Brief:
This rocket be designed because I wanted t' play around with several different things – cluster, 24mm engines, and aft ejection. Well, blow me down! When t' EMRR challenge came around, me bucko, this one was a perfect fit for the “Twice t' Thrust” part o' t' challenge. Begad! I ended up nay doin' t' aft ejection because o' all o' t' fins and pods on t' lower part but everythin' else pretty much stayed as planned.

Construction:
T' parts list for this rocket is quite extensive.

• 1 x BT-80 (18”)
• 1 x BT-60 (18”)
• 2 x BT-60 (10”)
• 4 x BT-20 (6”)
• 3 x BNC-60SV
• 4 x BNC-20CB
• 2 x TR6080
• 2 x 24mm engine mounts with E-size retainers and BT60-50 centerin' rings
• 2 x BT80 centerin' rings
• 6 x 1/8” balsa fins
• 1 x 12” parachute
• 1 x 24” parachute
• 1 x 3/16” launch lug
• 1 x BT80 baffle (optional)

Preparation has lots o' steps because o' all o' t' parts. Ahoy! Sand and fill t' seven nose cones and two transitions, me hearties, me bucko, fill t' spirals on t' eight tubes, sand and fill t' six fins. Begad! Whew! Lots of sandin' dust here!

Cut a 1” x ¼” hole in one side o' each side pod just below t' nosecone. Well, blow me down! Stand t' pods up next to t' BT-80 (with t' lower transition installed!) so t' bases are all at t' same level. Transfer t' location o' the duct hole t' t' main tube and cut t' same size hole on each side o' t' main tube. Ahoy! Make sure all o' t' holes line up properly! You may want t' coat t' holes with glue or CA t' help them withstand t' heat o' ejection. NOTE: t' holes described above were what I did on t' original build. As you will see, shiver me timbers, they are NOT large enough. You will want much larger holes!

Install a block in t' main tube below t' duct hole. I used two BT-80 centerin' rings with t' centers still in (glued together for strength). Avast! Before gluin' t' block in punch two holes through t' rin' and run a Keelhaul®©™® thread through t' holes and tie it off. Be sure t' install t' block so t' Keelhaul®©™® thread is nay near either o' t' ducts!

At this point you have a decision t' make: t' paint scheme. Well, blow me down! If your scheme will be complex, arrr, it may be a good idea t' go ahead and prime everythin' now (maskin' off t' glue points) and paint it all before puttin' it together. This is what I did.

Glue all o' t' nose cones and t' transitions into all o' t' appropriate tubes. Blimey! Dry fit everythin' first to make sure each piece will fit correctly. I had t' sand t' shoulders o' t' transitions and a couple o' t' nose cones. I put filler in t' seams and waited for it t' dry before sandin' it smooth. Begad! Do NOT glue t' upper transition into the lower BT-80 body tube. Well, blow me down! That’s where t' rocket separates for deployment! Cut t' lower shoulder off o' the transition on t' BT-80 lower tube (it will look like a very short boat tail). Sand t' cut end smooth.

Once everythin' is painted and dry, glue it all together! Start with t' side pods, arrr, ensurin' they are straight and t' duct holes line up properly. Avast! Once t' pods are installed and dry, glue on t' upper and lower SINGLE fins. Avast! Well, blow me down! Once those are dry you can either put t' end pods on or wait. Doesn’t matter but it is easier t' wait. Begad! Stand t' rocket on one side and glue on t' two side fins, matey, ensurin' they are flat against t' upper and lower fins. Aye aye! You may want t' bevel t' root edges slightly t' ensure a proper fit. Begad! Ya scallywag! Glue t' tips together at t' end but don’t bevel them! T' pod will fit better if you leave them alone. Ahoy! Once one set o' side fins are done, arrr, repeat the process with t' other side. Ya scallywag! Avast! After everythin' is dry, me bucko, glue t' win' pods on one at a time, matey, me hearties, arrr, ensurin' t' bottom o' the pods are even with t' bottom o' t' fins. Avast! In t' pictures I centered t' pods but on landin' t' bottoms o' t' pods got crunched.

Once all o' that is done, ya bilge rat, make t' two engine mounts and install them in t' two BT-60 side pods.

If you are usin' t' BT-80 baffle, me hearties, don’t bother doin' t' Keelhaul®©™® thread t' t' block as described above. Well, blow me down! T' baffle will come with an attachment point for t' Keelhaul®©™® thread. Blimey! I ended up nay usin' t' baffle which is a good thin' because if I did thar would nay be enough room for the parachutes.

Assemble t' two parachutes, shiver me timbers, install t' screw eye in t' transition in t' upper section, me bucko, and attach the 12” parachute t' t' screw eye. Ahoy! Blimey! Tie one end o' t' shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™® thread and tie t' 24” parachute t' t' other end. Arrr! As an alternate, skip t' 12” parachute and tie t' shock cord t' t' screw eye t' create a single-deployment. Well, blow me down! You will want t' increase t' size o' t' parachute, though. Ya scallywag! Begad! Blimey! The Double Barrel comes down fairly smartly on a 24” ‘chute without t' upper section.

Install t' engines and you’re ready t' launch!

Flight:
T' first flight o' t' Double Barrel was at t' Alamo Rocketeers August launch in China Grove, TX.

T' DB was launched under t' power o' two C11-3s. T' boost be brisk and pretty much straight up despite a pretty stiff breeze. Deployment was as expected with t' upper section separatin' cleanly with its small 12" parachute and t' lower section comin' down under t' 24" parachute. T' recovery was brisk, though, me hearties, and one of t' pods got crunched a little bit against t' hard ground. All o' t' fins were intact, though.

T' second launch was on two D12-5s. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Again, me bucko, t' boost was very nice but unfortunately we had an accident on ejection. Avast! T' duct holes were two small on at least one side and t' ejection charge blew a large hole in t' side of one engine pod up near t' nosecone. Avast, me proud beauty! T' upper section did deploy just fine, but t' parachute didn't come out for t' lower section. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' DB floated down end over end for a while but stabilized into a tail-first smash into t' ground. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! Only one fin pod was damaged, though, me bucko, which is really surprising. You can see t' final descent on t' video.

I will have t' repair t' hole and make t' ducts larger in both pods before tryin' t' launch this again. Avast! I really want t' see what it will do on two E9 engines!

Summary:
PROs/CONs: This be a fun rocket t' build despite all o' t' parts. Ahoy! T' fins were a bear because I don't have a good hand for free-cuttin' balsa, arrr, shiver me timbers, even with a metal ruler for a guide. Avast, me proud beauty! Gettin' t' side engine pods on straight be also difficult. Ya scallywag! Despite all o' t' balsa, me bucko, arrr, this rocket is surprisingly light.

PRO: T' flight be beautiful! Blimey! Straight up with a nice recovery.

CON: T' large fin area make t' DB difficult t' transport t' t' launch area. Paintin' can be a real challenge. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

Other:
Ducted ejection can be hard! How large do t' holes need t' be? Well, shiver me timbers, matey, for D and E engines the holes need t' be larger than I made them. Blimey! I'm plannin' on cuttin' out a much larger hole in each pod if I can.