A better photo of the Nike-Apache

For one national scholarship, I had to write an essay about something or someone that meant a lot to me. I chose to write about the Nike-Apache and the Level One certification process.

Here is the picture I had to submit with the essay, in so-big-you-have-to-scroll-down-unless-you're-a-Mac-weenie-with-no-scroll-wheel-O-Rama:

New Aerotech E20W revealed!

As posted On their web site and on Facebook, where I found out about it, Aerotech has a new motor out: the E20W. It's a 24mm motor, the same size as Estes C11 and D12 and Aerotech E15 and E30 and 24/40 RMS at 70mm (2.75") long.

Vital Stats:
Impulse: 36 Ns
Burn time: 1.7s
Peak Thrust: 35.6 N
Delays: 4,7
Loaded weight: 49g
Propellant mass: 16.2g
Isp: 233 seconds
Grains: C-slot

It's the same molded one-piece phenolic casing as the F32T and G80T, with the built-in thrust ring and yellow delay holder. It comes in a two-pack, with 2 First Fire Jr. leaded igniters (hooray!), from $19.99. Certification is expected with 2 weeks or so, and shipments to retailer will be with a month.

A promotional flier is here and includes a time-thrust curve.

I'm not sure if it's intended to replace the E15W, or just complement it, but I like it. It's a better design with the new casing, and it's a perfect match for my Nike-Apache. I'll prolly order a 2-pack of E20-4Ws by the end of the year.

Interestingly, available from the same section of their website are thrust curves for two unreleased motors that might come soon: a 54/2560 K375NW Boost-sustain, and a D3-10T with a 5.4 second burn, prolly a single-use motor as no casing is mentioned. I hope they're released soon!

My parachutes

Because I don't have much time and I've got nothing new to post, I did a count of all my chutes:

Plastic:
12": 9 hexagonal (1 in Astrocam)
16": 1 hexagonal (in Nantucket Sound)
18": 1 hexagonal (in Alexi Leonov)
32": 1 octagonal

Nylon:
4": 1 green(attached to little plastic army man for air-dropping)
6": 2 green
12": 1 formerly green, currently on Lord Gavin somewhere in Salem
16": 1 red octagon
17": 1 purple hexagon (in Mozzie)
18": 1 green octagon
20:" 1 green octagon
24": 1 green octagon
28": 1 red circle (in Nike-Apache)
30": 1 orange / black octagon
42": 1 red square

Total: 12 plastic, 12 nylon, 24 overall.

Actual, meaningful content returns tomorrow.

New Projects

To compliment my plans to buy a 29mm hobby case, I'm also planning to buy a rocket or two.

I want to be able to fly the Redline, Mojave Green, and Black Max G reloads for the 29/40-120 case at Salem, which pretty much requires staying under 1600 feet to ensure recovery. This requires a 2.6" rocket minimum; depending on the weight, 2.6" rockets can top out between 1400 feet and 2800 feet on ~110Ns G loads like those in the 29/40-120 and 29/120 cases. A 3" or 4" rocket would be preferrable, but those are more expensive, and 4" rockets risk being over 3.3 pounds, or too heavy to fly on a G other than the SU G80T.

Although I looked at rockets from other manufacturers, including some Cosmodrome kits (which I'll definitely buy more of in the future), and the Pemberton King Kraken, I eventually reduced my options to a range of about 8 rockets from Madcow. They're fairly cheap, incredible quality, and always a little quirky.

So, I asked my dad.

After rejecting the Patriot and MIM-23B Hawk ("We do Navy and Air Force in this family, not Army"), the DX-3 (too boring), the Cowabunga and Momba (he's too serious for those), and a few others, he settled on liking the Solar Express. It's a great rocket; I considered it my second choice for a certification rocket before settling on the Nike-Apache.

It's pretty cheap (around 50 bucks), cool-looking, and had high-quality stuff like a solid plastic nose cone, TTW fins, 29mm thick-wall motor mount, and a great recovery system with a kevlar / nylon cord combo, chute protector, and a 17" nylon chute, identical to the Mozzie's, that's great quality and will bring it down quickly but safely. I plan to paint it scarlet and grey and call it the Buckeye Express. An excellent excuse to use Redlines.

According to Apogee's Rocksim predictions, it'll fly to betwen 800 and 1100 feet on Fs, and 1300 to 1800 on Gs. Madcow's predictions suggest 570' on an E16-4W, 900 to 1300 feet on Fs, and 1600 to 1900 feet on Gs. I'll definitely fly it on E18-4W reloads in my 24/40 case, and on a G71-7 Redline sometime. My predictions are 250 feet on a D12-3 (marginal, a D21-4T would be better but more expensive), 500-600 feet on Es, 800 to 1100 on Fs, and 1200 to 1700 on Gs. (These are guesses only; my predictions may differ). It'll also have the capability to fly on Hs at NERRF-6 next summer. Scarlet-painted Buckeye Express on an H165 Redline to 2500 feet would ROCK.

I may also buy a Pemberton Kraken in the same order. I like the look of the King Kraken but it's just too expensive; this provides the same cool look in a smaller (1.64" diameter) rocket that can fly on anything from D12-5 and D15-4 motors, to Fs on absolutely calm days.

I'm also debating between scratch-building a 9" pyramid and a 12" saucer to use for low, loud flights on 29mm motors. Cast your vote in the poll in the upper right, please.

Nike-Apache Review finished!

2425 words, and about 4 hours total of work. Now I just gotta choose what pictures to send...

I also got a bit of building done.

I've coated the tops on the wings and the nose cone of the Orbital Transport glider with wood glue in preparation for painting. It'll take a while, but I think it'll look best once painted.

I removed most of the old beat-up motor mount from the Transwing and replaced it with a better mount with new tubing and no pesky motor hook. It'll fly on a C6-3 at the next CATO I attend, probably either October or November.

Finally, the new 18mm booster for the Comanche-3 is almost complete. I put 3 coats of red paint, which almost matches the original, and the green stripe is drying.

I found the ejection charge canister, with some extra BP remaining that I didn't load into the motor, from one of my cert reloads. Why I put it into my 29/240 case I don't know, but added to the leftovers from two 24mm charges, I now have about a gram - over a full 24mm charge - to use to replace a lost charge or augment a charge, or to place in small nozzles to facilitate staging.

Whew

My review of the Nike-Apache for EMRR is half done - parts, building, and finishing are done; flight and recovery not yet. I've already got on the order of 1000 words. Depending on how much I write, this might be the longest single thing I've written if it surpasses my massive English paper at 2924 words.

Random stuff

1) Sorry to mandachan for the wrong birthday link. I'm so used to automatically typing in mine that my subconscious took over. Here is the proper link. You really should go wish her a belated happy birthday.

2) Working on my EMRR review for the Nike-Apache. It may or may not be done in time for the next update.

3) Repairs are going well. I put two coats of black on the fins of the Odyssey and it's fully repaired. It's rather underpowered, though - I may have to make a cool-looking 18mm booster for it.

The Deltie Thunder is near completion. The shock cord mount is almost finished drying, and then it'll be finished and ready for its next flight, at CATO 155 in November perhaps.

The new 18mm booster for the Comanche-3 is also almost completed. All the joints have a fillet, but I'm adding a second round for more strength. It'll then get painted red, have greebles hand-painted on, and fly in a drag race (finally) in November.

Nantucket Sound: see next post.

4) Rolling down a small hill inside a 5-foot-tall tire at band camp rocks. It's ever better when your band teacher not only approves, but suggested it. Awesome.

Other Stuff at NERRF

Just a NERRF directional sign. No idea why my dad took this one.
 

A nice gathering of rockets:
 
On the left is a pretty big AMRAAM, probably a 4" rocket. The saucer in the middle was very impressive and loud; it flew several times including on one of the new Aerotech long burn motors, which actually resulted in it hitting one of the trailers in the lot on the way down. The guy on the right setting up a rocket is Al Gloer, CATO Prez and Lord High Executioner, who helped me repair the Nike-Apache and do my cert flight.

Mark Hanna's EssoScout:
 
According to the info on the NERRF projects page, which is the only info I can find, It was a complex L, with a central Aerotech L850W (75/3840 case) ground-started and two AT I195J motors (38/600 case) airstarted 3 seconds into the flight. There was a bit of worry of danger if only one of the twin motors lit, but aparently the LCO was not concerned, as he stated that it was 'only a pair of 'I's." (I'm not sure if the pun was intentional or not). It had a beautful flight to around 4500 feet. I was just beginning my pad manager stint at the time, so I got to take his flight card and look over the rocket briefly but not actually set it up.

A L3 cert flight on the pad:
 
I'm not sure who this was, but it was the second L3 cert attempt on the day and was sucessful. It was a beautiful flight on a large White Lightning motor then went high and recovered sucessfully on the other side of the river, with the nose cone separating as designed. I assume they got their cert.

There were only a few other notable flights that I remember. Al Gloer flew his Warloc to about 2000 feet on a Loki J800; I went with him to recover it. It actually landed no more than 150 yards from the launch site, but it took half a mile of driving as it landed just across the river.

There was another L3 cert earlier that was a beautiful flight, but unsucessful as the motor casing came out and fell separately. Better luck next time.

There were at least 2 other sucessful Jr. L1 certs as well; I talked a bit with Matt Vetere who certified on a LOC Fantom. An adult L1 cert thatI helped put on the pad was unsucessful due to motor ejection; I'm glad the Nike-Apache came with a threaded rod retention system. I plan to add it on any future MPR / HPR rockets I build.

There was a 38mm minimum-diameter carbon-fiber rocket that I helped place on the pad. It flew beautifully to something like 8000 feet and Mach 1.8.

There were about 20% LPR flights; C6s, D12s, and E9s were very popular. Two rice-paper rockets flew; one had a sucessful rear ejection and the other did not and conveniently flattened itself for disposal.

Certification

I brought my Nike-Apache all nice and shiny new to the field. I found a CATO member willing to sponsor me, and I assembled the motor and got it ready for flight. Hangar 11 was out of H128s, so I used an H165-M Redline with a deliciously loud roar. I got it RSO approved, on the pad, and ready to go:












Unfortunately, the first flight was a failure. The following is my best forensic explanation of the observed events. The motor ignited and burned fine, bringing the rocket up to speed and producing a loud roar. Due to the loose fit of the transition section, the lead weight and its high momentum pulled the Apache and transition right up off the high-drag Nike body at burnout - approxiamtely 600 feet and 600 fps. The chute, well built and packed to open quickly, did. The thin elastic shock cord snapped on both sides of the parachute loop, leaving the parachute, Nike body, chute protector, and Apache / transition coming down in 4 separate pieces. Oh snap.

I walked out to inspect the damage. Despite the high-speed deployment, the 28" nylon chute was in perfect condition, as of course was the Kevlar chute protector. I found the Nike body next. As do many rocket bodies (like the Bullpup) with large fins and a motor in back, it had glided down and came back undamaged. This meant at worst, I could buy a new 2.6" nose cone and try again sometime with a non-scale rocket, or perhaps a Nike Smoke.

Finally, I found the Apache, or part of it anyway. The heavy nose weight and fins and transition in back had made it perfectly stable coming in. Absolutely perfectly stable. It was buried so that only half was sticking out, and I could not pull it out with my bare hands. Fortunately, Bob from Hangar 11 was kind enough to lend a shovel. After loostening the sod around it, I first pulled up the body, sans nose cone. After a bit more digging, I found the cone. Except for flattened antennae and the covering of dirt they looked... remarkably undamaged. Thank goodness for the soft dirt of the sod farm.

After conferring with the ridiculously helpful Al Gloer, I set to work. He mixed some 5-minute epoxy and I scraped off the nose cone, then glued it back on and set it out to dry. He gave me a 5-foot piece of 1/4" kevlar, with loops sewed on both ends and for the chute. The kevlar would withstand more forces, he said, and could have survived the premature separation. I straightened the antennae and bought a pair of quick-links (one for attaching the other end of the kevlar to the rocket, and one because they were $2.50 and ridiculously useful), and made a small vent hole to prevent air pressure differences from contributing to another premature separation, located based on the advice of a flier I picked out at random in the RSO line who was more than happy to explain to me what to do.

Finally, I entrusted my 29/180 case to Carson's Motor Cleaning, a NERRF / METRA institution. Carson is a maybe 13-year-old kid who cleans your motor cases for you - 2 bucks for a 29mm case, 3 for a 38mm case, and up to 6 bucks for a whole 98mm case - and does it well. In ten minutes, I had a conveniently clean case.

Under Mr. Gloer's guidance, I assembled another H165R-M load, including Gary Tortora's handy tape trick which keeps all the ejection charge in. He then showed me how to put lots of tape on the transition so it wouldn't drag-separate. Patrick McConnell managed to dredge up another set of Jr. Cert forms and I was ready to go.












This time, it leaped off the pad after a single igniter chuff, and held together all through ascent. It arced over at a simmed 1700 feet, then ejected about 3 seconds past apogee due to the slightly long delay. A moment of smoke, then this glorious sight:












After about a 2-minute descent, which was very slow - about 15 fps due to the large chute - it finally landed. The cone stuck on landing, but amazingly, for the second time that day, did not break. I picked it up very carefully and carried it back for post-flight inspection.












Al Gloer and another flyer checked the rocket for damage - none - and signed off on the forms. I was offically Jr. L1 certified! Now all I need to do is photocopy the documents and send them off to the NAR HQ for offical filing and a new NAR member card with my new cert level.

I'd like to thank a few people:
My dad, for taking a whole day to be bored while I drove, bored while I prepped rockets, taking awesome pictures, bored while I was the pad manager, bored looking for my rocket, and bored driving home again, all for my benefit.
Al Gloer, for being a huge help with repairing the Nike-Apache, for witnessing my cert flight, and for getting me going again after my embarrassing failure.
Gary Tortora, for various help during motor assembly.
Pat McConnell for the form.
Several other CATO members, for various help along the way.
Bob from Hangar 11, who helpfully had all the parts I needed.
And last but not least Carson, for the very helpful service of motor cleaning.

Certified!

Second attempt of the day was sucessful. NERRF was awesome. Details and many pictures coming soon.

Certification Next!

I leave tomorrow morning by 8 to go off to Pine Island, NY for my certification flight. The car is packed and I am off to bed. With any luck, my next post will be saying that I am certified!

Nike-Apache Stability

Part of the readiness of a cert flight is being able to prove stability. The CG of the Nike-Apache, loaded with an 29/180 motor, is about 37.4" aft of the nose. The CP, calculated on my calculator, including all 3 transitions and 2 fin sets, is at 41.8" aft of the nose. This provides an ample 4.4" stability margin, equal to 1.7 calibers.

My coming week

It's gonna be pretty busy, but fun stuff mostly.

Non-rocketry:

• Driving
  • Take my last 3 state-mandated classes
  • Get back into driving after not driving for over a week in Kauai
  • Work on freeway driving
• Working. Mostly fun and hey, it's money to support my hobbies and eventually pay for stuff like college, a car, gas, etc. Ya know, the important stuff.
• Listen to music:
  • Neon Bible by the Arcade Fire
  • The Wall, Pink Floyd
  • Who's Next, The Who
• Unpack

Preparations for NERRF:

• Print out directions to Pine Island
• Decide on my line-up
• Run sims for the estimated altitude for all the rockets
• Print out (on cardstock) and fill out flight cards
Prep all my rockets
• chutes, wadding, motor retention, and making sure the motors fit
• Prep motors
  • Assemble the E18-4T reload for the Nantucket Sound
  • Bring the 29/180 hardware for my cert flight
  • Make sure I have igniters for every motor, plus spares
• Prepare my range box(es)
  • Buy a new tackle box for my MPR / HPR stuff
  • MASKING TAPE, clothespins, tools, CA for minor field repairs
• Bring money for:
  • A G80 for the Machnum Force, an H128 load for the Nike-Apache, and maybe another motor or two
  • Lunch and dinner
  • Any motor hardware (29/40-120 maybe) or kits I decide to buy
• Make sure all the motors fit - the Mozzie in particular has a lot of grimy residue in the mount from the ejection charges form BP motors.
• Pack the car
  • A bean bag to rest the long and odd-shaped Nike-Apache, with its transition, pointy nose, and antennae on.
  • Sufficient padding for other rockets. The Machnum Force can withstand pretty much anything, but stuff like the Nantucket Sound and Deltie Thunder are a bit fragile.

Other Rocketry Stuff not for NERRF:

• Repair the Rokit
• Repair my broken Estes Porta-Pad with a dap of epoxy clay
• sand my launch rods to remove corrosion, then spray on some thin clear-coat to protect them
• Make a MMX rocket from my pen from NARCON
• Work on my plans for a new larger payload rocket

Yup. This week will be busy but fun. Just like my hugoid interlocking bulleted lists.

NERRF lineup Mk. 1

• Nike-Apache on an H128W-M or H165R-M, with the possibility of an H97J-M if neither of the previous two are available. This will be my Junior Level One Certification flight. Estimated altitude 2400 feet.


• Machnum Force on a G80-13. Estimated altitude 5600ft; speed Mach 1.14 (868 mph / 1273 fps / 388 mps). It'll recover on a smallish streamer at about 40 fps, but even at that high speed it'll take over 2 minutes to reach the ground!


• Deltie Thunder on a D12-3. Estimated altitude 250 feet; if it comes out gliding at 200 feet AGL then it could easily glide for well over a minute; if it repeats the previous two flights then it may becomes scrap balsa.


• Mozzie on an F23-4FJ. Estimated altitude 943 feet, estimated speed 266 fps. Time aloft approximately 30 seconds.


• Nantucket Sound on an E18-4W. Estimated altitude 300 feet. I'll make sure to tape the motor case in this time.


• Comanche-3 on D12-0 / B6-0 / A8-5. Estimated altitude 2000 feet, estimated speed 400 fps. Hopefully my first stable three stage flight.

List subject to change.

Nike-Apache Pics

Finally, the long-awaited pictures of the damn thing. My mom's camera unfortunately doesn't have as much megapixelage as my dad's, but it helps to hide the imperfect paint job.

As always, click on pictures to embiggen.

Here it is in all its glory. Not much to say for this one, other than to note that it took me about 20 hours of time to build it; a third of that was painting. Thus, the amount of my time this is worth is almost 3 times the price I paid for it.

Total length is 52.5"; diameter of the Nike tube is 2.6" and about 2.75" for the transition. Five colors: grey / primer, silver, black, white, red.

Also, note that I've figured out how to add mouseover text for the pictures.


Here is a bit closer-up view of the Apache section. Only 3 big things here:

1)Note how the grey and silver sections up front create a neat but subtle contrast.

2) Note the nice knife-edges on the fins. Those took an hour total and were the second most difficult part of the rocket after the fin slots.

3) If you ever happen to build one, make sure to cut the fin slots for the Apache so that the fins butt up right against the rear centering ring so that they don't protrude into the black section. Mine have about 1/4" of black and it doesn't look great, though still okay.


A slightly fuzzy pic of the Nike fin can. Note the nice shiny smooth red fins and the launch lug, one of two, which is on standoffs to clear the Nike transition and prevent scratching the paint with the rod.

Note also the gold board underneath; this is a homemade stand for the rocket. It's about 8x10" and 3/4" thick. A 6" length of 1" dowel, wrapped with tape to 29mm diameter, is nailed to the board and is inserted into the engine mount. A 1/4 hole goes through the board to accept the retainer rod, then widens to 1/2" so that the nut and washer can be tightened to firmly attach it to the board.


From left → right:

• Mozzie (my only other 2.6" rocket; 19" high)
• Nike-Apache (2.6" diameter, 52.5" high)
• 29/180 case (what I'll use for my cert flight; 1.13" diamater and 7.3" high)
• yardstick (1" by 36")
• Comanche-3 (previously my tallest rocket at 39" high and 1" diamater)
• Machnum Force (one of my 3 29mm rockets; 1.15" in diameter and 17.4" high).

Just a comparison with some of my other similar rockets.

One final thanks to Snipplr for the html code for the arrow.

Nike-Apache #9: Finished!

I did lots of painting today on the Nike, including the transition which glues to the Apache. First 2 coats of primer, which went on well and looked good. Next came three coats of white paint, which didn't come out perfect but still pretty damn good. Then I masked off everything but the fins and painted them with two nice shiny coats of apple red.

After those 7 coats were all finished drying, I cut out and applied the decals to the Nike body, then clear coated everything - from the Apache tip to the Nike fin can - with a coat of clear gloss enamel. Shiny!

Then I wood glued the Nike transition onto the Apache fin can, then set it onto a beanbag to dry and not damage the antennae. Finally, I threaded the chute protector onto the nylon shock cord, tied the cord to the quick link and eyebolt in the transition, and tied a loop for the parachute.

Once everything's dry in the morning, literally all I have to do is attach the quick link to the steel anchor and tie the chute to the shock cord.

Pictures will be coming soon, then an EMRR review probably after the first flight, or maybe after the cert flight then a G flight at CATO.

Due to the steel threaded rod for positive motor retention and the 1/8" protruding part of the motor tube, the rocket does not sit on its rear end. Since it's too heavy to hang from the ceiling, I'll have to make a stand for it out of some scrap wood and a dowel.

Nike-Apache #8: Technically nothing new...

Okay, I lied. I put the decal on the Apache. Looks nice.

But anyway, the epoxy is dry on the fins and launch lugs. It's currently is the midst of delivering 2 inches of rain tonight, so primering will start tomorrow. 2 coats of primer, 2 of white, then 2 of red on the fins.

Nike-Apache #7: am I done with this !@#$ing glue yet?

The answer: mostly.

The Apache is not completely finished. I brush-painted the solitary black stripe on the 2429 transition, and it looks pretty good - really brings out the detail on it. It will be finished once I apply the decal.

All four fins on the Nike are glued on with wood glue, and filleted on the outside with wood glue. Apparently you're supposed to leave the aft CR off and put internal fillets on the fins, but I read the instructions wrong and I put both on. Since I'm not going for scale accuracy, and am willing to put on outside fillets, It should be just as strong.

I then glued the launch lugs to the balsa standoffs and on, aligning them with my 1/4" rod. I glued on fillets and sealed the balsa wood.

I then took a sizable amount of epoxy clay (I've still got 80+% left, though) and put fillets on all four fins plus the launch lugs and standoffs. Those will be dry tonight, and I'll start the primer on friday.

I also put more wood glue on the transition. One layer on the exposed surface for smoothness, one on the shoulder for fit, and 3 on the base for protection from the ejection charge.

After the primer, I'll need two coats of white on the body and transition and one or two of red on the fins. After that, I'll install the recovery system and connectors, apply the three total decals, then glue the Apache to the transition and be done.

Nike-Apache #6: the beginning of the end

First the Nike because it's less exciting. The wood glue on the forward centering ring finally dried, so I flipped it back over and did the epoxy fillet on the aft one. After the 24-hour drying period, I glued on the first fin using wood glue. It finished drying about an hour ago and the second one is drying now.

As for the Apache, with the epoxy I made mini-fillets on the fin-2429 transition joints, plus glued the weight and nose cone on securely with the clay. This finished the building of the Apache.

I then proceded to put no less than 5 coats of grey primer (4 complete; 1 partial) which turned out so nice that I'm not going to pay 5 bucks for a rattle-can of grey; the primer is actually rather nice looking. I then masked off the fin can, antennae section, and a 3/8" strip near the top (for scale details) and painted them silver. Now all I have to do is the little black stripe on the 2429 transition ring, and then the Apache will be ENTIRELY DONE. I feel.... accomplished.

In related news, I used a bit of epoxy to do the last bit of fixing on the Deltie Thunder. It may fly at NERRF.

In unrelated news, there is a reasonable chance that I will attend the OSU-USC football game in the fall. Go Bucks!

Nike-Apache #5: a slightly smaller post but a full look ahead

Because I didn't have a lot of time to work on it this evening.

I glued the Apache wrap on, and let the two wraps plus the wood glue layer on the MMT dry all day while I was riding roller coasters with mandachan.

When I got home, I used CA on the seams of both wraps and sanded them into niceness. I cut slots into the Nike wrap and sanded said slots; it's ready for fins soon. I drilled four holes in the Apache wrap and inserted and glued the antenna wires. I found the layer of wood glue on the aft end of the MMT to be dried, solid, and very nice-looking (a nice smooth CR-tube joint is a beautiful thing), so I flipped it over and did the same for the forward CR. I also put 2 extra layers of wood glue on the big shoulder of the transition to improve the fit, and one more to increase the strength of the nose cone, especially the tip which is prone to breaking.

Tomorrow will mostly involve epoxy clay - fillets on the CR/tube joints, fillers for the tiny gaps between the Apache fins and the 2429 centering ring / transition, and to hold the 6oz nose weight in the Apache body tube and to glue the nose cone on.

After that, the Apache will be essentially finished - I'll do a little final sanding then prime and paint. It's mostly grey, with some silver near the antennae and the 2429 transition ring is black.

The Nike will have the four fins glued on and filleted, then the launch lugs glued on. Then primer and sanding for it: white for the tube and red and yellow for the fins.

The final steps will involve gluing the transition (painted with the Nike body) to the Apache; application of the three decals, and connection of the two parts with the shock cord and quick-link and the attachment of the chute and protector.

Then flight.