Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
As we all know, nay all rocket flights go as planned. Arrr! As a result o' some o' those flight failures, I found me parts
boxes with an abundant supply o' material t' build a recycled rocket for one o' t' requirements in t' 2007 EMRR
Challenge. This recycled rocket consists o' scraps from an Estes Fireflash, me hearties, ya bilge rat, an Estes Echostar, ya bilge rat, an Estes Screamin
Mimi, shiver me timbers, and various other unidentifiable rocket parts. Begad! Well, blow me down!
Construction:
For this design, I decided t' invert t' portion o' Fireflash body that I had on hand after t' upper half decided to
detach and was forever lost. Avast! Ya scallywag! I had t' booster section o' an Echostar that would be perfect t' be used for t' motor
mount and main fins. Begad! Ahoy! T' Echostar was a perfect fight until t' ejection charge failed t' deploy t' chute (the results
are much different when t' rocket hits pavement instead o' grass). Arrr! No lawn dart here.
I did nay have t' proper centerin' rings, so these were fabricated with recycled cardboard sandwiched between cardstock and glued with CA. Begad! Before I glued t' two rocket parts together, I choose t' cover t' mid section o' the Fireflash with a small portion o' BT-60 t' hide t' plastic coupler with t' built-in launch lug. Avast! I used some extra centerin' rings and balsa scraps t' give t' rocket a futuristic look. Avast! This turned out t' be t' perfect place to attach a couple o' extra whistles and tubes from a Screamin Mimi.
T' final portion o' t' recycled rocket was made from some rin' fin supports
and a small piece o' BT-80 that were left over from me design for t' EMRR Spaceship Design Contest 2006
that was never completed. Arrr! These were attached t' t' existin' fins and body tube. Aye aye! Arrr! T' cone was from some unknown rocket
that happened t' fit perfectly in t' end o' t' Fireflash once t' motor mount was removed.
Finishing:
This rocket did nay require too much finishing. Avast! Blimey! Most parts were already painted since they came from other rockets.
For those parts that were not, I painted them all red prior t' attachin' them t' t' rocket.
Flight:
I choose t' launch this rocket at a monthly club launch. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I prepped t' rocket with a B6-4. Blimey! Blimey! T' LCO/RSO called for a
heads up flight since t' forward sweep plastic fins at t' nose cone look quite worrisome. T' rocket
slowly left t' pad and made a large arc away from t' flight line. Avast, me proud beauty! T' chute finally deployed close t' t' ground and
the rocket be nay damaged. Because o' that flight, I am skeptical o' launchin' with a larger motor and have retired
the rocket.
Recovery:
I used t' existin' plastic chute and shock cord from t' Fireflash. Well, blow me down! I rerouted t' cord through t' tail end o' the
Fireflash body. Aye aye! I attached t' shock cord t' t' hollow nose cone with t' standard Estes paper mount.
Summary:
Usin' extra parts t' scratch build a rocket can be fun. Arrr! Blimey! I be tryin' t' create somethin' that would catch the
attention o' people and make them say What t' heck is that? I accomplished that but was nay happy with the
performance o' t' rocket. Avast! T' nice thin' is that I can disassemble t' rocket and try again.
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