Scouts Virtual Wednesday – Build Model Rocket

This week I am not able to run Scouts because I am away with work and will unfortunately be on the M6 in the dark and probably driving rain.
However, there is no reason you can’t have a go at building a model rocket. That actually flies.
I suggest one or both of two propulsion systems:
Air/water
Or
Vinegar / Bicarbonate
Both of these use a plastic pop bottle, some stiff card, some strong tape, a bin bag, fishing line or cotton thread, (for a recovery parachute) and, importantly, a cork.
For the air/ water rocket, you need a bicycle or football pump and an air needle. If you have a football pump, you probably already have the air needle. If you’re strictly a cyclist though, you’ll need to obtain the needle. I got mine from Cars and Bikes on the Main Street in Frodsham.
The other bit that is hard to get is a cork. Even if your parents are wine buffs, most wine comes in a screw top bottle these days, even the expensive stuff. Fortunately, due to my previous hobby of home brew, I have a lot of corks, and have left a glass screw top jar with corks in behind the mini bus, in the corner of the steps to the front door at the Scout Hut, so you can get some.
Here is a you tube video from the Mia show, where Mia makes an air/water rocket.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G8mn7axRnMo
The video doesn’t show you how to make a launcher, although Mia’s is a sandwich box with the cork mounted in the lid, and the air line from the pump fed underneath it to the underside of the cork. Also, the video doesn’t show you tips like wrapping tape around your cork to make it fit tightly if your bottle neck is a bit wider than the cork. Another issue is that the air needle is shorter than the cork, so get someone to cut your cork length down a bit.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Baking-Soda-and-Vinegar-Rocket
If you don’t have a pump and don’t feel like buying one, you can make a vinegar / bicarbonate rocket instead. Depending how much vinegar you have, I’d be tempted to make this one smaller. You can get bicarbonate in the baking aisle at the supermarket.
The principle is the same, except you one third to one half fill your rocket with vinegar, then wrap your bicarbonate in some kitchen paper (this serves as a fuse), put the cork in, stand the rocket up in the launch position, then stand back.
You need a wide open space and ideally daylight to launch your rocket, like a public park.
Photos or it didn’t happen!
Lorna