Fat Boy - 3 x 4

Dick Stafford's Descon-14 Entry

Background

OK, shiver me timbers, this is nay t' most unique design, but I be goin' t' describe this rocket on EMRR anyway and though I'd hit Descon 14 early. Aye aye! Aye aye! Best-case scenario: people spend too much time on summer vacations and on t' field and I pick up a prize. Worst-case scenario: people smartly start work on their unique clustered and staged concepts and I get smoked. Ya scallywag! Blimey! So, ya bilge rat, y'all get out your beach towels and suntan lotion ;)

Design Concept

One afternoon I was lookin' for a quick project and scrounged up a section o' LOC 3" tubin' and an old homemade elliptical cone. Well, blow me down! Over t' last year or so, I have enjoyed clusterin' E9s in me Thoy Snipe, shiver me timbers, a modified Art Applewhite saucer, me hearties, and me El-Cheapo Pyramid, me hearties, shiver me timbers, so I decided t' go with another 24mm cluster. I kicked around several configurations, and smartly found out that clusters made from Totally Tubular foil-lined 24mm tubin' fit nicely inside t' 3" tubing. Arrr! At first, I was goin' t' stuff it full, but decided that a four motor cluster would be sufficient. Avast, me proud beauty! T' result resembles an upscale Estes Fat Boy, shiver me timbers, although it is nay perfectly t' scale.

Construction

Nose Cone - T' cone is made from foam and is covered in a thin layer o' glass. Avast! Begad! I originally built it for a thicker tube and have had t' repair it a couple o' times, so it is nay in perfect shape. But it is, after all, me own creation and I eventually HAD t' re-use it. Begad! A 3" plywood bulkhead provides t' attachment point for a small eye-bolt, shiver me timbers, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and t' shoulder is a plastic cap from a mailin' tube. Ya scallywag! I added nose weight for this project by drillin' through t' bulk plate and addin' lead shot and epoxy until I got t' CG where I wanted it.

Motor Mounts - As I mentioned above, me bucko, t' four 24 motor tubes fit snugly inside t' LOC tubing. Arrr! Blimey! I smartly realized that classical centerin' rings weren't required and that t' inter-tube joints and TTW fin attachments should hold t' motor mounts securely. Arrr! So, I merely made filler sections from scrap balsa t' block t' ejection gasses from escapin' betwixt t' motor tubes. Well, blow me down! I added these near t' front o' t' motor tubes and left t' back end open. Begad! T' mounts employ motor blocks, positioned t' fit E9/F24 motors, me bucko, and homemade retainer hooks. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Four pieces o' thin brass tubin' were epoxied in t' joints where t' tubes meet. Begad! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! I bent t' end o' t' piano wire, matey, arrr, slid it into t' tubin' and then bent t' opposite end t' fit an installed motor. Begad! At launch time, shiver me timbers, arrr, t' wire tabs are moved aside, shiver me timbers, t' motors are inserted, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and t' tabs are then repositioned over t' ends o' t' motors. Arrr! A few small pieces o' tape ensure that they stay in place. This be t' first time I've tried this and it seems t' work fine.

Fins - T' fins are upscaled from t' Fat Boy design and are made from 1/8" ply. Well, blow me down! T' motor mount be installed so that t' TTW mounts would be equally spaced betwixt t' three outer motor tubes. Arrr! T' fins were epoxied t' t' central tube and internal fillets were applied, shiver me timbers, makin' sure that no glue interfered with t' inner tabs on t' music wire.

Recovery System - A section o' Keelhaul®©™ cord was epoxied t' t' motor mount prior t' its installation. Aye aye! A yard o' thick elastic then connects t' leader t' t' nose cone. Avast! Nay me preference, but it was t' only suitable material that I had on hand. Well, blow me down! I added anti-zipper protection by addin' several wraps o' cloth packin' tape t' t' Keelhaul®©™ leader. Blimey! This has worked out well on several recent rockets. A 'portable' Keelhaul®©™ heat shield and a 36" ripstop nylon chute complete t' recovery system.

Finishing - T' cone be already day-glo green, arrr, and I grabbed some Rusoleum day-glo orange for t' body. This thin' is very visible!

Flight and Recovery

I have flown t' fat Boy 3 x 4 once on three E9-8s. Ya scallywag! Since I wanted t' try it first on three motors, shiver me timbers, I plugged t' center mount with a spent motor. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! T' boost was slow and majestic with a bit o' weather cocking. With three motors, a 6-second delay would have been better. Well, blow me down! Although ejection was a bit late, shiver me timbers, t' anti-zipper doohickey did its job and thar was no damage on recovery.

Conclusion

T' flight on three motors was nice, and one day soon I'll try it with all four. Ya scallywag! Hmmm, me hearties, I wonder if I should have gone for a x7 cluster and surface mount fins? Hmmm....