Brief:
This is a Phoenix built from 4x downscalin' t' original Estes kit. Blimey! It is much less expensive t' fly as it uses 18mm motors and 1 sheet o' waddin' or less, shiver me timbers, compared t' t' original usin' 24mm motors and 14 sheets o' wadding.

Construction:

• Nose Cone - Reliant/Vikin' BT-20 (filled with modellin' clay)
• Custom 7" parachute made from a shoppin' bag
• Custom 7" shock cord made from 2 rubber bands
• 2 Sets o' 4 fins each made from 1/16" balsa
• 1/8" end section o' spent A engine motor (engine block)
• 1/4" long 1/8" launch lug

This design took about 2 days t' assemble. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This be t' second one o' these rockets that I've built. Begad! T' original used dual 4" chutes, and I painted some o' t' details onto it which I omitted from this design.

I started by cuttin' 1/8" off t' ejection charge end o' a spent A8-3. Ya scallywag! Begad! I used this t' make t' engine block. Begad! With another used engine, me hearties, I pushed t' engine block into t' body tube until thar was 1/8" o' overhang from t' end o' t' tube.

I used 1/16" balsa t' make t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' angled edge o' t' front fin set needs t' be aligned with t' edge o' t' balse sheet when drawin' t' fins. Otherwise, matey, t' fins will split when you cut them out. Ahoy! Blimey! I used a 1/4" length o' Estes' standard 1/8" diameter launch lug.

I filled t' entire nose cone with modellin' clay (~14g). Well, me hearties, blow me down! This placed t' center o' gravity o' t' unloaded rocket at t' top end o' t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! This allows t' rocket t' be stable for A-C engines. T' center o' gravity should be at t' top o' t' front fin set.

I used a plastic shoppin' bag t' make a parachute about 7" in diameter. Avast, me proud beauty! I used cotton strin' for t' shroud lines (this be cheap and available). Avast! Ya scallywag! I didn't have any 1/8" elastic, shiver me timbers, so I tied two rubber bands together for t' shock cord. Begad! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I mounted t' shock cord t' part o' an index card with white glue.

Flight:

Rocket #1

1. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! A8-3 Stability Test #1

T' rocket flew relatively straight. Avast! Apogee was difficult t' determine from about 500' away. Begad! T' chutes deployed but weren't really big enough t' do any good. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! No damage.

2. Ya scallywag! Blimey! B6-4 Stability Test #2

T' rocket still flew straight. Arrr! And I thought t' first one went high. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! It came down in t' trees, arrr, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but it be so small that it fell right through t' branches without gettin' caught. Arrr! T' heavy nosecone also helped.

3. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! C6-7 Orbital Test

T' rocket flew straight for 500 feet or so. Then it turned into t' wind and was lost from sight. Aye aye! We saw t' smoke trail around 1700 ft. or so down range. Begad! I guess you can't really distinguish an 8 inch rocket from t' sky at that point. Begad! Begad! No idea whether t' parachutes deployed. Aye aye! It probably landed somewhere.

Rocket #2

1. Ya scallywag! A8-3

This one flew straight t' about 500 feet. Aye aye! T' parachute openin' and was only scorched a little. I used less than 1/2 sheet o' wadding, and I stuffed it into t' engine itself.

Summary:

PROS: Cheap t' build and fly. Begad! Aye aye! Goes t' high altitudes with larger engines.

CONS: Turns into t' wind a little with C engines and disappears from sight.