Brief:
T' Ori Striker is a scratchbuilt rocket resemblin' a space fighter. She goes up on a 24mm engine and comes down on a 24" parachute. Begad! Blimey! T' finished weight is 4.9oz.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• Midwest balsa 3/32" x 4" x 36" (Which is plenty left over in case o' a screw up)
• BT-5 -- two 5 1/8" nacelle tubes and one 2" spacer tool
• BT-80 Duct tube - 2.6"
• 2 main tubes consistin' o' 18" BT-55 with a coupler
• MMT rings
• 24mm MMT tube
• nose cone
• launch lugs
• Chore Boy (baffle)
• shock cord
• 24" parachute

Cut and mark all the tubes
Cut t' 2.6" duct tube from a BT-80. Aye aye! You'll need t' draw six lines on the end o' one o' t' BT-55 body tubes and 6 "tick marks" on t' ends of the BT-80 duct tube. Aye aye! T' do this, I use VCP. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! With VCP, make two fin wrappers, both havin' 6 fins. Ahoy! Make one for t' BT and one for t' duct.

Cut two nacelle tubes 5 1/8" long and one 2" piece from t' BT-5. T' 2" piece will be used as a spacer when assemblin' t' wings. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Use VCP to make a fin alignment wrapper for t' nacelle. Aye aye! Aye aye! Set it t' make a two finned rocket. Arrr! Avast! This will draw lines 180 degrees apart.

Position t' small fin position wrapper at one end o' t' main BT and mark the lines. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Use a door jamb t' extend t' lines. Aye aye! Avast! Draw one o' t' lines halfway up t' tube for a launch lug. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Use t' big wrap for t' duct tube and mark the end o' t' tube where t' lines would go. Ya scallywag! Begad! These points or "tick marks" will help you align t' fins later.

Seal t' ends o' all tubes with CA and sand t' rough edges. Blimey! Blimey!

From t' EMRR Tip Library:

Glue Use CA around t' inside o' t' body tube for reinforcement. Begad! Put CA around an inch inside. Avast, me proud beauty! Sandin' will be required t' be able t' fit t' nose cone on. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Make sure t' wear gloves when usin' CA.

Glue t' duct fins t' t' body
Glue all 6 fins onto t' main BT. Use t' marks on t' duct tube t' help you align t' fins properly. Avast! Use CA t' tack them in place and t' align them. Well, blow me down! Follow up with wood glue. Apply fillets and sand now. Well, blow me down! You may want t' seal or prime the fins now because this wont be possible once t' BT-80 duct tube is in place.

Build t' wings
Cut four main fins as shown usin' t' fin guide. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Make sure t' grain is going the proper direction.[Click here to download t' fin template.]

From t' EMRR Tip Library:

Fins Make sure when cuttin' out fins from balsa sheets that the leadin' edge goes parallel (with) t' grain o' t' balsa, ya bilge rat, failure t' do this leads t' weak fins, shiver me timbers, which will break easily.

Bevel t' leadin' and trailin' fin edges o' all four fins. Arrr!

Measure 2.5" on t' nacelles. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! This leaves t' tube 1/8" longer for t' aft end o' t' wings. Begad! Begad! Blimey!

Usin' t' "spacer tool", matey, glue t' fins t' t' nacelles as shown. Do NOT glue t' spacer tool in place! Tack them in place with CA. Begad! Once dry, follow up with wood glue. Avast, me proud beauty! You can apply fillets now or wait until t' rocket is completely assembled.

Glue t' wings t' t' duct
Slightly bevel t' side that touches t' big tube for more contact. Avast, me proud beauty! Do this by wrappin' a piece o' sand paper around t' duct tube and sandin' t' wings against it. Glue t' fins/nacelle assembly t' t' duct tube. Blimey! To

From t' EMRR Tip Library:

If you have a rocket kit that isn't TTW, and you just hate sandin' tubes and stuff, get a sharp X-acto knife, me bucko, and usin' a door frame, draw a pencil line all t' way through t' length o' t' tube where t' fins will be. Then put your fin on (without glue) where it is supposed t' be, take a pencil, draw out t' thickness o' t' fins on t' top. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! Then use door knob draw 2 straight parallel lines so it would look like a slot. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! It's like makin' slot, only this time you lightly cut along t' lines (the thickness o' t' fin) only cuttin' t' first layer off. Begad! Then peel off that first layer. Then glue as usual. This should allow t' glue t' soak in a lot. - T.F.

Assemble a 24mm motor mount with 1/8" o' t' tube protrudin' beyond the centerin' ring. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I chose t' make it friction fit so I could use any length motor I want. Ya scallywag! Glue it onto t' aft o' t' rocket.

Recovery equipment
I used some Chore Boy scourin' pad material for an ejection baffle. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This adds weight and is only an option. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Usin' Chore Boy pads allow you t' never need ejection wadding. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I you decide t' use it, me bucko, push it all t' way down t' t' motor mount area with a dowel. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Blimey! I used a 48" length o' 1/4" shock cord glued in usin' t' age-old Estes method. I chose t' use a 24" Estes parachute to finish off t' recovery system.

Finishing:
I painted t' entire rocket yellow. Once t' paint is dry, mask off t' areas seen and paint with satin black. T' ends o' t' nacelles and t' motor area are painted with Testor's neon orange. Ya scallywag! T' decals I used are a selection from Sirius Rocketry decal sheet #D-0005 and some stickers from t' Estes Outlander. I built t' Outlander and used a Sirius Rocketry "Mars Lander 2" decal sheet. Ya scallywag! (See here for details.)

Flight:
T' first flight was on a C6-3 usin' an adaptor. Arrr! Surprisingly, shiver me timbers, it flew well on such a small motor but t' ejection was a bit late. Blimey! Arrr! T' second flight be on a C11-3. Begad! This time t' delay was right there. Aye aye! T' third and final flight o' the day be on a D12-5. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' delay was a bit early, me bucko, but t' flight was sweet.