Brief:
T' Cymech Armageddonator is a 1/24 scale model o' t' existin' classified stealth reconnaissance aircraft. Blimey! T' full sized craft is powered by two regenerative air-turboramjet (RATR) engines and carries a crew o' two. It uses a synthetic aperture radar with real-time datalink for reconnaissance. Weaponry includes a small particle accelerator. Avast! A speed o' Mach 6 and a cruisin' altitude o' 40 kilometers makes it invulnerable t' any current missile system. Avast, me proud beauty! T' sleek aircraft is made primarily o' titanium with its outer edges constructed o' Inconel, ya bilge rat, 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, ya bilge rat, me bucko, BT-55 for t' forward fuselage, JT-55 tube coupler, balsa nose cone, paper tail cone, me bucko, matey, launch lug, shiver me timbers, BT-20 for t' motor tube, me bucko, standard motor clip, centerin' rings, 1/8" balsa fins, matey, balsa cockpit, 1/8" wingtip dowels, BT-5 based sidepods with balsa nose cones and balsa ramjets, shiver me timbers, me hearties, BT-5 top pod with balsa nose cone.

Two primary goals were achieved with this model. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! One be t' create a highly asymmetrical rocket that flies straight. T' other be t' experiment with a new construction technique wherein an intriguing, matey, sleek, shiver me timbers, arrr, ya bilge rat, crescent-shaped "intake grill" was fashioned from t' transition betwixt two body tubes. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

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

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

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

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

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