Brief:
Since I be a kid, I have always been captivated by t' paper shrouded rockets like "T' Point". Blimey! Blimey! My biggest nemesis, however, ya bilge rat, was always t' Centuri Vulcan. Aye aye! Blimey! I built lots o' them but never got one t' behave or even look very good...until I became a BAR and cloned one. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It's nay t' best flier in t' world, shiver me timbers, but it actually works which is more than I can say about any that I built in t' '70s.

Recently, I have been in contact with Blades from TRF about his 24mm upscale and he kindly sent me t' PDFs for t' shrouds. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! After some conversation, we mentioned other scales and I mentioned that I used t' be an engineer and still had a color plotter that handles media up t' 5 feet wide and 300 feet long. This also means no splicin' o' t' shrouds!

I tried t' print first on a sheet o' posterboard, matey, but t' plotter did nay like that. Avast! T' media be too thick. I visited t' local paper distributor and found 130# cardstock that was less expensive, matey, bigger, thinner, ya bilge rat, arrr, and stronger than t' posterboard. Arrr! I ordered some sheets and resolved t' give it a try.

It took some trial and error, but I found that landscape orientation would actually work.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 2 sheets o' 26" x 40" 130# cardstock
• BT-60 x 18" tube
• 3-1/4" x 6" launch lugs
• piece o' typin' paper
• piece o' 1/4"x6"x6" balsa
• BT-60 Nosecone o' choice
• Cygnus 29mm t' BT-60 motor mount
• FlisKits BAF60 Baffle

After printin' out t' shrouds, t' first step in construction was t' cut out t' cardstock pieces. Blimey! I cut t' body shroud right on t' lines and then rolled it up and kept it that way with some rubber bands so that I would have an easier time rollin' t' body later. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' other pieces were nay cut so close. Well, blow me down! I wanted t' leave t' fold lines visible so that I could pre-fold them before doin' t' final cutting.

For t' 2 wings, t' tail, ya bilge rat, and t' airscoop, I used a ruler t' fold along t' centerlines and make sure t' creases were sharp and straight. T' ruler was then used t' fold under t' mountin' tabs. Only then be t' excess material cut away.

Like t' original, arrr, this Vulcan has a choice betwixt 2 different style cockpits. Arrr! One is simpler t' construct than t' other but t' more difficult one is reputedly more in keepin' with t' overall design. I like both cockpits. On one o' me normal size clones, ya bilge rat, I put both on and called it t' Vulcan Trainer. Avast! Avast! I may do t' same with this one but for now, ya bilge rat, I went ahead and constructed both.

T' cockpits were pre-folded and then cut out. White glue was used t' fasten t' tabs and produce t' 3D cockpits.

T' aft bulkhead was cut out and then a circle cutter was used t' remove t' center circle. Ya scallywag! T' outline was then traced onto a piece o' 1/4" x 6" x 36" balsa.

T' rubber bands were removed from around t' body shroud and it was test fit around a BT-60 tube. Well, blow me down! It fit just right. Ya scallywag! An extremely small amount o' glue be put on t' first 3" o' t' tab and t' two halves were pressed together. Blimey! They were then pulled apart and t' glue allowed t' dry. Ahoy! T' same thin' be done with t' aft end. Avast! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Then a small bit o' additional glue was applied t' t' forward end o' t' tab and it be pressed together around a BT-60. Begad! Alignment be carefully checked and t' resultin' cone was held together with me fingers for about 3 minutes. Well, blow me down! When it was dry enough that thar was nay risk o' t' seam popping, I glued t' aft end similarly, me bucko, checkin' for alignment along t' length o' t' shroud. Ya scallywag! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! T' middle section was nay yet glued.

After t' ends had dried, shiver me timbers, I slowly started tackin' down t' rest o' t' seam, workin' from front t' back and usin' a double glue joint. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! By doin' this, I be able t' keep t' edge o' t' shroud right on t' line, and, shiver me timbers, as I realized thar would be a small bubble from nay havin' everythin' perfectly taut, arrr, ya bilge rat, that bubble would be hidden under t' air scoop t' be installed later.

As t' body shroud be drying, arrr, I used a circle cutter t' remove t' inner circle from t' after bulkhead. Begad! T' after bulkhead color plate was then glued in place and allowed t' dry.

One o' t' things that made me normal scale clone Vulcan finally work right was t' incorporation o' an internal launch lug. Blimey! I soon learned that for things t' go right out in t' field, me hearties, t' lug needed t' run t' length o' t' BT. Doin' that be problematical when usin' just t' pieces o' lug I had on hand. Ya scallywag! This time, me bucko, I wanted t' use a single piece.

I finally found a 34" length o' 1/4" launch lug at Balsa Machinin' Co. Begad! It was quite reasonably priced at $1.50 but then I learned t' shippin' policy. Avast, me proud beauty! There be a $6 flat fee for shippin' plus a $3 surcharge for placin' t' order through t' mail. Avast! Arrr! That would have brought t' price o' me launch lug up t' $10.50. Arrr! Instead, I bought a package o' 6" lugs made by LOC from me local hobby shop and decided t' splice them.

I started with 2 lugs and ran a piece o' 1/4" through them t' keep them aligned. Arrr! I then cut out a 3" wide strip o' typin' paper and smeared some white glue on one end. T' two pieces o' lug were butted together and set on t' end o' t' paper and t' glue was allowed t' dry. A toothpick was then used t' smear a thin layer o' glue on t' unrolled section o' paper and it be tightly wound about t' butt joint betwixt t' two lugs. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Keepin' t' paper tight be t' key t' keepin' t' 2 lugs aligned. Arrr! When t' first splice was completed, I added another 6" lug for a total o' 3.

I printed up a second sheet o' t' page with t' fins, tail, and air scoop. Ahoy! Aye aye! I cut these elements out just as I did with t' first set but a few differences. Avast! I did nay pre-fold t' second set. I also cut off t' tabs intended for gluing. Begad! These were t' serve as t' "inner" surfaces.

I mated up each o' t' inner surfaces with its correspondin' outer surface and did a bit o' trimmin' where needed. I placed an outer surface face down on t' table and then test fit t' inner surface. Begad! I wanted it t' come right up t' t' glue tab but still allow t' tab t' fold around it. White glue be then applied t' half t' outer surface and smeared t' cover it. Well, blow me down! T' inner surface was set in place and pressed flat and then allowed t' get tacky. Aye aye! When t' joint was stable, me bucko, matey, matey, I applied glue on t' other half and pressed t' rest o' t' inner surface into position.

At this point, matey, t' aft bulkhead consisted o' a piece o' 1/4" balsa with a hole in it and t' color plate glued t' its surface. Begad! Begad! I started t' shape it up by usin' an X-Acto saw t' trim off t' corners and remove bulk material. Arrr! A belt sander was then used t' shape it t' t' outline o' t' color plate.

It seemed as if makin' a double layer for t' fins had really stiffened them up. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! They were more or less bent into t' right shape and t' mountin' process began.

I started with t' tail fin. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! A layer o' white glue was applied t' one o' t' tabs. Arrr! Blimey! It was then pressed into place and immediately removed and t' glue allowed t' dry. When dry, arrr, a bit more glue be applied t' t' tab and t' fin was again pressed into place and held until t' glue set enough nay t' move. Arrr! Blimey! This was allowed a full hour before any more work be done.

When t' one side was completely dry, t' process was repeated on t' other side. Blimey! Begad! I waited betwixt sides because these double layer appendages are stiff and I did nay want t' displace anything.

I ordered a Cygnus 29mm t' BT-60 Motor Mount from Uncle Mike's Rocket shack t' use in this project. When it came in, construction o' t' motor mount be simplicity itself.

T' motor tube was marked 1/4" from one end. Aye aye! Avast! T' two centerin' rings were then test fit around t' tube. Aye aye! One fit just fine and t' other needed a good bit o' sandin' t' fit around t' motor tube. Avast! Once they fit, ya bilge rat, I placed one even with t' 1/4" mark and t' other flush at t' end. T' rings were then epoxied in place with 5 minute epoxy. A thrust rin' was provided and epoxied into t' end with t' flush centerin' ring. Arrr! Ya scallywag! When t' epoxy on one side was set, I turned it over and painted in on t' other, buildin' up a good fillet on t' aft rin' an sealin' together t' thrust ring, motor tube and centerin' rin' on t' forward end. Begad! After that, it was just a matter o' waitin' for t' epoxy t' cure.

For me upscale Vulcan project, arrr, matey, I needed BT-60 tubin' longer than t' 18" that comes standard from Estes. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I decided t' kill two birds with one stone and use a baffle for t' coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I chose t' FlisKits BAF60 Baffle since I had fair winds with their BAF55 in t' past.

T' first step in assembly o' t' baffle be t' thread t' Keelhaul®©™ thread through t' provided hole in t' after baffle plate. Avast, me proud beauty! I've had trouble doin' this before but this one fit just fine. Well, blow me down! T' Keelhaul®©™ was knotted and then passed through a notch in t' outer edge o' t' baffle plate so that it would pass up through t' baffle. Begad! T' plate be secured in place with epoxy and epoxy was "painted" over t' face o' t' baffle plate and t' interior o' t' coupler t' act as an ablative surface. Blimey! When t' epoxy had set, t' Keelhaul®©™ thread was fed through t' notch in t' forward plate and that be installed with epoxy as well. Avast! I spent more time waitin' for t' epoxy t' set up than in actually puttin' this thin' together.

T' motor mount was installed in a full length BT-60 tube and t' motor tube protrudin' just a touch from t' end with 5 minute epoxy. Begad! Blimey! When t' epoxy be stiff, me bucko, I set t' body tube down on its forward end and mixed another small quantity o' epoxy. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This was poured into t' gap betwixt t' motor tube and t' BT.

One o' t' decisions I had t' make was about t' nosecone. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! I did nay have t' gumption t' try and research gettin' and exact upscale copy fitted for a BT-60. Instead, I bought a package o' Estes BT-60 cones and picked one from t' two styles available. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! One be a Big Bertha type that is probably a better match but I chose t' ogive. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I sanded down t' seam and then poured in some BBs t' serve as nose weight, arrr, followin' them with some epoxy t' hold them in place. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I put just a touch under 4oz, probably too much, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but I wanted me 29mm motors t' have t' do a little work and I want t' get t' rocket back. I then painted t' NC gloss black.

I took t' tube with t' motor mount and marked it at 9" from t' aft end and cut it at this point. Blimey! I then took t' tube with t' baffle coupler and joined t' two together with yellow glue. This puts t' baffle fairly far back in case another has t' be installed at some point as a replacement. I figured that with t' nose weight I added, shiver me timbers, it should be alright. Avast! Aye aye! I did nay cut t' forward tube at this point, preferrin' t' wait until a later step.

I had been takin' me time installin' t' fins, me bucko, me hearties, tail, shiver me timbers, me bucko, scoop, etc., wantin' t' make sure that each component is in t' exact right place. After joinin' t' body tubes, ya bilge rat, I finally installed t' last fin.

T' built up launch lug I had put together earlier be glued t' t' BT with yellow glue. Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' paper wraps I had used t' join t' lugs acted like small standoffs were used t' do t' actual gluing. I set t' lug back just far enough t' protrude penetrate t' aft bulkhead.

T' body tube was inserted into t' after bulkhead, ya bilge rat, aligned and epoxied into place.

When t' epoxy joint betwixt t' bulkhead and t' BT was firm, t' assembly be slid into t' shroud as far forward as it could go. Begad! Begad! T' impression o' t' launch lug could be seen on t' shroud and an X-Acto be used t' cut a notch t' pass it. Aye aye! T' tube and bulkhead were then seated t' rest o' t' way forward and glued into place.

As t' bulkhead and BT assembly was dryin' into place in t' shroud, I glued t' cockpit into place with white glue. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I decided t' go with t' more rounded version since it seemed t' fit t' contours o' t' rocket better.

I had t' shroud glued in place and t' BT extended quite a bit in front. Ya scallywag! Now that everythin' was positioned as I wanted it, arrr, shiver me timbers, it was time t' cut t' excess BT from t' front o' t' rocket. I used t' shroud as a guide t' draw an X-Acto blade around t' tube multiple times. Begad! Each time went a little deeper until t' tube be cut.

One o' t' things that worries me about this rocket be t' stress on t' appendages under t' boost o' a mid-power motor. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' fins, arrr, tail, and scoop were all put on with white glue. Arrr! T' strengthen t' joints, matey, I mixed some epoxy and filleted t' joints. Well, blow me down! Begad! I have no doubt this is stronger but it very much affected t' appearance o' t' shrouds wherever t' epoxy was in contact. Ahoy! Blimey! T' remedy this, I set t' Vulcan up in t' spray booth and began t' give it multiple coats o' Krylon Clear. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! This mimicked t' "wet" appearance o' t' epoxy and t' rocket a more uniform appearance.

Finishing:
Most o' t' finishin' for this rocket is "pre-done" in t' pre-printed shrouds. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' only thin' I added was t' sprayin' o' t' Krylon clear coat. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! This gave t' ink-jet printed shrouds a bit o' protection and tended t' hide t' epoxy.

Other than that, I sprayed a black plastic nosecone with glossy black paint.

Flight:
T' maiden flight o' t' Vulcan 60 was on a Roadrunner F60-4. Ya scallywag! It took off and emulated t' behavior o' its smaller sibling, waggin' its tail all t' way. Begad! Blimey! T' chute deployed on time and it drifted down nay too far away. Avast, me proud beauty! I did learn that t' baffle was nay enough by itself t' protect t' chute in this rocket. There was a bit o' shreddin' and lots o' little holes. Blimey! Even so, matey, I judged it worthy o' another flight.

Video o' t' first flight can be seen here.

For t' second flight, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I wanted t' try a Roadrunner G80. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I learned, however, that this particular motor would nay fit in t' motor mount. Avast! Well, blow me down! An Aerotech G would because o' t' smaller diameter at t' ejection end. Arrr! Avast! I loaded an AT G77-7R. It took off and flew well but still corkscrewed. Well, blow me down! It be noticed, arrr, however, that t' corkscrewin' did nay begin until well into t' flight. Well, blow me down! Upon recovery, a small tear was noticed in t' shroud. Avast, me proud beauty! It did nay seem t' be from landing.

Video o' t' second flight can be seen here.

Recovery:
A Keelhaul®©™ shock cord was installed in t' baffle and tied off t' a long piece o' sewin' elastic. Blimey! A 32" Thermal Rider parachute was donated by Hartle Engineerin' for this project. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! It was assembled accordin' t' it's simple instructions and connected with a snap swivel.

T' first flight damaged t' parachute some with bits o' burnin' debris. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I attribute this t' t' baffle bein' located just forward o' t' motor mount and gettin' t' full brunt o' its fury at ejection. Blimey! This is contrary t' recommended practice but I did it thar t' give more room for t' chute. Arrr! I needed it. Still, ya bilge rat, t' chute was tough enough t' survive, matey, brin' t' rocket down safely and even be used for a second flight. A regular plastic chute would nay have worked under t' same circumstances.

I did add 3 pieces o' waddin' for t' second flight and thar was no further damage.

Summary:
This really is nay a product so much as a project. Well, blow me down! I like t' Vulcan and already have a BT-70 version in mind with a 7 x 18 cluster mount.