Rocketry Boost Gliders - Let's see them!

[rokitflite]

I really like the looks of the final version. The camera angle of the glider in the second photo you posted reminds me of a cross between the rear half of Fireball XL-5, and then the yellow and big number reminded me of the submarine in Thunderbirds, even if it was #4 and not #5. The new booster with only two ventral fins, yeah, good design. I like the twin upright stand-offs too (seen in the rear view pic), with dowels, to anchor the rear part of the glider that had launch lugs, to hold the whole thing on securely at three points for boost. And the offset engine mount to keep the thrustline thru the 3-dimensional CG.

So, for NARAM-51, an R/C version, right?

You know.... Actually, even for a F/F model, it could be interesting to convert the glider itself to fly, with a SkyDart type internal pod system. The cheap/easy way would be to "convert" a Baby Bertha. But, you know, there is that BT-80 nose cone (Fat Boy & Super Big Bertha) of the same shape..... And then there is always BMS..... indeed have you seen their “stock” short nose for a 3” tube?

- George Gassaway

Oh, believe me George, I went further with it:

Here is version #2 (numbered "6" since I started with "5") that was completed in about 1983 or so. This is the only complete picture of it I have and its from a non cropped version of the photo of me from the 1986 (?) Estes catalog... The booster was a Phoenix missile kit bash, the "SRBs" were two Alphas and the glider was BT-60 based... It took D12-3s. It flew dozens of times as well and even had to be rebuilt after a sub-zero weather cato while being filmed for a TV spot. The booster finally disintegrated, but I can't bring myself to trash the orbiter.. What you see in the picture is ACTUALLY 10 years of dust (and I stole the fuel tank nose cones at some point).

 

[georgegassaway]

What you see in the picture is ACTUALLY 10 years of dust

Hah! The "TRF" finger-written into the dust of the left wing was my best laugh of the week!

- George

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

My space shuttle awaits tower clearance as a CAP airplane lands...

 

[Mike Howie]

My very first glider was the Hummingbird. Never did get to see it glide.
The Hummingbird was made from styrofoam, and was only to fly with A motors.
Being the kid I was, on its first launch, I put a C6-3 in. Pieces all over
the place. Never did find the body tube.

 

[rokitflite]

Styrofoam?!?!? I always thought it was that fiber board stuff they used!

 

[Mike Howie]

Could be. Must be my memory going. The clearest part of my Hummingbird
memory is the pieces everywhere.
(Les Nessman voice) As God as my witness I thought the Hummingbird would
fly! (/ Less Nessman voice)

 

[georgegassaway]

Styrofoam?!?!? I always thought it was that fiber board stuff they used!

Yeah, it was fiberboard (cardboard-ish). I do not remember if I had one, or if it was another club member who had one. Do not remember seeing one glide either.

- George Gassaway

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

My Edmond's Tinee-Competition.

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

From 1977--AMT B-58 giant hand-launch glider. Coated with aluminum tape and fitted with undercarriage. Would ROG on a C6-0, rise to 50", then settle back down for a 3-point landing. Originally fitted with an Estes Cold Power engine but never flown with it.

 

[user 13]

Really? Thats kind of neat!

I built one of those back in the '70s and it was heavy heavy heavy. How far was the flight?

 

[FlyBack]

First photo is my Edmonds ECEE Thunder R/c conversion. Build thread posted on the rcgroups forum. Made it from contest balsa and weighs about 10 oz without the motor (E6-RCT).

Second photo is of a mockup for an original design using an ArtHobby Zuni DLG wing (E6 powered). It is very similar to the Estes AstroBlaster in size but hopefully will fly much better. Build thread also over at rcgroups (I post as straitup over there).

Enjoy

FlyBack

aka: DJ Miller
formerly: Captain of Marines / Naval Aviator

 

[MarkII]

A couple of my gliders - clones of an AMROCS Wombat and an Astron Falcon (I still need to glue the stabilizers onto that one). The Wombat is the only boost glider that I have built so far that both boosts and glides. Usually they do one or the other, or neither (various Astron Invaders, Edmonds Micro Deltie). In fact, it glides great! I expect that the Falcon will too, once I finish it. (It has been at this stage of completion for about a year now. )

Mark \\.

 

[MarkII]

My micro gliders. I forgot to mention them before. From left to right, they are my Micro Wombat, my Micro Jet-Freak (NARTS plan) and my Micro Invader. On the trailing edge of the Micro Wombat's wings you can see what I used for trim - strips of match solder, scotch-taped on. You can see another piece on the rudder of the Jet-Freak. There are short bits of regular wire solder inserted into the nose cones. The Wombat is made from 1/32" basswood, and the Jet-Freak and Invader are made from 1/64" plywood. I turned the nose cone for the Jet-Freak; the other two are from FlisKits. All three glide fine in hand tosses, but like the full-sized version, the Micro Wombat was the only one that actually boosted and glided on the one occasion when I took the three of them out and tried to launch them. (The other two looped into the ground.)

Mark \\.

 

[heut]

Couple More, the SkyDart by the Monitor is 3/4 scale, you can see it next to the original, in the last photo.

Hi ,

Does that SR 71 actually glide? If so, what is the trick and would it be possible to convert the estes sr 71 ?

 

[AKPilot]

Flyback would you happen to have plans for that launcher of yours?

For everyone else, could I encourage you to place any r/c bg plans you have, in the "plans" section of TRF? Pretty please.

 

[mikeyd]

Hi ,

Does that SR 71 actually glide? If so, what is the trick and would it be possible to convert the estes sr 71 ?

The SR 71 is the Hobby Labs Free Flight version, and it glides well when trimmed, but as it is light weight foam construction, it is prone for damage.
Here is a link to one of its flights.
https://members.cox.net/shortckt4/SR71-1999.wmv

As for the Estes, I have wondered that myself, and thought about trying it, but using the pop-pod setup to do it.

 

[heut]

Thanks MykeyD!

 

[mjennings]

My Dr Zooch Shuttle done up as Challenger

and for the sake of comparison STS-122 just after launch (Atlantis)
and STS-120 gliding in for a landing! (Discovery)

 

[burkefj]

It may fly ok as a glider, however I did do a micro rc conversion with a pusher motor, the torque even with an eflite 180(very small 10 gram brushless) was too much for the wingspan and all I could get it to do was torque roll in an arc and stick into the ground. My hobbylab SR-71 flew great as RC, but now I have my own profile version that is lighter and flies better and is about the same size.

Frank

Hi ,

Does that SR 71 actually glide? If so, what is the trick and would it be possible to convert the estes sr 71 ?

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

Really? Thats kind of neat!

I built one of those back in the '70s and it was heavy heavy heavy. How far was the flight?

This would fly about 100' downrange consistently. Solid motor pod was the motor tube and cone from a Centuri X-24 Bug, set to thrust at a 10-degree angle on the centerline through a point a few inches ahead of the CG.

One day the decision was made to fly it on an AVI Gold Series D6.1. The model pitched up into a steep near-vertical climb, stalled and then crashed onto the steel roof of a nearby building. The nosedive caused the glider to break in two and was not recoverable.

 

[FlyBack]

Flyback would you happen to have plans for that launcher of yours?

No plans drawn at the moment. It's made entirely from 80/20inc hardware and went together just like an erector set. Will post a mini-how-to (with parts list) in the Support and Recover forum when I can find the time. Right now I've got three models on the workbench that are screaming for more attention.

Regards,

DJ

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

Does anyone remember the Space Camel rear-engine BG? I got one.

 

[burkefj]

I have finished getting the last of my BG RC plans drawn up, and I'll put them on rcgroups, I'll post a link on the plans page when they are up on tues.

These will include:X-15, Interceptor, X-1, X-20, Mach-10, ME-163, Bomarc, Winged V-2, AQM-37 Jayhawk, all designed for the 24mm Aerotech E-6RC reload and 2 servos.

Frank

Flyback would you happen to have plans for that launcher of yours?

For everyone else, could I encourage you to place any r/c bg plans you have, in the "plans" section of TRF? Pretty please.