Constructin' t' THOY Phoenix

This is a high power rocket kit originally developed by Tiffany Hobbies O' Ypsilanti (Michigan?), and now produced by Rocket R&D. T' suggested motors run from G t' H, matey, arrr, but unless you build very light, G’s might work only on absolu

tely calm days. Ahoy! I won this kit in an online raffle sponsored by Magnum Hobbies almost three years ago, me hearties, but waited until this winter t' build it.

Components

T' included parts are o' very high quality. T' 4" body tube is thick-walled kraft paper, me hearties, ya bilge rat, with marks showin' where t' fin slots and launch lug need t' go. You must cut t' slots yourself. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! T' fins (8) and centerin' rings (2) are beautiful, made o' 1/8" plywood and cut perfectly. Aye aye! T' fins are through t' wall, and t' tabs go all t' way t' t' motor mount. T' top centerin' rin' comes with a braided steel shock cord anchor pre-mounted, and needs only a spot o' epoxy t' finish it off. T' nose cone is from ACE, matey, and interestingly enough has a screw cap located on t' bottom instead o' t' customary plastic loop. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' motor mount tube is 38mm. Well, blow me down! Completin' t' kit is a ½" launch lug , a nine foot length o' nylon webbin' (1" wide) shock cord, a 36" nylon parachute, a page o' self-adhesive decals for military style detailing, arrr, clay for nose weight, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, along with two pages o' instructions, ya bilge rat, one o' which is a general guide t' paintin' and decal placement. Blimey! Blimey! T' instructions are basic but complete, and include some decent diagrams for assembly steps. It is assumed that you have some buildin' experience. Apparently, me hearties, at some point a different nose cone be supplied, shiver me timbers, because t' instructions call for tyin' t' shock cord t' t' plastic loop on t' nosecone, which, as noted above, doesn't exist. T' decals were t' weakest part o' t' kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I don't much like self-adhesive decals anyway, me hearties, but these were among t' worst I've seen. Ya scallywag! T' printin' was smudged in several places and peelin' in others (age may have been a problem). Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! T' finished product is acceptable from 6 feet away, matey, which is good enough for me, me hearties, matey, but t' decals really disappoint close up. A little effort t' re-create your own water slide decals t' match, or t' have them cu

stom made is an option t' consider.

Construction

For t' most part, ya bilge rat, construction was straightforward. Blimey! T' fin slots were cut usin' a new x-acto blade and a straightedge. Take your time and don't try t' cut all t' way through at once and you'll be done before you know it.

T' instructions give measurements t' sand t' fins t' their true scale shape, matey, shiver me timbers, but after slightly goofin' up t' first fin, I just rounded them all off. Avast! Elmers Fill ‘n’ Finish be used t' seal and fill t' grain on t' fins and t' fill t' body tube spirals.

To me, t' biggest worry about any Phoenix model are those aft fins. Ahoy! They just look like a pop off waitin' t' happen. Begad! T' further strengthen this area, I added a third centerin' rin' t' sandwich t' tabs o' t' lower fins. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! This extra rin' was made o' two thicknesses o' balsa, glued together with t' grains runnin' perpendicular, shiver me timbers, and then thin CA was soaked into t' wood. Very light and strong.

One trick I've found w

henever workin' with fin tabs that go all t' way t' t' motor tube is t' trim a small bit o' t' corner where it's goin' t' meet a centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! This way there’s room for any glue fillet that might already be present. Begad! Blimey! See t' illustration for what I mean.

T' instructions are very clear, me hearties, and make assemblin' t' motor mount and fins a two-step process, shiver me timbers, first t' motor mount, then t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I'll describe here how I did it, me bucko, me hearties, which be t' combine t' steps into one. Begad! T' reason I did it me way be t' strengthen t' bottom fin section usin' that extra centerin' ring.

Before doin' this, me bucko, me hearties, drill two small holes in t' balsa rin' and thread some strin' through them. Aye aye! These are your handles, and you'll see what they're for in a minute.

First thin' is t' glue t' front centerin' rin' into place on t' motor tube as indicated in t' instructions. Avast! When dry, shiver me timbers, I slipped t' balsa rin' over t' back end o' t' motor tube without gluin' it, me bucko, just t' center t' motor tube correctly. Avast! Then I set t' rocket upright and drizzled more glue around t' joint where t' top centerin' rin' meets t' body tube. Ahoy! Begad! Tilt t' tube slightly t' make sure t' entire edge o' t' rin' is glued t' t' tube wall.

Once dry, matey, I turned t' rocket over again and, shiver me timbers, usin' those strin' handles, matey, removed t' bottom centerin' ring. Blimey! Blimey! Now I glued t' forward set o' fins into place, makin' sure that they were aligned correctly. Ahoy! Blimey! Fillet well on t' inside where t' tab comes through t' slot and at t' motor tube joint.

At this point, I had t' straighten t' forward fins, because two o' them had developed a slight bow from leadin' t' trailin' edge. Blimey! Avast! T' way I did this be t' clamp a straight steel bar along t' length o' t' fin, arrr, which forced it straight. Next came punchin' small holes into t' body tube along t' fin root, which allows t' epoxy t' flow into them and create ‘rivets’ as it cures. Arrr! T' final step was layin' a good fillet o' epoxy along t' fin root. T' glue held t' entire fin root straight, which removed t' warp from t' plywood. Each side o' each fin was done t' same way.

Time for t' second centerin' rin' (the one made from balsa) and bottom fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Place t' centerin' rin' on t' tube, and let it slide down past t' bottom fin tab slots. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Next, insert t' bottom fins through t' slots, mix up a small batch o' 5 minute epoxy, and use t' strin' t' pull t' centerin' rin' up tight against t' bottom fin tabs. Aye aye! Add small dabs o' epoxy betwixt t' fin tabs along t' body tube wall and motor tube, so that once t' epoxy cures t' rin' is in place. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' fins are still nay glued into place, matey, me bucko, just t' balsa centerin' ring, which acts as a ‘floor’ for t' lower fin tabs (see t' picture).

T' bottom fins must be aligned with t' top fins before gluin' them into place. I used a straight wooden yardstick clamped along t' length o' t' upper fin, shiver me timbers, then clamped in turn t' t' bottom fin t' get t' alignment needed. Avast, me proud beauty! This lined up t' fin roots, matey, but t' ensure that t' two fins both were at t' same angle t' t' tube, I used an Estes 2-piece rod, me bucko, and clamped one half on each side o' t' fins, me hearties, me hearties, me bucko, runnin' with t' leadin' edge (see t' picture). Begad! Then I glued t' fin and fin tab into position. Begad! Fillet everythin' well, inside and out. Let it dry, me hearties, then do t' next fin. When you're done, you'll have a rock solid assembly for t' bottom fins, and they'll be perfectly aligned.

Once dry, me bucko, I fastened t' bottommost centerin' rin' into place, and filleted it well. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Instead o' centerin' t' launch lugs betwixt t' fins as called for in t' instructions, I offset th

em slightly closer t' one side, arrr, so that I could install rail buttons as well.

On t' t' nosecone. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! After lightly sandin' t' remove t' mold seam, as well as t' provide some ‘tooth’ for t' finish t' hold on to, me bucko, I packed t' supplied clay into t' nosecone. Usin' a dowel as a ramrod, t' clay be pushed as far as possible towards t' tip. Arrr! Begad! Next I drilled several 1/16" holes through t' nosecone at t' level o' t' clay. Coverin' these holes with maskin' tape, matey, I then poured a batch o' 15 minute epoxy into t' nosecone, on top o' t' clay. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Once again, ya bilge rat, t' epoxy ran into t' holes, creatin' rivets as it cured and ensurin' that t' clay would stay right at t' top o' t' nose. Avast, me proud beauty! Once cured, t' maskin' tape be removed, and t' holes and rivets were sanded smooth.

Finishin'

I covered t' entire rocket with 3 coats o' ruddy brown automotive primer, arrr, lightly sandin' betwixt coats. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! This primer has a high solids content, shiver me timbers, and filled t' last o' t' spiral grooves and wood grain. Ya scallywag! Read t' can though! T' brown primer that I used was leftover from some auto bodywork I did a while back, ya bilge rat, and had a dryin' time o' 5 days, which I've never heard o' before for any other primer (and didn't think about until after I'd already sprayed t' first coat). Well, blow me down! T' body o' t' Phoenix is pale dove gray, me bucko, so – 5 days later – I next sprayed t' body with 2 coats o' Krylon white primer, sandin' betwixt coats. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I was worried that t' gray would have a hard time coverin' t' brown primer, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, so I chose t' white t' lighten t' final coat color even more. T' nosecone is white, so I used Krylon gray primer there, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, mainly so I could tell when I had good coverage on t' final color coat. Ya scallywag! Sprayin' white paint on white primer is tough. I set t' whole thin' aside t' dry for a week.

Final Details

T' markings guide provided in t' instructions is pretty general, ya bilge rat, and since this is just ‘scale like’, arrr, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I didn't feel real obligated t' follow it t

o t' letter. Begad! Ya scallywag! I opted t' simplify t' stripin' scheme, me bucko, mostly t' cut down on t' difficult maskin' needed (probably me least favorite rocket buildin' step). Blimey! Arrr! T' silver stripes are mylar tape. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' decals were added more or less where indicated, and t' tip was painted silver usin' a brush and Testors silver model paint from a jar. Avast! Begad! Once again I set it aside for several days, me hearties, then clear coated everythin' usin' Future floor finish applied with a soft rag.

I didn't use t' supplied nylon webbin' for t' shock cord, matey, preferrin' 20 feet o' 3/8" tubular nylon attached with a quick link. At t' nosecone end, arrr, I drilled two holes on either side o' t' screw cap – one on each molded half - and threaded more tubular nylon through both holes as a harness where t' shock cord can be attached with another quick link. Ahoy! There would have t' be massive structural failure o' t' entire base o' t' nosecone t' experience a separation failure at that point.

Motor retention clips were formed from strip brass stock, matey, me bucko, me bucko, fastened with cap screws fitted into blind nuts installed in t' aft centerin' ring. A Pratt heat shield was added as wadding.

T' final, me bucko, me hearties, full up, everything-but-the-motor weight is 43.5 ounces.

Flight

First flight was at Whitakers, matey, N

orth Carolina on March 25, 2001, on an H180W with a medium delay. At ignition she punched off t' pad straight up, movin' fast. Blimey! Durin' t' coast phase, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, t' fins made a neat whistlin' sound, and t' chute ejected just after apogee. Avast! Aye aye! T' chute brought t' Phoenix down t' a soft landin' less than 100 yards from t' pad.

Post Flight

T' Pratt heat shield did its job perfectly, without so much as a single scorch on t' chute or shroud lines. Avast! T' 36" chute is fine for near-calm days, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but I think that on windier days I'll probably use a 32" or even 30" chute, arrr, especially since t' aft fins are reinforced and should be able t' handle a harder landing.

All in all, arrr, this is an impressive kit! Blimey! T' Phoenix is a challenge t' build without bein' overly complex, and t' end result is a great lookin' rocket that attracts attention. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Blimey! There be a lot o' satisfaction for me in completin' this rocket, and t' fact that she flies like a dream just made t' whole experience that much better. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Highly recommended.