Scratch Stiletto Original Design / Scratch Built
Scratch - Stiletto {Scratch}
Contributed by Jim Senecal
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2012-05-22 |
| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief
This is an upscaled clone o' t' Estes Stiletto. Ya scallywag! This is one o' me favorite rocket designs, it looks fast even standin' still. This version uses BT-55 body tubes rather than t' BT-50 o' t' original and is approximately 29" tall. Well, blow me down!
Components
T' parts list for this rocket includes an 18" Estes BT-55 body tube, an additional 6" section o' BT-55, me bucko, and a tube coupler. Ya scallywag! T' nose cone came from t' Estes NC-55 nose cone set, and be t' pointed straight cone. Aye aye! Also used was some 3/32" balsa stock for t' fins, a small section o' 1/8" balsa strip used t' make t' raceway and forward thrusters, an Estes 18mm engine mount, shiver me timbers, an Estes 18" parachute, shiver me timbers, 1/8" launch lug stock, me bucko, and some 1/8" elastic fabric cord for t' shock cord. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Decals came from me stock o' leftovers from other kits. Begad! Ahoy!
Construction
For intructions I downloaded t' original Estes instructions from t' JimZ website. Begad! Avast! I made fin patterns by upscalin' t' JimZ patterns. Avast, me proud beauty! I then cut out t' fins from t' 3/32" balsa stock. Well, blow me down! I added a section t' t' root edge o' t' main fins as I intended t' make through t' wall fins. I rounded t' fore and aft ends o' t' main fins as well as t' small secondary fins. Ahoy! I built t' engine mount in t' standard fashion, matey, and added centerin' rings cut from some cardboard stock. Avast! T' two body tubes were glued together with t' coupler. Blimey! Aye aye! I inserted t' engine mount into t' body tube and allowed t' glue t' dry. Arrr! Once t' glue was dry I cut slits into t' aft o' t' tube large enough for t' main fin mounts. Arrr! I glued t' main fins on and allowed them t' dry. Aye aye! I then lined up t' seconday fins above t' main fins and glued them on. Blimey! Glue fillets were applied t' all t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I then created t' raceway out o' t' 1/8" balsa strip and glued it on, matey, arrr, filletin' it as well. Arrr! T' forward thrusters were also made from 1/8" stock, me hearties, and glued on in line with t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! I cut two launch lugs each about 3/4" long, and mounted them on some thin cardboard. Avast, me proud beauty! T' lugs were then glued t' t' side o' t' rocket as well, arrr, spaced along a side away from t' raceway. Avast, me proud beauty! T' final bit o' buildin' on t' body be t' create t' three raised bands around t' body. Avast! One band goes directly t' t' aft o' t' small secondary fins, another directly t' t' aft o' t' foward thrusters, and t' last just above t' fore end o' t' raceway. Begad! Begad! I made t' bands from t' facecard frome an Estes rocket kit. T' bands are about 1/4" wide and wrap around t' circumference o' t' body tube. Well, blow me down! T' wraps were glued on with white glue. Avast, me proud beauty! Finally I added a shock cord usin' t' standard tri-fold method, shiver me timbers, substitutin' fabric elastic for t' typical rubber cord. Avast! For a rocket this size I have had fair winds with this type o' cord. Aye aye! Constuction went well, matey, proceedin' without any problems.
Finishing
I sealed all o' t' balsa with thinned Elmer's wood putty, then sanded this smooth. Aye aye! Aye aye! Blimey! One thin' I should have done be t' fill and sand t' fins prior t' addin' t' body wraps. Sandin' t' aft end o' t' secondary fins and thrusters be complicated by t' position o' t' wraps. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Several coats o' primer followed, me hearties, sandin' betwixt coats. T' final color was simple, ya bilge rat, I used Walmart gloss white on t' entire body. T' nose cone and t' upper inch o' t' body tube were then sprayed with Walmart gold. Begad! Blimey! Once all t' paint be dry, arrr, me hearties, I added t' decals. Well, blow me down! I searched me stash o' old decals and decal stripe stock t' make t' markings on t' rocket. Begad! Blimey! Luckily t' markings are fairly simple so it was possible t' do this. Begad! Blimey! If you really want t' go crazy you could buy decals from one o' t' aftermarket companies. Blimey! Blimey! I really had no issues overall with t' paintin' or decaling.
Flight
This model has been flown twice usin' Estes B6-4 motors. Ahoy! T' rocket performs very well on this motor, ya bilge rat, matey, and would really go on a C6, but at me flyin' field it would probably be lost. Well, blow me down! On both flights, t' rocket flew very straight.
Recovery
T' rocket was equipped with a standard 18" Estes plastic parachute. Aye aye! On both flights t' parachute ejected normally without issues and t' rocket be recoverd with no damage.
Summary
Overall this is a great rocket design. Arrr! It is only slightly more complicated than an ordinary 3FNC design, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but really looks sophisticated. It also has t' look o' a real Air Force missle with t' markings and t' raceway. Begad! Ahoy! It also flies excellent.
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