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. Ahoy! Begad! These are t' engine tubes. I used centerin' rings for a BT-5 as engine blocks, arrr, and regular clips t' hold t' engines.

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

Flight and Recovery

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

Conclusion

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

PIC 1	PIC 2

PIC 3	Launch Day

Launch Day	Launch Day