An Old Favorite
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| The original Mini-Maggot in 1975 |
The Mini Maggot 3 is a BAR
era re-build of a pair of custom designed boost gliders built in
1975-1977 for competition
in the ¼ A and ½ A engine classes.
The original old-fleet Mini-Maggot
proved to be a good performing model, turning in several flights. The model’s best performance occurred on
20 February, 1977. Boosted by a 1/4A engine, the glider transitioned well and promptly flew
into a thermal. It posted a very
respectable time of 64 seconds.
The model was later sold
along with most of the model collection in 1985 as part of my exit from model
rocketry.
Another version of the
Mini Maggot was built in 1977, which utilized styrofoam wings. Flown in parasite configuration on a standard
booster rocket, the glider did not survive its maiden flight.
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The Mini-Maggot 2 in 1977. Flown as a parasite on a
standard rocket, the tandem pranged.
That's me n' my old 1957 Dodge Coronet in the
background in the photo at left.
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The Mini-Maggot 3 is built
nearly identically to its 42-year predecessor.
Dimensions were taken from the above photograph of the original model.
The glider’s wings and
tail section are made from 1/16 C-grain balsa, and the fuselage is
basswood. The pod hook enclosure is made
from 1/32 thick plywood.
Finish on the glider
consists of one coat of white Dupli-Color primer, well sanded. The color coats and markings are rendered
with Sharpie markers.
The pop-pod is of standard
BT-5 construction finished with primer, Testor’s International Orange enamel,
and ‘gloss sauce’.
This model is probably the
closest to any kind of a contest-grade model rocket anticipated to be built
during the BAR era.
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