Upscale Mega Red Barron

[heada]

I'm looking at upscaling the Squirrel Works Mega Red Barron

https://www.squirrel-works.com/catalog/megabaron/megabaron.html

Plan is a 50% or so upscale made from foamboard with tissue paper reinforced joints and lead/trailing edges. I'm looking at making it 29mm with a possible rear-eject motor pod based on resulting CG. My question is at what scale should it be converted from passive boost glider to RC control? I have very limited RC experience so I'd like to keep it passive if possible.

 

[cls]

My Barons don't glide very well, and I have them trimmed for a right hand circle, so they won't fly away. Unlike all those Edmonds we made that flew too well!

A big foam Baron sounds like a great project! 29mm could use one of those new G12s.

How big is your flying and recovery area? Is it still, or has thermals, or cross wind?

 

[Scott_650]

I'm looking at upscaling the Squirrel Works Mega Red Barron

https://www.squirrel-works.com/catalog/megabaron/megabaron.html

Plan is a 50% or so upscale made from foamboard with tissue paper reinforced joints and lead/trailing edges. I'm looking at making it 29mm with a possible rear-eject motor pod based on resulting CG. My question is at what scale should it be converted from passive boost glider to RC control? I have very limited RC experience so I'd like to keep it passive if possible.

Not to be “that guy” but the Squirrel Works kit is a variation of the old Flying Jenny plans, iirc, originally published in Estes Model Rocket News and available on JimZ’s site. There have been several upscale build threads here on TRF for both The Red Baron and The Flying Jenny, both free-flyers and R/C. Sounds like a fun project - keep us in the loop!

 

[lakeroadster]

Lakeroadster's Curtiss Jenny​

 

[heada]

My Barons don't glide very well, and I have them trimmed for a right hand circle, so they won't fly away. Unlike all those Edmonds we made that flew too well!

A big foam Baron sounds like a great project! 29mm could use one of those new G12s.

How big is your flying and recovery area? Is it still, or has thermals, or cross wind?

I've built several of the Edmonds and love them. I've built both the regular and mega barons before and have gotten the regular to do slow circles before but never had much luck with the mega, hence the idea to switch to long burn 29mm motors and lighter parts. Never built a "Jenny" but I did know the Red Baron was nearly a direct clone.

I have access to the AMA field in Muncie IN. It is one of the largest RC type locations in the US. 1000 acres of grass/low crops with an HPR waiver to to 6k ft and K motors.

https://www.modelaircraft.org/about-ama/visit-ama/about-international-aeromodeling-center-iac

 

[aerostadt]

Years ago I had more than one large Red Baron and I struggled with it to get a good flight. There are many Mega Red Baron threads on TRF. If you haven't looked at those, you might want to take a look. Also, building and flying a Mega Red Baron would be a good plan, if you haven't already done so. Rather than do a boost glider, you could go the the R/C rocket glider route and build a model from Dyna Soar Rocketry, which uses the E6 motor. DynaSoar Rocketry does not sell a rocket glider that uses the 29 mm motor, but their are several models that I have copied from TRF threads that use G and H motors and fly quite well.

 

[Art Upton]

I have access to the AMA field in Muncie IN. It is one of the largest RC type locations in the US. 1000 acres of grass/low crops with an HPR waiver to to 6k ft and K motors.

I do also as a Life member. But at NARAM 2018 [2019?], the Sport Range was where they used to call the R/C Car section where ROCI flys rockets.

BUT they had 5-6 foot corn right after the pavement where the launch pads were. Folks were losing Saturn Vs in the corn.

The HPR and Waiver is only when ROCI or say a NSL/NARAM flys there. Otherwise as a AMA member, I can fly up to G motors with no Waiver most anytime I would drive there. [I would call first to ask and make sure some event would preclude me from flying.]

With it 4 hours away, I mostly have only gone there for a Few ROCI events , an NSl and that Naram I noted above.

 

[heada]

Years ago I had more than one large Red Baron and I struggled with it to get a good flight. There are many Mega Red Baron threads on TRF. If you haven't looked at those, you might want to take a look. Also, building and flying a Mega Red Baron would be a good plan, if you haven't already done so. Rather than do a boost glider, you could go the the R/C rocket glider route and build a model from Dyna Soar Rocketry, which uses the E6 motor. DynaSoar Rocketry does not sell a rocket glider that uses the 29 mm motor, but their are several models that I have copied from TRF threads that use G and H motors and fly quite well.

I knew the mega was problematic and why I'm on the fence on passive BG or R/C BG. I've never built a R/C BG from scratch so it'd be all new territory for me.

 

[heada]

I do also as a Life member. But at NARAM 2018, the Sport Range was where they used to call the R/C Car section where ROCI flys rockets.

BUT they had 5-6 foot corn right after the pavement where the launch pads were. Folks were losing Saturn Vs in the corn.

They do plant corn on the north and west sides of the property every 3rd year. I've lost a few LPR/MPR in the corn over the years. Spent 2 days walking the corn before I found my L2 rocket there. If corn is planted, I avoid it in the late summer/fall when it's a huge green forest.

 

[aerostadt]

I have only flown the J & H Aerospace large Wind Lance boost glider once. It was successful on the notorious E9, but it can be flown on D motor. It was a lot of fun on an E9. The glide time was on the order of 3 minutes.

https://jhaerospace.com/product/windlance-d-engine-boost-glider/

 

[cls]

I have access to the AMA field in Muncie IN.

Ha! I bet they'd love to help you. I'm sure the depth of experience at the club is huge.

 

[burkefj]

I knew the mega was problematic and why I'm on the fence on passive BG or R/C BG. I've never built a R/C BG from scratch so it'd be all new territory for me.

My suggestion is to get an inexpensive trainer and learn to fly rc before trying to fly an rc rocket glider, let alone design one.

If you build a free flight using foam board watch your motor selection to avoid too high a speed.

Try a simple upscale of a smaller one that you have proven to fly well using the same relative boost and glide cg and go from there.

 

[Scott_650]

My suggestion is to get an inexpensive trainer and learn to fly rc before trying to fly an rc rocket glider, let alone design one.

If you build a free flight using foam board watch your motor selection to avoid too high a speed.

Try a simple upscale of a smaller one that you have proven to fly well using the same relative boost and glide cg and go from there.

This is like getting advice from Jerry Rice on how to catch a pass