fantasy space fighter- 2.56 LOC with 29mm MM

[RochonRockets]

I thought I would make my first build thread with this one after I got the fins done and they looked really cool to me.

My intention was to make an upscale of my BT50 LPR Scratch built rocket "Duck Dodgers and the 21st and a half century"


First step was to mark the three fin lines and cut the wedge off the back end. I also marked off the through the wall fin slots and cut those.


Next I drew out the fin design on a piece of heavy card stock and transferred it to the Birch Plywood. I decided to lighten the fin weight with some cutouts. Using the "screw them together" technique I learned on here I cut all three fins at the same time and sanded them to get the edges and cut out lines flowing and even.


My original intention was to have all the fins swept back but, my Dad dropped by the shop and suggested it would look cool with two fins swept forward. I flipped them around and like the look of it.


Next couple of days I will be carving a cockpit to go in front of the backswept fin and cutting the body tube to make a zipperless deployment.

 

[BABAR]

Those are some cool fins! Looking forward to the rest of the buildop:op:

 

[RochonRockets]

I went ahead and started on the cockpit. I had picked up a block of balsa specifically for this purpose. Started by drawing out the fin, body tube outlines and a sketch of the cockpit.


Once I was happy with the shape I cut it out to test the proportions with the body tube. Did I mention I filled the spirals on the body tube?


Proportions were OK so I moved on to laying out the shape on the balsa. I made a few miss starts but got it right in the end.


then over to the scroll saw for the rough cut.


Next the belt sander and a little hand sanding.


Looks pretty good so far. Still have to cut the underside to fit the body tube and a slot for the fin.

More to come later.

 

[gdjsky01]

That is great!! How again did you cut the patterns in the fins?

 

[RochonRockets]

The fins were my own design. I sketched them out on card stock, starting with the through the body tab. Then I just freehanded the outline. After it "felt" about right I compared it to the body tube and nose cone. Once I was happy with the outline, I started sketching in the cutouts to reduce weight. I work in pencil and erase what I don't like and try again. When I was happy with the sketch I put it up to the body tube to check proportions.

After I finish the sketching I cut out the template with scissors and the cutouts I cut with the exacto knife.


I lay the template on the ply wood, using the factory cut edge as the body tab edge to keep it nice and straight. Trace around the template for the number of fins to get size and cut the Plywood in wide sections. I try to stay at least a 1/4 inch away from the fin when separating the individual pieces.


Then I notch the fin root on each end of the Body tabs Stack the pieces and line everything up by the tab edge and notches.

Drill pilot holes through the Body Tabs and screw the sheets together. Once I had all of them held together securely I laid the template back on the stack and shot a little primer to mark the cutouts. You may notice the clean squares on the blue template, that is where I used a pair of clamps to hold the template still while I sot the primer on.

Cut out on Scroll Saw following the template guide lines. I also drilled holes through each of the cutouts and put screws in those to make the stack nice and even while doing the perimeter cutouts.

 

[apburner]

The next time you do this it is much easier to use small 1/2 or 3/4 inch brads to hold the pieces together. You can use as many as you like I would use at least 2 per hole. and 2 on the tabs. That is what I used to do when I would scrollsaw pictures and the like.

 

[RochonRockets]

I really used self tapping screws but Wanted to sound like I was doing a quality job and pilot drilling the holes.
<==== Busted!!

 

[RochonRockets]

Not much to show in the last couple of days, long days at work. I have filled the spirals, sanded and shot some primer on the body tube. The fins are taped off and ready for a shot of primer. Hope to have some time over the weekend to get it moving along.

 

[gdjsky01]

Ah scroll saw. I have one. Have no idea how to use it effectively.

 

[RochonRockets]

Scroll saw requires patience. Go sloooow!!! I cheat and cut outside the line then sand to it.

On with the build.

I decided to make it a Zipperless design so I split the body tube and drilled holes in a coupler bulkhead, then mounted it in the coupler.


Primed and sanded the fins and mounted them to the body and motor tube.


This is my method of strengthening the fin to body connection. I cut 1/4 inch strips of Balsa from old fin sheets. I can get 2 to 4 strips from the left overs of most of the Estes Kits. These are glued to the fin tab and body tube. (excuse the blue tint in the pictures, my phone is getting old and seems to be taking Viagra)


Attaching the last fin and putting in the Centering ring.


good coat of Primer, Launch lug Lasers and the Cockpit. Still have to glue the cockpit and Launch Lugs on. Save that for tomorrow.

 

[JPVegh]

Kinda Klingonish design, very cool. Batleth might be a good name.

 

[Rich Holmes]

(excuse the blue tint in the pictures, my phone is getting old and seems to be taking Viagra)

I thought those pictures looked cool. Considered painting it like that?

 

[AfterBurners]

wicked cool!!!!

 

[RochonRockets]

Got a little more done on the project. All of the little tubes are glued in around the motor mount, from previous pictures.

CA coated the launch lugs, gave them a light sanding and used wood filler to smooth out the spirals, sanded again, primed, and sanded. Putting them on the drinking straw kept the CA and paint out of the inside of the tube. A little wood filler, some sanding and primer have the cockpit looking smooth too.


The cockpit and launch lugs are attached and filleted in.


On the front end of the rocket I wrapped 2 layers of typing paper around the shoulder of the nose cone to get a nice tight fit in the body tube. After getting the paper shims in just the right place I slid the nose cone out a half inch and soaked the typing paper with CA until it started to run off. I then slammed the nose cone back into the body tube making a solid bond for my laundry bay. Fill, sand, prime repeat... until the connection line disappears

 

[RochonRockets]

Been a busy week with work and some rain kept the paint on hold. Finally got a break and sprayed some color today.

it will get very different in the end.

 

[RochonRockets]

Colors are starting to come together.

 

[Scotty Dog]

wicked cool!!!!

Hey,Im the one thats says "WICKED"!
Its an East Coast thing ya see! :wink:
Anywhoo---Thats a WICKED COOL looking scratcher!!!
3rd times a charm.

 

[BABAR]

Really nice design. Fins reminded me a bit of the Kilrathi ships from the Wing Commander computer game series. Aaaahhh, the wasted hours........

 

[RochonRockets]

Thanks for the comments! It is raining here so no painting for me. Still not sure of the name for this one, maybe after the maiden flight it will develop a name for it's self.

Building a Fliskit Dead ringer while I wait.

 

[RochonRockets]

Paint is all done! Just have to put on the motor retainer and get a flight in.

2pounds 6ounces fully loaded with motor. The CG is where the 29/180 casing is pointing. I may have a little to much nose weight but I can live with that.

Will give flight report after it goes up at Orangeburg SC on October 12th on a 29/180 longburn.

 

[gdjsky01]

Nice! :clap:

- Jeff

 

[qquake2k]

Awesome design, and you did an especially nice job on the fins. I consider anyone who can use a scroll saw effectively, not just a woodworker, but an artist. It takes a certain touch, one that I never acquired. This should be a great flier!

 

[RochonRockets]

Thank you very much!!

 

[RochonRockets]

Flew the now named rocket twice today. First was a G64 Aerotech 29/40-120 that reached about 1250 ft. Second launch was on a H128 Aerotech 29/180 that reached 2120 ft. The fins did not whistle! It flew straight up both flights and deployed beautifully, even though we had a bit of a breeze. I am uploading flight videos to youtube now and will link to them shortly.

 

[RochonRockets]

Mega Bertha
[video=youtube_share;VSRX7lI1ANo]https://youtu.be/VSRX7lI1ANo[/video]
First Flight of the Heart of the Ginger Dwarf
[video=youtube_share;vBTfHGi0KOY]https://youtu.be/vBTfHGi0KOY[/video]
Second Flight of the Heart of the Ginger Dwarf
[video=youtube_share;h-GtAYnp1NY]https://youtu.be/h-GtAYnp1NY[/video]

 

[cjp]

Very cool design and great work on those fins.I thought you might get those fins to whistle when I first saw them.Nice flights.

 

[qquake2k]

Nice flights!

 

[gdjsky01]

Nice flights!

+1

- J

 

[BABAR]

Cool and congrats.

Wow, 2120 ft and landed that close to the launch area? You were born under a lucky star!