Modified Solar Sailer build thread

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

This weekend, I started building a clone of the Solar Sailer II using open-truss gussets in the center of the rocket.



The thread explaining how to build them is here.

The motor tube is an 18" length of BT-20. The center section is marked for three fins (the gussets), and a motor block installed at the lower end. Next, mark a 6.5" BT-50 for three fins and mount it on the motor end with two centering rings. The fins on the lower BT-50 are offset 60 degrees from the gussets; that is, exactly between them.



Now we start attaching the gussets to the BT-20, butting them up against the upper 2050 centering ring.



Once all three are on, we add two more 2050 rings and the upper 12.5" BT-50 tube, and it looks like this:



The trusses are taller than the designed solid-balsa gussets...



...so in our next episode, we'll add some additional pieces to blend them in.

 

[Madison Alum]

Looking good so far. I am stuck waiting for some good weather to put the top coat on mine and then the decals. Hopefully this weather lets up soon, or it's flying primer only builds in a muddy field.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

Actually, Madison, I have you to thank for this. The Sailer was one of a zillion potential future projects in the pile until I saw your build thread. That's what inspired me to take a shot at doing one myself.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

Using the original gusset pattern as a template...



...the next step is to cut some wedges out of 1/8 square balsa and add one on each end of the trusses to blend them into the BT-50 on either end.



The fins are 1/16 balsa cut from the original pattern, but with 1/8 square balsa replacing the 1/8 dowel.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

The fins are now attached, waiting to be filleted. They're a half inch back from the stock location because I think that looks better.

The nose coneI'm using for this project came from a box in my parents' attic, the same one where I found my old Centauri V-2. Don't remember what it went to originally.

 

[Madison Alum]

Looking good! It's supposed to be in the 50s tomorrow, so I am hoping to get a coat of white on my Solar Sailor, but then rain Sunday and maybe snow on Monday. Shooting for being ready to launch at our club launch on the 20th.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

Airframe complete; next step will be filling, sanding, and painting.

 

[Madison Alum]

Looking great!

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

Fully assembled and painted--just need to rig a parachute and she's ready to fly.

 

[Madison Alum]

Post the launch shots!

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

Post the launch shots!

I will when I get a chance to launch it.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

First flight today! It flew magnificently on a B6-4. Landed in a rocket-eating tree, but we managed to recover it before it got eaten.

Video here:
[video=youtube;hf6ntb6itC8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6ntb6itC8[/video]

 

[modeltrains]

Yea! on recovery from tree.