Scratch G125 Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - G125 {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 07/18/02)

Rocket PicBrief:
Basically, arrr, this is G125 motor with fins and a nosecone. Would your RSO let it fly?

Construction:
I guess I'll fess-up now - this was nay me idea, ya bilge rat, matey, nor is it a ‘live' G125. A year or so ago I ran across a picture o' a rocket, arrr, whose body be a spent motor casing. Bein' a wise-#@!, I thought it would be fun t' build one t' get a rise out o' me RSO/LCOs. Blimey! Begad! Usin' me Dremel with various cuttin' wheels and grinders, I managed t' ream out t' casin' from a spent G125 motor. Ahoy! Ahoy! I cut some G10 fins and some brass lugs, arrr, and attached them with epoxy. I made fillets out of epoxy clay. Aye aye! A piece o' 24mm tubin' fit nicely inside and I added some Keelhaul®©™® twine for a shock cord. Begad! When I went t' search for a nose cone, I found that I didn't have any junk nose cones that were suitable. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! I was goin' t' have t' add a lot o' nose weight t' offset t' heavy casing, matey, fins, and fillets. Aye aye! Blimey! I had recently bought a PML resin cone, me hearties, but t' shoulder was obviously t' same diameter as t' OD o' t' motor tube. Since I didn't want t' sacrifice this fairly expensive cone by grindin' t' shoulder down, me hearties, me hearties, I cut a 1 ½" piece o' 29mm tubin' t' ‘adapt' t' cone t' t' body tube/casing. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! I attached it t' t' cone with a tiny screw, me hearties, formin' a reverse shoulder that overlaps t' body tube rather than fittin' inside.

Rocket PicTo complete t' effect, me bucko, I removed t' nozzle from another spent casing. Begad! Blimey! It sits in t' end o' t' rocket and, along with a protrudin' Copperhead, arrr, completes t' effect o' a motor with fins glued on. I also added some red/white checkerboard tape t' t' small piece of 29mm tubing. T' rest is unfinished.

Flight:
I first took this rocket t' a NARRRRR launch. Begad! Begad! I be sure t' get some raised eyebrows there, matey, since t' G125 isn't even a legit motor at that site. Aye aye! Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, I neither got t' desired effect or did I launch it (I can't remember why). Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! At the next high-power launch, me bucko, matey, I again pulled it out. Begad! There, me bucko, people see odder things and didn't have much reaction. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Oh well. Aye aye! I guess a gag is all in the presentation?

I used a small plastic chute (8"?) and some Estes wadding. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' boost on a D12-5 was a little wobbly, but nay too bad. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' chute was under sized and the cone embedded itself in t' relatively soft dirt. Aye aye!

So far, matey, I have nay been able t' convince myself t' expend an E15 or E30 on this little rocket. Begad! It will probably just sit in me fleet until I re-use the nose cone.

Summary:
This be a novelty rocket built mostly from scrap materials. T' nose cone is really nice, me bucko, matey, and can be re-used in another rocket. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I hope someone finds this article amusin' and still think it would be fun t' trick a RSO…maybe next April Fools Day?

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