The "FAO Schwarzkopf" Model Rocket

...Yes, it really is a rocket!

• McDonald's Happy Meals
• Pringles Cans
• Large Dice and/or Star Trek Borg Cubes
• John Handcock Buildings
• Drink Cups
• Wiffle Bats
• Etc...

1. If you haven't already done so, go back to the initial construction page and follow the instructions for separating the soldier head from the rest of the body.
2. Drill a 3/8" diameter in the center of the 2.6" Bulkhead (Item 7)
3. Epoxy the 2.6" bulkhead (Item 7) flush with one end of the 2.6" Body Tube (Item 2). Apply a generous epoxy fillet to the inside corner where these items meet.
4. Using approximately 1 ft. of the braided nylon cord (Item 16), make a "LOC Style" shock cord mount and epoxy into the body tube (Item 2). Important: make sure the mount is at least 2.5" into the tube to allow clearance for the shoulder interface with the body. Also, keep the loop of the mount within the body tube to avoid zippering of the tube.
5. Fit the body tube/Bulkhead assembly in the soldier head. You will need to trim/sand the opening in the bottom of the head so that the tube fits "just snug" in the hole. The body tube should protrude down from the opening approximately 1/8" when fully inserted in the head..
6. Align tube within the head so that the bulkhead side is centered in the top of the head and mark the location for the hole in the top of the head. The plastic is translucent and shining a light up from the bottom will let you see the location of the hole already in the bulkhead plate. Using a hobby knife or drill, cut a 3/8" diameter hole in soldier head at the mark.
7. Glue the 5/16 nut (Item 10) to one of the Fender Washers (Item 8) with CA and hit with accelerator to completely dry. Place this nut/washer into a socket with a long extension and insert into the head tube. From the outside, insert the Machine Screw (Item 9) through a Fender Washer (Item 8) and tighten assembly together. Check that the Body Tube is centered in the head; if required, adjust the hole in the top of the hat.
8. Once the proper hole size/location is set, disassemble, paint the outside Fender Washer and Machine Screw white to match the head and re-assemble. Paint the bottom few inches of the Body Tube red to match the soldier neck.
9. When all the paint is dry, reassemble as above.

1. If you haven't already done so, go back to the initial construction page and follow the instructions for separating the soldier head from the rest of the body.
2. Fit the 2.6" body tube (Item 3) into the hole in the top of the soldier body (Item 1) by trimming with a hobby knife and sanding. This fit should be fairly snug as no no adhesive will be used here.
3. Epoxy the tube coupler (Item 19) to one end of the body tube (Item 3) leaving 2.0" extending from the top of the tube.
4. Wick thin CA into the exposed end of the coupling to strengthen it since this will provide the link to the Head.
5. Using approximately 1 ft. of the braided nylon cord (Item 16), make a "LOC Style" shock cord mount and epoxy into the coupler (Item 19). Keep the loop of the mount within the coupler to avoid zippering of the tube.
6. Epoxy one of the centering rings (Item 6) flush with the bottom of the body tube (Item 3). This end is opposite the one with the coupling.
7. Using your favorite method, draw a straight line along the outside of the body tube. Epoxy one section of the launch lug (Item 22) flush with the bottom of the body tube along the line.
8. Locate the center of the bottom of the toy soldier (Item 1). With a rectangular or square base as is on my soldier, this is accomplished by drawing two lines across the corners of the base. Where the lines meet is the center of the area. Mark and cut a clearance hole for the 29mm motor mount tubing (Item 5). No need to be neat, it's just a clearance hole but try not to get too big with it.
9. On the square base of the toy soldier (Item 1), cut an access hole for the backing plate (See Final Assembly) as shown in the second drawing to the right.

1. Assemble the LOC Modular Baffle Unit (Item 18) per the instructions which came with it.
2. Using your favorite method, mark 3 equally spaced lines along the outside of the Body Tube (Item 4). To the right of each of these lines, draw another line at the thickness of the fin. Across each of the double lines, make a mark 1/4" from one end of the Body Tube (Item 4). Mark this same end TOP. Across each of the double lines, make a mark 1/2" from the opposite (Bottom) end of the Body Tube (Item 4). These are the fin slots.
3. Using a metal straight edge and hobby knife, cut out the fin slots. Work patiently and change blades often.
4. On the centering ring (Item 6), mark 3 lines spaced 120° deg. apart (see figure at right) to denote the fin locations. Mark one of the fin lines "REAR". Also, mark this side of the CR "TOP". Directly in-between the fin lines, mark the center of the 3 holes as shown in the figure. Do not drill the holes yet!
5. Mark one side of the 1/8" plywood Backup Plate (Item 14) "TOP" and mark one of the flat sides of the Backup Plate "REAR". Find the center of this plate by drawing lines across diagonal corners. Place the centering ring (Item 6) over the Backup Plate with both "TOP" sides up. The fin line marked "REAR" should point directly at the rear side of the Backing Plate. Center the hole in the CR on the center mark of the Backup Plate and clamp the two pieces together. Trace the 29 mm hole from the CR to the Backing Plate. With the pieces still clamped together, drill three Ø7/32" holes at the marked locations.
6. Cut out the 29 mm hole marked in the center of the Backing Plate (Item 14). Check the fit with the MMT (Item 5) it should be loose to allow for alignment in the final assembly.
7. Take the Backing Plate (Item 14) and center it on the bottom of the Toy Soldier. Make sure the TOP side of the Backing Plate is facing the head of the soldier and the side marked REAR is to the back of the Toy Soldier. Now mark the locations of the three screw hols on the bottom of the Toy Soldier foot. These will be cut out in the final assembly step.
8. Epoxy the T-Nuts (Item 11) to the TOP side of the Backing Plate centered over the holes drilled in the previous step. You can use the screws to make sure the T-Nuts are centered over the holes but do not glue the screws into the T-Nuts.
9. With the TOP side up, epoxy the CR with the holes in it flush with the top of the Body Tube (Item 4). Align the fin lines on the CR with the slots in the Body Tube. Allow to fully dry before proceeding to the next stop.
10. Epoxy the MMT (Item 5) to the CR/BT assembly from the previous step. The MMT should be flush with the bottom of the Body Tube. Insert the last Centering Ring (Item 6) into the rear of the Body Tube to keep the MMT centered during epoxy curing but do not glue the bottom CR at this time.
11. Epoxy the Modular Baffle Unit (Item 18) to the top of the MMT (Item 5) as described in the Baffle Unit instructions.
12. Using the Fin Pattern, cut the Christmas Tree Fins (Item 15) from the 5 Ply Mach-1 Balsa Ply stock noting the grain direction in the figure. Sand all fins together to match the profiles. Due to the strange shape, I left my leading edges square. Test fit the Fins in the slots and trim the fin tabs so the shoulders but up against the outside of the Body Tube and the tabs just touch the MMT.
13. Epoxy the Christmas Tree Fins (Item 15) to the BT/MMT assembly. Insert the last Centering Ring (Item 6) into the rear of the Body Tube to keep the MMT centered during epoxy curing but do not glue the bottom CR at this time. Apply epoxy fillets inside and out at all fin/tube junctions.
14. If you will be using a positive motor retention system, make provisions in the rear Centering Ring (Item 6) but do not glue the bottom CR at this time! (That will be done in the final step.
15. Epoxy one of the launch lugs (Item 22) to the REAR Fin/Body Tube joint and fillet well.

1. Double check the Alignment of the CR to Backing Plate: Use a T-Handle allen wrench (if Item 12 is a socket head cap screw) or socket wrench with extension (if Item 12 is a hex head screw) to insert the Screws and washers into the bottom of the fin can and to the T-Nuts in the backing plate (Make sure the fin marked REAR is in alignment with the side of the Backing Plate marked REAR). If the screws don't line up with the T-nuts well, increase the size of the holes in the CR with the next larger size drill (1/4"). Check again and if required open one or more of the holes to accommodate.
2. Backing Plate Launch Rod Clearance: With the Backing Plate still assembled to the Fin Assembly, place a 1/4" rod up the launch lug and mark its outline on the Backing Plate. Cut out a clearance slot for the launch rod in the Backing Plate. Cut this hole oversized for clearance.
3. Slot the Toy Soldier Bottom for the Screws: Using the markings from Step 7 of the Fin Unit Construction, cut slots out from the center 29mm opening around the markings as seen in Fig. A at the right. Due to the un-even nature of the bottom of the Toy Soldier plastic mold, you may need to make these slots larger in a later step.
4. Backing Plate Installation: Insert the backing plate (made in the Fin Unit Construction section) into the slot in the bottom of the Toy Soldier foot. Make sure the side marked rear is point back as it will be hard to turn once it is inside.
5. Fin Assy. to Body Alignment: Slide the Toy Soldier Over the MMT of the Fin Assembly until it rests on the top of the fin can. Starting with the hole at the front (the one you can't see) use a T-Handle allen wrench (if Item 12 is a socket head cap screw) or socket wrench with extension (if Item 12 is a hex head screw) to insert the Screws and washers into the bottom of the fin can, through the Toy Soldier bottom and into the T-Nuts in the backing plate. If you cannot make the screws fit, you will need to expand the slots made in the previous step. Do not fully tighten the screws yet.
6. Fin Assy. Centering: Next, check that the Fin Assembly is centered on the bottom square of the Toy Soldier. Again if you can't get the Fin Assembly to center, you will need to expand the slots made in step 1 above.
7. Body Bottom Launch Rod Clearance: Insert a piece of 1/4" rod in the launch lug attached to the rear fin until it touches the bottom of the Toy Soldier. Mark the outline of the rod on the Toy Soldier bottom. Cut out the plastic for clearance around this mark.
8. Top Body Launch Rod Clearance: Now from the top of the body, sight the opening in the bottom and create a cutout at the top for the launch rod as seen in Figure B.
9. Launch Rod Clearance Lug Alignment: Now slide the body tube (Item 3) into the top of the Toy Soldier Body until the top of the tube is flush with the top of the Toy Soldier Body as seen in Figure B. (The bottom CR should go over the 29mm MMT of the Fin Assy. Insert a 1/4" launch rod through the bottom launch lug on the fin assembly and the internal body launch lug. This rod will bind on the Toy Soldier's legs which must be trimmed as seen in Figure C. Do not epoxy the Toy Soldier Body Tube in place yet!
10. Launch Lug Alignment: Check that the launch rod inserted in the previous step moves freely through both launch lugs. If not, the Fin Assembly is angled and needs to be shimmed into position as shown in Figure D at right. Use scrap pieces of the aircraft plywood between the fin tops and Toy Soldier Bottom to pull the Fin Assembly into allignment with the Body Tube.
11. Soldier/Fin Attacment: With Everything aligned so the launch rod moves freely through both launch lugs, Tighten the screws which go into the Backing Plate T-Nuts. From the open end of the Toy Soldier Body, drop some epoxy or CyA adhesive onto the exposed threads of the capscrews to lock them in place. Next, with the launch rod in place, epoxy the Toy Soldier Body Tube to the Fin Assembly MMT. Apply a generous fillet to this joint.
12. Head Launch Rod Clearance: Place the Soldier Head on the Body Tube and mark and cut openings for the launch rod as in previous steps.
13. Shock Cord/'Chute: Tie the ends of the shock cord to the mounts in the Head and Body. Tie a loop in the shock cord about 1.5 ft. from the head and attach the parachute to the loop with the heavy duty snap swivel.
14. Balance: With the parachute installed but without a motor, the FAO Schwartzkopf balances at 18" down from the flat of the head. This position works fine for the F62 Darkstar and G80 motors. For other motors, weight may be required in the head. This can easily be accomplished by adding more fender washers under the hat.

April 02, 2000

N.I.R.A. Special Launch (To beat the then impending insurance lapse date of 4/5/00)

The first flight of the FAO Schwartzkopf was on an F62-4 Darkstar motor with a simmed altitude of 355ft. Boy was I nervous with the rocket on the pad and all the still shots taken the LCO called for a head's up. He gave the countdown and... major disappointment... nothing. One of the spectators had seen a clip fall off an igniter lead so that was an easy recycle and away we went again.....

5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Launch and the Laser Fire igniter immediately sent the Darkstar into overdrive! A roar hit the spectators as the pad was engulfed in thick black smoke. It had to have been the straightest flight of the day and the crowd showed their appreciation with a few cheers as the parachute unfulred right at apogee to bring the FAO Schwartzkopf safely back to earth.

The launch was a little too quick for my camerman but he did get the very impressive Darkstar smoke trail from the maiden flight which is shown at right.

April 02, 2000 (at Same Launch as Above)

N.I.R.A. Special Launch (To beat the then impending insurance lapse date of 4/5/00)

With all the first flight gitters out of the way, I loaded the FAO Schwartzkopf with a G80-4 Fast White Lightning to really wake up the neighbors. I had never seen one of these Fast White Lightning motors burn and all I can say is WOW!

I ditched the Copperhead that came with the G80 and opted for another Laser Fire to fire the FAO Schwartzkopf again and was not disappointed. This thing is like a White Lightning motor on steroids.

This flight simmed out to around 525ft. It didn't seem 175ft. higher than the first flight but deployment again occured very near apogee for a textbook flight.

This time, the camerman would not loose the race and the results are seen in the photo at the left. Click image for Higher Resolution.