Jolly Roger Model Profile

After staining the fins on the Sky Hook, I was reminded of another recent build.

This model does resemble the The Big Red Max, only with a nautical theme.

The skull and crossbones carry more of a pirate treatment.

The Jolly Roger is a two engine cluster built last year. Here it's flown at a NEFAR launch in Bunnell, Florida with two C6-5s.

I decided to stain and "plank" one fin, much like the sides of model ships I'd built before.

The picture shows a Chinese Junk model ship. The side walls and deck are thin strips of wood glued side by side. It's a long process to get it right, there's plenty of bending and tapering the strips to get everything to fit tightly.

Here's the one planked fin on the Jolly Roger.

The black lines between the stained balsa planks simulate the tar used on a ship's deck.

I wanted it to look a little worn like an old ship's deck might be.

The metal bands are nothing more than a printed strip of 20 lb. paper glued around the fin.

Here's the recovery under two, 12" black garbage bag parachutes.

It's tough to see, but both parachutes have the Jolly Roger skull and crossbones stenciled in white.

I made a simple cardstock stencil and spray "dusted" the parachutes with white paint.

The paint didn't stick very well, but it was worth a try.