Scratch Aqua-Lander Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Aqua-Lander {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch

(Scratch) Aqua Lander

Brief:
This is a "lander" style rocket built from an Aquapod water bottle. Begad! Aquapods are stubby, bulbous bottles whose shape is self-described as orbastic. Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' first known use in rocketry is an incarnation o' t' Holy Hand Grenade o' Antioch. When I saw one at a launch, me hearties, me hearties, I just had t' get a package o' them (they come in packs o' 8 and are stashed amongst t' large cases o' regular shaped and sized water bottles).

Construction:
T' followin' are t' materials used in t' original construction:

  • T' legs are a conglomeration o' scrap basswood, arrr, popsicle sticks, bamboo skewers, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and circular pieces o' cardboard (found, nay made)
  • T' center tube is BT-20
  • T' "cone" includes t' cap, me bucko, matey, t' nozzle end o' an 18mm motor, shiver me timbers, a small bolt t' center these components, me hearties, and a loop o' elastic. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty!
  • Miscellaneous parts include a cardboard sleeve slipped into t' bottle's neck, me bucko, a sliver o' a 24mm motor on t' bottom o' t' motor tube, matey, shiver me timbers, arrr, an 18mm motor block, ya bilge rat, me hearties, a short piece o' Keelhaul®©™ twine tied around t' block, and a piece o' an AT Copperhead tube as t' launch lug.

I prepped t' bottle by "Dremelling" a BT-20 sized hole in t' base and slottin' t' bottle t' accommodate through t' wall fins. Begad! In fact, me hearties, t' fin/motor tube unit just slips in and is removable. There are 5 fins mounted betwixt t' protrusions on t' bottom o' t' bottle. I also ground t' threads off t' neck o' t' bottle. Blimey! No grindin' was required inside t' neck as t' I happened t' have a cardboard sleeve that fit snugly in t' hole and over t' BT-20. You could improvise with various items includin' a spent 24mm casing.

(Scratch) Aqua Lander I used a piece o' a 24mm case on t' base o' t' motor tube and installed a standard motor block. Ya scallywag! T' legs are made from scrap basswood. It was so "scrap" that t' legs are actually two pieces just so I could squeak out all 5 legs. Arrr! They are joined with some overlappin' cardstock. Arrr! Well, blow me down! You should be able t' spot t' popsicle sticks and bamboo skewers in t' photos.

This describes version 1. Avast! Later you will see why some rework was required. In version 2, I added a motor hook and mounted some Keelhaul®©™ twine through t' wall o' t' motor tube. Since this is internal, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it is hardly visible. Begad! I also replaced t' lost cap and added a streamer made from yellow caution tape.

Finishing:
I did nay finish this rocket.

Flight and Recovery:
In each o' two flights, t' B6-4 motor be friction fit. (As it turned out, this didn't work out so well.) I loaded t' end o' t' motor and a couple o' BT diameters with dog barf and used a small (maybe 8") plastic chute left over from me Model Minutes G-200 Carrier. Ya scallywag! This was a tight fit but I got it in.

(Scratch) Aqua Lander T' boost on this motor was great. Arrr! Arrr! It went perfectly straight and was reasonably quick, me bucko, however, me hearties, on flight one t' chute didn't come out and t' lander lawndarted. Arrr! Begad! It only lost one circular pad, and was ready for...

Flight 2 resulted in a separation and t' nose cap was lost. Begad! I alluded t' t' rebuild above, arrr, but t' streamer version has nay flown yet. Hopefully t' motor hook will help also.

Summary:
This is a unique lookin' rocket that gets noticed by t' RSO and spectators alike. Aye aye! Bein' so stubby, matey, it flies well with no added weight. Aye aye! T' one issue is thar isn't much room for a recovery system. A 13mm motor version should also fly well under A10 power.

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