Sunday, September 20, 2009

Back into the Sky! (no, this is not a Colonial Viper).



Back into the Sky!

Here's a new paper air rocket.

I discovered there were plans for making paper model rockets - easily adapted to making an air rocket.  (http://rocketry.wordpress.com/ultimate-paper-rocket-guide/).   I adapted "Bob Harrington’s Satellite Interceptor" into a paper air rocket.

The main trick for my rockets is knowing the width of paper around the pipe launcher is 3 inches in width.  So I captured the main body image from the PDF, and printed it out with the dimensions 3x11 (stretching it a bit) - then I added an extender to the top - for future rockets, I'll overlap instead of taping together the extender for a better seal - I'll also add artwork to the that portion.  I printed the fins to card stock and attached them, crimping a bit so the rocket will spin in flight for stability.

 This is a quick first attempt, and it worked well.  A bit heavier than the magazine paper versions, it probably won't fly as high.... I only got one flight in because my air supply (a two liter pop bottle) broke after the first flight.  Not too surprising since it was a couple years old and a veteran of many, many air rocket flights.