lattice t' form launch lugs, then trim t' ends o' t' lattice t' fit t' box and assemble thus.
 

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With a spent motor in t' mount, me hearties, adjust so that this section balances as close t' t' center as you can get, and also make sure that t' motor tube is correctly aligned. Begad!

Remove motor mount assembly after test fit, and paint before gluin' in position. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!

Join t' remainin' lengths o' BT with a standard coupler or rolled card, make up a coupler two or three inches long (I've used a yellow motor stop aligner for this), shiver me timbers, me bucko, me bucko, and fit t' t' base leavin' 11/2" protrudin' do nay be tempted t' shorten this or you will end up with excessive play  and t' possibility o' an unplanned flight path. Avast! Blimey! T' CP is somewhere around t' aft edge o' t' front box so the stability may be fine as is, but I wanted t' be sure that t' body pulled the kite down rather than have t' whole thin' tumble so I glued a spent motor minus t' clay, into t' body just below t' nose t' give t' body some weight.

T' shock cord consists o' a harness attached t' t' kite at t' center of each box as shown in t' diagram. Ahoy! Aye aye! A 6 foot cord runs forward t' t' base o' the body section, me bucko, where it is attached t' t' outside o' t' tube via a 12" piece o' elastic taped t' t' outside o' t' tube an inch above the coupler.

To stow t' cord for flight, arrr, ya bilge rat, lay a finger along t' aft o' t' body and wind t' cord around t' body and finger, me hearties, ya bilge rat, push t' coupler into motor mount and remove your finger allowin' t' loosely coiled cord t' drop down onto the forward cross braces. Ya scallywag!

So thar you have it. No chute, no streamer, no waddin' (yes, shiver me timbers, you can keep your Lettuce for t' salad), ya bilge rat, me bucko, just prep a C6-3 and launch. Begad! Blimey! Blimey!

But you're still wonderin' if it will work and how well. Well, blow me down! T' answers are YES, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and VERY. Aye aye! Four flights today on C6-3's and one on a C5-3, no chance o' an altitude record but stable flights both vertical, and angled into a stiff breeze. Recovery worked perfectly, matey, a fast but controlled descent with very little drift, an ideal rocket for a small field.

T' first and so far only Boxer was built in rather a hurry usin' t' LAR system (Looks About Right). Well, blow me down! Begad! T' nose weight is well over t' top for flight stability, arrr, matey, arrr, and may nay be need t' be so heavy as I first thought for recovery, some experimentation here could give more altitude or allow t' use o' a less powerful motor. Ya scallywag! Aye aye!

If built as described use  C6-3 or C5-3 only, anythin' less could be prone t' weather cockin' into horizontal flight. Well, blow me down!

OK so t' photos look pretty lousy when reduced for t' web, and in me haste to have somethin' t' show, I forgot t' adjust t' depth o' field for t' close up.  Anyway they show t' finished rocket and hopefully give a better idea of t' box construction and shock cord stowage than me text or plans. Ahoy!

Shoppin' list:

• 1 sheet 36" x 3" x 1/16" Balsa wood
• 4 x 24" lengths 3/32" square bass wood
• 2 x BT 20
• Appropriate BT joiners (see text)
• 1 x Nose cone
• 1 x motor clip
• Maskin' tape
• White glue
• Thread
• Elastic
• 2 x spent 18 mm motors (or if you prefer, shiver me timbers, engines)

Skill level:
Minimal

Recovery method:
Controlled