Superscale Ninja
(Contributed - by Eric Speckman)  

For someone who is used t' Estes kits, this thin' is huge. Arrr! Blimey! For people in HPR, me hearties, this isn't so big. Arrr! Blimey! This rocket stands 4' 9.4" tall, me bucko, and is 4" in diameter. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! As o' now, I don't know what t' exact weight is, but I it is around 3 1/5 lbs (Loaded weight was 4.5 lbs). Avast! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! A lot o' t' weight is in t' payload section. Blimey! Blimey! T' heavy bulkhead and t' 10 oz. Ya scallywag! Blimey! PML nose cone add up t' quite a lot. It has a 36" round chute from.

It has a 29mm motor mount tube, and I built a booster pod for it. Ya scallywag! It consists o' a rin' o' 8 24mm engine tubes glued t' t' inside o' a coupler. Well, blow me down! For a picture or t' back o' t' loaded rocket, matey, click here. My original idea (Which changed) be t' following: It will have a timer t' air start t' main G64 Aerotech reload. T' flight plan is as follows (hopefully): Ignition o' t' 8 D11-P's with a car battery. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! At a either .5 or 1 second, t' timer (or thermalite) ignites t' G64, and boosts it higher. Aye aye! T' main motor's ejection will hopefully deploy t' chute. If t' main motor doesn't light, t' timer will ignite an ejection charge, and push the chute out. Arrr! It better fly right, or I will have a lot o' work t' do!

Flight #1: (1)H180 + (8)D11's

T' Ninja flew for t' first time on July 20, 1997. Ya scallywag! Begad! After talkin' t' some people, I decided that boostin' on t' D's and airstartin' t' G was a bad idea because composites are harder t' light. So I needed a more powerful engine. Blimey! An announcement be made askin' if anyone could help me, and Frank Noble was willin' t' help me with me project. Avast! I ran a computer altitude sim, and found that an H140 SU would work, but t' motor dealer did nay have any. So, shiver me timbers, I was able t' borrow a reload casing, and fly it on an H180. Blimey! Begad! Frank loaded t' motor, and explained how t' drill t' delay t' t' right length. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! He showed me how to use teflon tubes and thermalite t' ignite t' D11's. Ahoy!

Finally, it be ready t' fly. We took it out t' t' pads, ya bilge rat, and set it up on pad 5. Begad! T' rocket was angled a little bit away from t' spectators (and downwind) for safety. When if finally came time t' launch, t' LCO made everyone stand up and watch this rocket, arrr, and it be a very heads up flight. Aye aye! 5...4...3...2...1...Launch... Avast! Well, blow me down! T' H lit after a short delay. Ya scallywag! It boosted straight up on a column o' smoke. Avast, me proud beauty! Just after t' H burned out, shiver me timbers, t' D's lit for a little extra smoke and noise. After it coasted for 9 seconds, and t' ejection went off and t' chute came out. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! It took a little while for t' chute t' open, but it deployed after a second or two. Well, blow me down! It drifted for a long way, and be recovered undamaged. Well, blow me down! When I recovered the rocket, arrr, I smartly looked, and it appeared that all engines ignited. Begad! Later, it was pointed out t' me that only 6 o' t' 8 lit, but it was still spectacular. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty!