Brief:
T' Cymech Armageddonator is a 1/24 scale model o' t' existin' classified stealth reconnaissance aircraft. Well, blow me down! T' full sized craft is powered by two regenerative air-turboramjet (RATR) engines and carries a crew o' two. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It uses a synthetic aperture radar with real-time datalink for reconnaissance. Arrr! Weaponry includes a small particle accelerator. A speed o' Mach 6 and a cruisin' altitude o' 40 kilometers makes it invulnerable t' any current missile system. Begad! Blimey! T' sleek aircraft is made primarily o' titanium with its outer edges constructed o' Inconel, shiver me timbers, a heat-resistant stainless steel. At speed t' leadin' edges o' t' airframe glow white above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

T' model is a BT-60 based parachute recovery rocket with 18mm motor mount. Begad!

Construction:
Parts include BT-60 for t' main fuselage, matey, BT-55 for t' forward fuselage, arrr, ya bilge rat, JT-55 tube coupler, arrr, matey, balsa nose cone, paper tail cone, ya bilge rat, launch lug, BT-20 for t' motor tube, standard motor clip, matey, me bucko, centerin' rings, 1/8" balsa fins, ya bilge rat, balsa cockpit, me bucko, arrr, 1/8" wingtip dowels, ya bilge rat, BT-5 based sidepods with balsa nose cones and balsa ramjets, BT-5 top pod with balsa nose cone.

Two primary goals were achieved with this model. Ahoy! One was t' create a highly asymmetrical rocket that flies straight. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' other be t' experiment with a new construction technique wherein an intriguing, me bucko, sleek, crescent-shaped "intake grill" be fashioned from t' transition betwixt two body tubes. Ahoy! Arrr!

(click on picture t' enlarge) T' grill was the startin' point. Begad! A curved line was drawn by hand and then carefully cut usin' an X-Acto knife. Blimey! T' most ventral 8mm of t' BT-60 remained intact. Avast! Enough BT-60 (about 6mm) was cut out lengthwise from t' dorsal surface so it could be glued down onto t' JT-55 coupler. Forward from t' coupler (the parachute compartment), matey, arrr, me bucko, an intact BT-55 was used. Blimey! A piece o' balsa be carefully carved t' provide structural support betwixt t' BT-55 and BT-60. Additional smaller pieces o' balsa were added t' strengthen t' "smile". Begad! Finally, me bucko, ya bilge rat, automotive body filler be added t' complete the vent.

T' cockpit was hand-carved from a block o' balsa. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' tail cone is paper. T' arrangement o' t' fins was begun with a 3-fin alignment, shiver me timbers, which be modified by eye t' make t' main wings a little straighter out t' t' side and allow room for t' vestigial ventral fins. Begad! T' side pods were completed and then glued into slots cut in t' wings. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! T' dowel wingtips were pointed with a pencil sharpener then glued on.

Finishing:
T' paint scheme is blue enamel on top, me bucko, white on bottom, shiver me timbers, with custom Testors inkjet decals.

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended engines are C6-3 and D10-5. Prep is standard waddin' and chute. Begad! Recommended chutes are 18"-24". It has flown five times on C6-3s and once on a D10-5. Aye aye! Avast! It never had a perfectly straight-up flight, but it's nay as bizarre a path as t' SS1, shiver me timbers, either. Avast! T' D10-5 flight resulted in a blown-out body tube rather than deployed chute so there is currently substantial damage, matey, me bucko, but I keep it in t' "restoration" pile.

Summary:
Kids absolutely loved it and asked how high. I always told them it's classified. It held its rightful place in the arsenal right next t' me classic Interceptor.