Scratch Tigerstrike Missile Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Tigerstrike Missile {Scratch}

Contributed by Casey Smith

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Casey Smith)

Rocket PicBrief:
This rocket is a 2 Stage appearance workhorse that I put together from some left over 29mm, arrr, 38mm, me bucko, and 54mm motor mount tubing. Ya scallywag! It has a very long motor mount tube so it can take a G35 t' an I 200. Begad! Blimey! It will probably take an F, but I never have any.

Construction:
There be t' 29mm mount inside o' t' 38mm tube mounted into t' 54mm main body tube. Ya scallywag! (T' lower section o' t' kit is 24 inches o' 38mm tubin' with 24 inches o' 29mm tubin' inside for a motor mount. Arrr! T' top section is one regular 48 inch long 2.14 tube, me bucko, with t' 8 inch long payload section on top.) There are 3 24 inch pieces composin' t' engine mount and lower part of the main body tube. Begad! T' rocket has 2 sets o' 3 fins, ya bilge rat, me bucko, 3 upper, shiver me timbers, matey, 3 lower, shiver me timbers, made out of 3/16 aircraft grade plywood. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' nose cone is actually an old balsa nose cone I had, and it is mounted on a 8 inch payload section for future electronics bay stuff. I used four centerin' rings for t' 29mm motor mount in the 38mm lower tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I used 3 centerin' rings for t' 38 mm tube in t' 54mm upper tube.

Rocket PicI did make t' lower fins through t' wall attachment, me bucko, and air-foiled all sides. Ahoy! T' top fins are epoxied to t' frame, and due t' t' low profile sonic design, I did nay mount them through t' wall. Well, blow me down! I like t' build t' fin can/mounts very strong, arrr, due t' if my rockets crash, they come in ballistic, me hearties, and would like t' fin can t' survive. Ya scallywag! I did wrap a coat o' 2 ounce fiberglass t' t' lower body tube t' beef up it's strength on impact. Arrr! t' upper main body tube could actually use an extra stagin' coupler or 2 pushed inside t' strengthen it in t' middle, shiver me timbers, arrr, or just make it shorter. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I did put 4 holes in t' payload section and ran bailin' wire in there t' give it a scale like look with 4 antennae. Arrr! This kit is super sturdy, on line with PML. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I put a small threaded rod like Cosmodrome uses for motor retention and just use a small square nut, arrr, works great.

Flight:
I have flown this kit 5 times, me hearties, 3 on G64-M reloads, 1 on a G40-7 and also an H220-M. Well, blow me down! Avast! I do use that cellulose insulation for wadding, arrr, ya bilge rat, about 1 handful is plenty. Blimey! This rocket flies out o' me front yard on t' G motors perfectly, straight boost, me bucko, shiver me timbers, great deploy. Ya scallywag! It screamed this weekend on t' H220, it took it and was beggin' for more, straight up boost with no wobble, shiver me timbers, around 200 feet. Avast! It was impressive due t' t' 5-10 mph winds we had thar at t' launch site. The shock cord is actually attached t' t' coupler that attaches t' lower portion of t' main body tube t' t' upper. Begad! Ahoy! I ran a small 18" chute t' brin' it down quick, me bucko, but if it is nay windy, me bucko, a nice 36" chute will work great. Begad! It still came down around 400 yards due t' t' wind. Avast! Well, blow me down! I did get a small little crimp in t' upper body tube right in t' middle, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, most likely from hittin' on the side at impact. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Hence, bigger parachute, matey, no trouble. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Other than that, this kit will be good for small fields with slow majestic lift-offs, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' poppin' it with big H and I power.

Summary:
PRO-Strong rocket, I always over build a little. Ahoy! It would work great for a level 1 flight. T' next incarnation o' t' kit will be a 2 stager, ya bilge rat, same specifications. Ahoy! Begad! 29mm-29mm. Avast! It can take t' wind, very stable design. Blimey! CONS-Long rocket, arrr, vulnerable t' body damage when it lands if on hard ground. Avast, me proud beauty! Beefin' up the lower tube helps, ya bilge rat, me bucko, ya bilge rat, cuttin' t' length o' t' main tube will help and reduce some weight.

Other:
It needs t' have a camouflage paint scheme, ya bilge rat, olive drab/ultra flat brown/tan (Krylon camo series paints) and then you need t' have a spray paint that has a fan nozzle, like t' one's from Duplicolor auto paint at Walmart. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' fan will do a wide spray, ya bilge rat, or a thin line, this is what you do for t' "Tiger stripes". This kit taught me you can use minimum diameter and have it come out great. Begad! You need t' reinforce t' lower launch lug mount since it is raised, and I wrapped a small piece o' glass over it t' reinforce it from t' top.

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