I'm going to cry! A 52-second glide and it didn't make it?
What are you guys doing - skeet shooting?
Heres some pics:
Great Dane - Two pics merged together. I made a lot of 6 span or larger swing-wings. On the left side is my first one, in 1972. On the right is a photo taken in 2006, when I converted an old model for rudder-only R/C.
1978 scratchbuilt X-models. A large and medium X-wing fighter. The large one was designed to have the top two wings deploy up for glide, like a K wing, plus a clear plastic scissor-canard. But, that model was underpowered and I never could get the glide trim worked out (it tumbled). The medium X-wing was optimized to glide, less detail, lighter, and a larger clear scissor-canard. It actually did glide, but it had to be trimmed nose-heavy to glide fast, because if the X-wing stalled it would never recover. The X-15 was about 24-30 long, flew on a D12 usually, flew really nice once on an E20.
Orbital SkyDart Project. Made a SkyDart 2X in 1999. Then in 2004, made SkyBooster, with Orbital Transport style markings, two G12 power, to carry the SkyDart 2X piggyback, then air-start the SkyDart 2X (using either an E6 or E9). This required two pilots, most of the flights were with Bob Parks as the second pilot, flying the SkyDart 2X.
Astron Space Plane 4X, with Vern Estes - Scale up of the first B/G kit. F13 or G12 power. Made a 2X test model before that to confirm it would fly well as an R/C model, which it certainly did.
Stingray-Flap - FAI type S8E-P model. D7 and E6 power. Note the flap, colored red. The Stingrays were designed by Kevin McKiou, as a very high performance all-composite S8E duration glider. By the time of the 2002 WSMC, the senior event changed to S8E-P, or precision landing (which is sometimes more like precision crash landing). The objective is to land very close to a 50 meter long runway tape, at exactly 6 minutes. Every second over or under is a point off, and the landing points are 100-50-25-0 from 1/2 meter to 1 meter to 5 meters to more than 5 meters off the line. So for 2002, the team used a new Stingray design with a flap in the center to help with controlling the descent rate and descent angle. I used the same model at the WSMC in Spain last August, and won a Silver medal in the event. Though that was a minor miracle which was due somewhat to good luck and topped by a very unique strategy that made itself viable in the third round when the wind blew at 25+ or so, which nobody else thought of (everyone else was landing on the ground at 2.5 to 4 minutes or so to fight for the 100 point landing, and most got a zero on the landing. So I didnt try to land it, let it glide as normal and drift downwind to try to stay up 6 minutes. Landed in an orchard, but the U.S. Team found it anyway).
- George Gassaway
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George, you left out your scratch built Concorde.....
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Well, I left our a LOT of gliders.
Many of which I have no photos of. Some of which I do. I was so glad to recently find that Great Dane swing-wing photo from 1972.
But since you mentioned the Concorde (BT-50 size, SkyDart style pod & elevator system), here it is.
- George Gassaway
>>>>>
George, you left out your scratch built Concorde.....
<<<<<<
Well, I left our a LOT of gliders.
Many of which I have no photos of. Some of which I do. I was so glad to recently find that Great Dane swing-wing photo from 1972.
But since you mentioned the Concorde (BT-50 size, SkyDart style pod & elevator system), here it is.
- George Gassaway
I dunno about drooling, but here's my old VMX one of it's frequent crashes, I mean flights...
(I'm behind the camera, btw)
Here it is after a few modifications, an Estes C6 clustered with a long-burn German motor (note the scars) :evilgrin:
Vids of both flights:
https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kbsafWNDiLo
https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=koCyCjw7UJA
Lost it after that non-spacking flight, but I've had another one to build for the last couple of years. Just deciding how many motors to gaffer tape to it
Phil
Yes, it's too bad that VMX (U.K. Manu.) went out of business. In talking to UMRS, he's had no success in getting a hold of them either.
Finally found the booster to this one! I built this when I was 14 or 15 in the early 80s. The glider was originally supposed to be a Dyna Soar type craft and plugged into the front of a larger rocket as the nose cone. That configuration had some of the most ugly corkscrew flights. So that booster was scrapped and I made the new booster more like the Estes full stack space shuttle model. It worked GREAT. This has probably had 30 flights on it and has been retired. I made a few larger versions of it (BT-80 booster) and all flew fantastically.
Finally found the booster to this one! I built this when I was 14 or 15 in the early 80s. The glider was originally supposed to be a Dyna Soar type craft and plugged into the front of a larger rocket as the nose cone. That configuration had some of the most ugly corkscrew flights. So that booster was scrapped and I made the new booster more like the Estes full stack space shuttle model......
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