FlisKits - Services - Contests & Prizes - Deuce-Bash Entries

Main Page

Entries

Tips

Rules

About

Deuceship One
By: Matthew McFarland

After watching the discovery program “BlackSky winning the X-prize”? about Spaceship one and the claiming of the X-Prize about 5 times I was motivated to build a model with fins like on Spaceship One. I figured if it was good enough for Mr. Rutan, it was good enough for me. (I learned

how to work with composites from one of his books.) This model is not really to scale of the spaceship one as it uses the deuce engine mount with BP not a hybrid, the body is too long for its diameter, the fins are too long, and the back end is not tapered laterally.

1.    cut the body tube to 9.5”
2.    Cut out the fin template and mark engine cut out and launch lug lines. Turn 180 degrees and mark the launch lug line again.
3.    Build motor mount and install as per Deuce instructions.
4.    Cut out fin template and mark one fin on very edge of sheet. Slide the fin template 2” along the leading edge and mark another fin(you will be crossing the lines of the last fin you marked.) Slide the template another 2” and mark the root edge only. Cut the 3 root edge lines. The two 2” wide pieces are your standoffs. Cut the little triangle off of the trailing edge line and keep it.
5.    Cut the other piece of fin stock to 8” long. Now cut two isosceles triangles 2.5” wide on the base and 8” tall.
6.    Glue the standoffs onto the launch lug lines. Glue the 8”triangles centered to the standoffs. Glue the little triangle centered on the bottom outside of the 8” triangle.
7.    Build the recovery system and nose cone as per instructions and you are good to fly.

I flew mine on A8-3’s and had interesting success. The first flight was OK, but slightly unstable. The second flight was in heavier winds and was very unstable. It flew in a huge arc with ejection about 30’ above the ground and recovered with no damage. I think the tube needs to be longer or some nose weight should be added, but I wanted it short and did not use ballast as the Deuce kit doesn’t come with ant and I wanted to confine myself to those parts. I will however be adding ballast before I fly it again.
Good luck and happy flying
Matthew McFarland

		Ready for paint
		On the pad, ready for liftoff!
		And we have a good burn, as Deuceship One leaves earth!
		Coasting to apogee, she didn't get quite as high as her name-sake, but close.
		Painted and decorated with two year old hands, this is one beautiful model rocket!

rockets! ROCKETS! lookit all the rockets!
"FlisKits make the best kits!"^{^TM}