Scratch Recycled Pepsi Concept Rocket Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Recycled Pepsi Concept Rocket {Scratch}

Contributed by John Partridge

Manufacturer: Scratch
Style: Odd-Roc

(Scratch) Pepsi ConceptBrief:
When I considered t' idea o' buildin' a rocket from recycled household trash, I immediately thought o' buildin' one entirely out o' Pepsi products. Avast, me proud beauty! Pepsi bottles look rocket-like so I began t' consider how t' build it. Begad! Ya scallywag! First I collected raw materials for t' project (there is no shortage o' raw materials in our house).

Construction:
T' stuffer tube and engine block were made from cardboard from t' cartons and so were t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! On t' advise o' a friend from T' Rocketry Forum, I made t' engine hook from an old windshield wiper. Arrr! I couldn't find anythin' with a Pepsi logo on it for a parachute so I used a Hobby Lobby bag instead.

T' stuffer tube assembly with centerin' rings were also cut from cartons. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Finally, t' rocket be put on t' pad.

(Scratch) Pepsi Concept(Scratch) Pepsi Concept

Flight and Recovery:
With all t' layers I needed t' make t' centerin' rings and t' fins rigid as well as t' extra nose weight I needed t' have any chance at a stable flight, I knew me weight was dangerously high for an 18mm motor. Begad! My simulations said that it would just barely make t' minimum speed off t' launch rod and would only fly about 200ft on a C5. Well, blow me down! T' recommended delay be 2.5 seconds so I used a C5-3 (or so I thought). I decided t' fly it for t' first time alone without me kids because I wasn't certain o' how stable it would be but it came off t' pad nicely. Aye aye! Begad! It rolled a little and arced into t' wind but seemed fairly stable and made a little altitude. Ahoy! Then it headed straight for t' ground. Begad! It turns out that in me haste t' launch this rocket before some threatenin' rain, I misread t' label on t' motor and used a C6-5 instead. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' deployment charge fired well after t' rocket impacted t' ground.

(Scratch) Pepsi Concept(Scratch) Pepsi Concept

Summary:
T' wings sheared off, arrr, matey, matey, t' nose cone splintered and spread itself over more than 20 feet in either direction. Begad! T' shock cord burned through and t' engine block seems t' have sheared off as well. This was a fun build and cost me nothin' except a bunch o' epoxy. Blimey! Blimey! I learned a lot and may well try this again over t' winter. Avast, me proud beauty! Next time I will be usin' through t' wall fin construction, ya bilge rat, an internal structure o' some kind for t' nose cone stack, and a 24mm motor. Avast! It may even be a cluster...

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