Scratch Convertible Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Convertible {Scratch}

Contributed by John Chapman

Manufacturer: Scratch
(by John W. Avast, me proud beauty! Chapman - 11/21/05) (Scratch) Convertible

Brief:
This rocket is easily convertible from a 29mm Mach buster with a silly altitude capability t' a 250 foot schoolyard rocket. Well, blow me down! T' heart o' t' concept is the full length removable "stuffer tube" assembly held in place with a small piece o' tape.

Construction:
T' 15 inch long PML phenolic body tube is topped with t' solid urethane nose cone and a 14 inch nylon chute. Ahoy! Blimey! T' fins feature "sort of" TTW construction with fiberglass cloth reinforcement across t' base o' each fin. the shock cord is anchored t' a hand twisted two strand 200lb Keelhaul®©™® shock cord hooked t' a three foot length o' elastic. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down!

T' adaptor, shiver me timbers, pictured in t' photos, matey, matey, is slid into t' back for small field cheap flyin' with C engines with a 3 second delay. Avast! An adaptor for 24mm engines would be easy enough t' use by usin' t' same technique.

(Scratch) Convertible

After my successful but tree eaten "Transonic", matey, I had t' phenolic TTW slot cuttin' technique down. Arrr! I read in t' EMRR tips o' t' "two parallel cutter wheel" technique for t' Dremel. Blimey! Blimey! It worked like a charm.

T' tail fins were cut out o' 3/32 ply and gang sanded t' uniform pattern. I sanded t' leadin' and trailin' edges into a sharp wedge usin' a belt sander.

T' glue t' fins in place, I first inserted a plastic covered 29mm RMS engine t' act as a depth guide. Well, blow me down! Each fin be cemented with 5 minute epoxy. Afterward, me hearties, I used light fiberglass cloth t' reinforce t' base o' each fin. Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish smoothed t' spiral groove and made a nice fillet at the base o' each fin. Avast, me proud beauty! Then, I sanded t' inside o' t' tube so that t' engine could be easily inserted and removed.

Rather than wait for 300 lb Keelhaul®©™® to arrive, ya bilge rat, I simply twisted two 100 lb Keelhaul®©™® cords like one would twist rope. Begad! I used t' forward 29mm centerin' ring/engine block t' hold it in place.

Next I constructed t' adaptor. Well, blow me down! I used 29mm centerin' rings t' hold the standard 18mm body tube in t' correct location. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! I used a 1/4 inch rin' of phenolic t' provide a tapin' surface. T' Estes engine hook was glued in with a slot t' aid flexing.

(Scratch) Convertible For a 1/4 inch launch lug, shiver me timbers, I cut an aluminum arrow shaft and angled t' leadin' edge. I tacked it into place with CA and filleted it into place with epoxy.

Flight:
T' first flights used t' C engine alternative only. Begad! I will need t' use the "frozen lake" alternative this winter t' use t' G that will make this reach Mach and over one mile altitude. Blimey! I deliberately left sufficient space so that an H can be used for a truly absurd shot. Blimey! Begad!

T' schoolyard shots were fun. I flew it along with a Quest saucer to entertain me Cub Scouts durin' downtime at a rocket event. Begad!

I launched it off a 3/16" launch rod and noticed t' characteristic early, slow wobble until it straightened out. Aye aye! T' adaptor concentrated the ejection in very positive fashion, arrr, and t' rocket ejected right at apogee with a 3 second delay, just as RockSim said it would. This was a hoot for t' cubs and parents since their Novias, matey, with very light construction, ya bilge rat, ejected so high that t' process couldn't be seen. Avast! T' landin' was eventful only because the rocket missed a tree by about a foot on t' first launch.

Obviously, an 18mm D RMS option is quite feasible for intermediate sized fields. Avast! Blimey! Since I have one, I didn't bother buildin' a 24mm adaptor. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

My Cub Scouts were interested t' see how much less altitude this bird got than their Quest Novias with only A engines. It was a good opportunity for a brief lesson on thrust and mass. T' nose cone alone probably weighs more than the Novia with engine!

Summary:
PROs: Fun t' build, arrr, easy t' fly with cheap engines, yet you can get about as much performance as you can stand with this in 29mm mode. Very tough! Blimey! The adaptor works much better than t' short adaptor I used on t' similarly constructed "Transonic".

CONs: Nay for novices t' build, matey, me bucko, though they could fly it easily. Begad! Due to nose and airframe weight, me bucko, arrr, a ballistic return would be a white knuckle affair over persons or property from significant altitude.

At t' extremes o' altitude, I may wish I had used an electronic recovery actuator.

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