Kevin Cook's
"AGM-256 Pit Bull"
Level 1 Certification Project

Height: 35"
Diameter: 2.6"
Weight (without motor): 29oz
CP: 28.75" from nose tip
CG: 23.2" from nose tip
Fins: 8 - 4 cannard, 4 main
Stages: 1
Motor Mount: 38mm
Recovery System: 30" Parachute


I just finished sanding and beveling the edges of the fins - They are made of G-10 Fiberglass.
Nose Cone, Boat Tail, 38mm Engine Mount, and Airframe (Main Tube)
Launch Lugs and Launch Rails, Piston Strap, Shock Cord for Parachute, Deployment Piston parts, and Kwik-Links.
5 and 12 minute Epoxies, and 2 part Foam Mix.

30 inch Nylon Parachute.
My expensive fin alignment tool :)
I cut a "Plus Sign" in a piece of cardboard, and made sure it was at perfect 90 degrees.  Then I cut out a circle to accommodate the base.  The centering ring is inside of an alignment ring here, just keeping the engine mount tube perfectly centered while the epoxy cures around the engine mount. The centering ring is NOT epoxied in place.
The epoxy holding the fins and motor mount  has cured, and now I permanently added the centering ring, the Piston Strap (Tucked inside for now), and mixed 2 part foam and poured it all around the base where the fins are.
I trimmed off all the excess foam, and dry fit the Airframe onto the Boat Tail.  I had to align the Cannard (top) Fins perfectly with the Main (bottom) Fins, so I used thin wooden paint stirrers clamped to both sets of fins with clothespins.

Fin Alignment - Straight On.
Fin Alignment - Side View.
All 8 Fins are on, Airframe and Boat Tail Assemblies are epoxied together, and Launch Rails are epoxied on.
Piston Strap pulled through, and the Piston Ejection System is drying.

Shock Cord attached to 30 inch Nylon Parachute and Nosecone.  The empty end will tie on to a Kwik-Link and attach to the D ring in the previous picture (On top of the Ejection Piston).

Remaining "To Do's":

  1. LOTS AND LOTS of sanding.
  2. LOTS AND LOTS of painting.
  3. 5...4...3...2...1...LAUNCH!!!
  4. Recover
  5. Level 1 Certification!!!
 Update:
I had the flu for 3 days before the local NAR / Tripoli club meet where I could certify Level 1, and I had to make the decision the night before to go out and attempt it with the rocket as is, or wait another month.  I opted to put on a quick coat of paint and GO FOR IT!!! :)

I'm proud to say that the AGM-256 was truly a "Pit Bull" for me!!!

I achieved the Level 1 Certification with it using an H-128 motor!  I'll put up more pictures as soon as I sand and paint it:)


Here it is!!!  All sanded, painted, and decaled up!

Matthew and Ryan love it almost as much as Daddy!!!