Quick Oats-X
by Emmanuel Camburako

Big Red Rocket
Great Big, Colossal, Huge, Enormous, Gargantuan, Goliath,
Mammoth, Very Red, Very Big Red Rocket

This is exactly the same launch vehicle that is used to send our astronauts and scientific information gathering devices into deep, deep outer space never to be heard from again.

No.

This is the very same platform used for delivery of monstrous destructive payloads in defense of our country. It brings a tear to my eyes to think of this magnificent huge silver, red, white, red and blue, red, silver rocket streaking it's white, red trail across the blue, red sky.

No.

Well. This is a reasonable facsimile of the advanced scientific sounding rockets used by advanced scientists to conduct advanced scientific studies with advanced rockets.

No.

Alright then. We have here a vaguely similar rocket to the Red Giant.

No.

Yes. It's not red and it's not big but it is a rocket and we'll leave it at that.

Design:

This design falls into the category: what can we make from an oat cereal box that will actually fly.

The design philosophy of the Oat Propulsion Laboratory is to use oat cereal boxes for the basic airframe of the aircraft. This design was inspired by a late night viewing of 'Countdown' with James Caan.
Don't look for anything in that movie that really looks like the Quick Oats-X, the movie was just the inspiration.

Trying to balance out this odd shape was the biggest challenge. Extending the oversized fins back helped. In its original configuration, a dimensionally nearly cubic form, not enough weight could be added to the nose and still remain practical. So the length was increased.

The first design parameter was to come in under 454 gram so that it could be launched under normal hobby level modroc conditions.

Second, I wanted it to be fun to watch. I hate having to search the sky for a speck of smoke somewhere just this side of the stratosphere...
So it had to be big and slow and low.

The basic structure is a 12" BT-80 centered in a 5" section of oat cereal box. This oat box is 5" in dia. Your cereal box may vary. Centering rings were cut from poster board (fiber board) 4.875" od. and 2.6" id. Sanded to fit then the rings are first glued to the oat box and the BT-80 glued into the assembly with 2" extending from the back end.

Next, make the motor mount assembly by centering the 24mm motor tube into the BT-80 coupler using centering rings. 2" of 24mm tube should extend from the back of the coupler. Use your favorite positive motor retention method. A 29mm motor tube could be substituted but this has not been tested. Try it at your own risk. The top of a 16oz drink bottle makes a very nice nozzle. Cut to length, bore to fit over the MMT and secure with HT silicone or your preferred method. Be sure that the fins will clear the aft edge of the nozzle.

The ejection baffle assembly is made using the other BT-80 coupling. Make sure the holes in the baffle plates do not line up. Leave enough room in the top of the BT-80 for the chute and the nose cone shoulder. The eye-bolt will screw into the top of the ejection baffle. The recovery harness will fasten to this eye-bolt and attach to the nose cone. Attach your chute approximately 1/3 distance back from the nose cone to the body.

Cut the shrouds from oat tag board or cartridge paper or your choice of smooth stiff card stock. The 3" shroud goes on the top the 1" shroud goes on the bottom.

The fins must be fitted to the body after they are cut out. There are five fins spaced equally around the body tube. This is the last step before finishing and I hope you have more fun with this step than I did. There are three surfaces for each fin to attach. Sand carefully and good luck.

After the first unstable flight additional nose weight was added. Modeling clay was inserted into the NC cavity and pressed into place with a dowel rod. The amount of weight needed may vary.
Due to variances in materials and construction methods, we highly recommend that a spin stability test be conducted before any flight is attempted. This is something that you probably do anyway, right?

Specifications:

1. loa: 151' (~18" actual)
2. dia: 21' (5" actual)
3. weight:153,000 metric tonnes (~10 oz. actual)
4. thrust: millions and millions of pounds (eah!) 
5. recovery: three-100' orange and white red silk parachutes (18" plastic chute, really)
6. flight profile: what goes up must come down

Parts List:

• Oat cereal box - 5" diameter (minus the oats)
• BT-80 - 12"
• PNC-80 (estes or other equally bland nose cone maybe one of those pointy things that knights whack each other over the head with)
• One can of SPAM
• BT-50 or equivalent 24mm motor mount tube
• One can of SPAM
• Fiber board (for centering rings)
• Oak tag (for transition shrouds)
• One can of SPAM
• 1/8" balsa fin stock (other material can be substituted but balsa gives a satisfying crunch when it disintegrates on impact)
• One can of SPAM
• Other various and sundry parts and supplies that any one who has ever built a rocket will have laying around the house getting in the way and collecting dust
• One can of SPAM

Templates:

• 5" x 2.6" centering rings - make two
• 2.6" x 1" centering rings - make two
• 2.6" ejection baffle plates - make two
• 2.6" - 5" x 3" transition shroud (top)
• 2.6" - 5" x 1" transition shroud (bottom)
• Fins - make five

Photos:

Ready for take-off

Launch!!!

... just a split second sooner...

a little paint would be nice...

Flight Report:

First Flight Notes:

12/09/01 - launch at Shawnee Mission Park. Weather was cool.  No clouds, little wind. 
First flight attempt using E9-4. Checked and prepped. Motor lit right off. Good launch.
Climbed to about 50 feet and looped over then hit the ground on its side still under power.
Will recheck stability. More nose weight may be needed.

12/12/01 - Repairs completed. Additional weight added to the nose.

12/13/01 - Stability checked. Late evening launch, waning light. The D12-3 ignited without a hitch. Nice climb to about 75 feet then weathercocked to the East and flew horizontal. Ejection took place only ~20  feet off the ground but high enough. No apparent damage. May need to reduce nose weight. Although not a picture perfect flight, my recovery crew remarked, 'It was good. You got it back in one piece!'.
True enough. We'll try it, fly it again.