Scratch XR-71 Green Burd Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - XR-71 Green Burd {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 07/18/02)

Brief:
This is a scratch built jet fighter that is roughly patterned after t' SR-71 Blackbird. As you can see, I wasn’t terribly creative in t' naming department.

Construction:
This rocket be built around t' mid 80’s after I became a BAR. Aye aye! T' main body tube is BT-50 and t' side tubes are BT-20. Begad! T' main nose cone is constructed from a balsa bulkhead and a plastic missile from one o' my son’s toys. Small pieces o' scrap balsa keep it from slidin' into t' body tube. Begad! T' nose cones on t' pods are balsa and thar be a small piece o' BT-5 mounted in t' aft o' each pod. Arrr! It has an 18mm motor mount and an old rubber band shock cord. Arrr! T' main wings are 3/8” balsa. Avast! T' long forward sections and t' stabilizers mounted on t' pods are 1” balsa strips that taper from 9/16” t' 3/16”. Ya scallywag! Finally, t' cockpit was carved from a section of ½-oval balsa (kind o' like oblong ½-round molding).

I started t' paint t' top o' t' rocket in Day-Glo green and the bottom solid gray. I mixed t' Day-Glo green with some regular green (both Testor’s) so I could transition from a darker green on t' body t' a lighter green on t' fins. Ahoy! Aye aye! However, I ran out o' Day-Glo paint and, rather than replace it, arrr, t' body ahead o' t' side fins is camo green. Begad! Aye aye! You can see the additional white and Day-Glo orange trim. Ya scallywag! T' protrudin' BT-5 tubes on t' pods are painted gold.

Flight:
This rocket has flown only once on a C6 motor (can’t remember t' delay). After performin' a swing-test, me hearties, me hearties, I added a couple o' lead pellets as nose weight. Still, arrr, it whipped t' rod as it boosted and headed off at a low angle. Begad! Aye aye! Recovery was successful, but if I fly it again I need t' either add more nose weight or maybe use me BlackSky rail.

Summary:
This design is nay unique, arrr, but is much more interestin' than a 3/4FNC rocket. T' tapered slats worked out nicely.

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