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. These are t' engine tubes. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! 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). Then, I cut these circles in half t' make t' 6 fins (pic 2). Ahoy! Aye aye! For packin' o' t' space betwixt t' engine, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I used shredded paper and glue. Hey, I didn't know how t' make a real MMT, and I hadn't been able t' buy any yet.

Flight and Recovery

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

Conclusion

I've only been a BAR for a couple months. Begad! I decided t' enter t' contest only after a bit o' promptin' from r.m.r. Begad! I'd never scratchbuilt ANY rocket before, let alone a cluster... Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I just bought a bunch o' BTs, nose cones, and clips, and discovered that 3 BT-20's fit quite nicely in a BT-60. Begad! 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