X-Factor

Eldred Pickett's Descon-14 Entry

Parts List

• 1 - 18" by 6" 1/8 balsa
• 1 - BT-60 body tube
• 1 - BT-20 body tube
• 3 - regular engine clips
• 3 - BT-5 centerin' rings

Construction

I cut (3) 2 3/4 lengths o' t' BT-20 tube. Begad! These are t' engine tubes. I used centerin' rings for a BT-5 as engine blocks, and regular clips t' hold t' engines.

I cut (3) 5" diameter circles out o' t' balsa sheet (pic 1). Ahoy! Ahoy! Then, I cut these circles in half t' make t' 6 fins (pic 2). Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! For packin' o' t' space betwixt t' engine, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I used shredded paper and glue. Hey, I didn't know how t' make a real MMT, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and I hadn't been able t' buy any yet.

Flight and Recovery

I flew it on 8/14 at a club launch, ya bilge rat, usin' 3 B6-4's(I chickened out on usin' C6-5's). Recovered nicely, me hearties, even though it got singed tailfeathers (pic 3). Arrr! T' launch day pics show t' model in its unpainted (primer) state.

Conclusion

I've only been a BAR for a couple months. Well, blow me down! I decided t' enter t' contest only after a bit o' promptin' from r.m.r. Begad! Ahoy! I'd never scratchbuilt ANY rocket before, let alone a cluster... Aye aye! Begad! I just bought a bunch o' BTs, ya bilge rat, nose cones, and clips, and discovered that 3 BT-20's fit quite nicely in a BT-60. Begad! I'm pretty happy that t' bird had a good flight and safe recovery. I think I'll keep it.

PIC 1	PIC 2

PIC 3	Launch Day

Launch Day	Launch Day