After the demise of my first Pershing Missile due to the failure of the clamp-on thrust ring, I needed to build another rocket to fly for my Level Two certification. This time I opted to build a 3FNC (which means three fins and a nose cone -- just in case my mom is finally browsing the Internet) and make things as simple as possible. Before I even left the launch site, I purchased a PML 3.9" x 36" Quantum tube, a payload section, and a nose cone.

I noodled with a lot of different designs, but one day I was cleaning my workbench and noticed the Estes Sizzler sitting on the top shelf. It had always been one of my favorite designs (well, only aesthetically - the rear ejection on that model was a lousy idea). I did some quick measurements, and scaling up 2.5 times put all the dimensions for the nose cone and a 4" tube in the right range. So the Jumbo Sizzler was born.

The first step in any of my designs will always be to design it in RockSim 5.0. Click here for the file. No, I never had any intention of having this rocket eject its parachute from the rear.

Since this rocket was for my Level Two Certification, I wanted to make it as bulletproof as possible. So, this was my first adventure into fiberglass. I put on two layers of 5.8oz glass and one of really fine weave 5 ounce glass over a 1/4" hardboard core. The fins were mounted through-the-wall onto the 54mm motor tube and the cavities between fins filled with expanding foam. It was overkill, but the rocket is sturdy.

The rest of the construction is pretty standard. I took extra care on the fillets. I thought about copying the Estes paint scheme, but wanted something with higher visibility and went with something dark. I painted the lower portion with black metal-flake and the top with metallic gold. There is an overcoat of clear gloss Gold chrome Monocote was added for visibility and overall good looks. The result is a pretty snazzy looking rocket.

The parachute is a Rocketman R-7. The shock cord is thirty feet of tubular nylon with a Nomex blast sleeve and a Kevlar-Nomex chute protector.

Grandma Lucy's Semi-Annual Memorial-Day Prickly-Heat Telethon-of-Love was a name I picked because I first flew it close to Memorial Day. For most of my life, that weekend was spent at my parents lake cabin in Minnesota along with my siblings and their families. My mother's name is Marilyn, but I call her Lucy (her middle name, and it goes with her red hair).

I guess I was feeling a bit nostalgic.

This rocket has flown once on a J350 (for my level two certification flight at left), and twice on a J135. The J135 is a great motor because it burns for a solid seven seconds. At eight pounds (unloaded) the Jumbo Sizzler (AKA: Grandma-Lucy's Semi-Annual Memorial-Day Prickly-Heat Telethon-of-Love) is just the perfect size for it.

Click here for video of the Jumbo Sizzler flying on a J135.

This is an unusual video clip. A thunderstorm had just past when we set the rocket out on the pad (you can see it in the background of the first shot). There must have been some very high winds at about 3500 feet, because after an extremely straight boost the rocket suddenly pointed east and the smoke went quickly west. To the right is a still photo of the 'shepherd's crook' that resulted from this wind shear.

By the way, The other guy in the video (in the hat) is Marc Casanova, a member of my same rocket clubs, SSS and AHPRA. He is a great guy and an awesome rocketeer - he's taught me a lot about the science of our hobby, and without those lessons I doubt my level two certification would have been possible. I also owe a lot of thanks to Carl Hanson (a.k.a Nyack Nick) and RTV honorable member Cory McCormick for assisting me in my level two certification.