KC-6 Space Shuttle mod

[dtomko]

I had an extra set of laser-cut orbiter parts from a Blast from the Past Rocketry Space Shuttle kit, so I put together another stack. I liked the look of the concept designs with both orbiter and booster in the same wing configuration, so I redid the booster. Originally I was toying with some sort of a pop-up rudder for the booster, but decided to keep it simple. Cones and tubes are from Semroc.

Drew

[dlazarus6660]

Nice mod! I like this model, I'll do the same when I build mine.
I read somewhere you might want to add more wing area to the glider for a better glide.

Nice model!

What paint scheme will you use?

[aerostadt]

Nice looking model, but I think that you will have stability problems unless you make special provisions.

[modeltrains]

Whatcha going to paint it like?

[hornet driver]

I like where your going with this. I did one similar--but different-- a long-long time ago. On mine the larger bottom craft was the booster and had a delta wing but the top smaller glider was pretty similar. I had a bit broader--not taller-- vertical on it. Had some lateral stabillity issues but not bad. Fast glider but fun.Believe it or not , little wing tip plates help with the glide but don't go overboard they can knock your CP off.

[dtomko]

Thanks, guys.
As far as stability goes, the original Centuri design was (mostly) stable. My Blast from the Past clone flies great, although it has vacuum formed nose cones that really help the glide. I've seen threads about the orbiter's wing area, and also see that Semroc recommends moving the orbiter's wings forward for a better glide. I am sure this is due to the weight of the balsa nose cones. Although they are lighter than Centuri's plastic ones, they still add forward weight for the glide. I'm going to hollow out mine as much as I can. I'm hoping this booster mod will take some of the squiggliness out of the boost (on mine all that wing area toward the back sometimes makes it pitch up and down on the way up), but I wouldn't recommend anyone copying this until I've flight tested it!
As far as the colors go, I still like the original Centuri scheme, but I also like the silver look, or a more practical scheme with faux tiling on the bottoms, or at least black undersides on both.

Drew

[hornet driver]

I really like the tile effect. Did it on one of my Interceptor E's and liked the results. You can do it with airbrush or rattle can . The way I did it was simple and straight forward. Tape off and spray base colour--overlay nylon screening and respray with chosen colour. Dust coat a bit of black at an angle--done--cheesecloth works as well

[Carl]

... Cones and tubes are from Semroc.

DrewWhen we kit the Space Shuttle, we select balsa in the 5.7 to 6.3 PCF range to keep the weight as low as possible. Our standard cones are 6 to 8 PCF. I hope we sent some of the light ones! If they are too heavey, we can send lighter ones to replace them.

[dtomko]

Carl, the cones are awesome, really light and tight grain. I'm just trying to scrape every gram I can out of this!

Hornet Driver - I love that effect and may steal your technique!

Drew

[hornet driver]

Take that technique and run with it. It has lots of variations so you can make it your own.Feel free to PM me if you need.

[Micromeister]

Thanks, guys.
As far as stability goes, the original Centuri design was (mostly) stable. My Blast from the Past clone flies great, although it has vacuum formed nose cones that really help the glide. I've seen threads about the orbiter's wing area, and also see that Semroc recommends moving the orbiter's wings forward for a better glide. I am sure this is due to the weight of the balsa nose cones. Although they are lighter than Centuri's plastic ones, they still add forward weight for the glide. I'm going to hollow out mine as much as I can. I'm hoping this booster mod will take some of the squiggliness out of the boost (on mine all that wing area toward the back sometimes makes it pitch up and down on the way up), but I wouldn't recommend anyone copying this until I've flight tested it!
As far as the colors go, I still like the original Centuri scheme, but I also like the silver look, or a more practical scheme with faux tiling on the bottoms, or at least black undersides on both.

Drew

Drew:
I also like the styling of the KC-6 but didn't like the doubled adhesive paper booster tabs. nor was the wing location good for getting any kind of glide at all out of the little orbiter. I did some alterations to both wing size and location on the orbiter and added adjustable balsa flaps to the booster. both alteration have vastly improved both boost flight path predictability and fairly decent durations time on both in glide mode.

[GuyNoir]

I did some alterations to both wing size and location on the orbiter and added adjustable balsa flaps to the booster. both alteration have vastly improved both boost flight path predictability and fairly decent durations time on both in glide mode.

Any chance you can provide the angle of the elevators when deployed on that booster?

Also, do you leave the elevators flat for boost?

Just wondering. . . .

[Micromeister]

Any chance you can provide the angle of the elevators when deployed on that booster?

Also, do you leave the elevators flat for boost?

Just wondering. . . .

sure Mark:
The Glide angle is preset at 30° using elastic thread to hold them loosely enough that pressure from the motor thrust brings them back to the stops during boost. The stops were preset at about 10° for my models 2nd flight. Leaving them flat on the first flight didn't give me the straight up flight I was looking for. I tweeked them up another degree or two for the 3rd & 4th flights so I believe without measuring the model (Stored in the Shed at the moment) the boost elevator stop screws are set at 12° now which gave this particular model a very nice nearly staight up flight.
I did get the orbiter back a month later after it worked it's way out of the top of that Huge Tree.

Ps: I did a complete detailed Build thread on this model in the LP forum a couple years ago, I'm sure a search should being that tread up which documents all the alterations and second orbiter build after loosing the original to the top of that darn 75 foot Tree.

[aerostadt]

The Glide angle is preset at 30° using elastic thread to hold them loosely enough that pressure from the motor thrust brings them back to the stops during boost. The stops were preset at about 10° for my models 2nd flight. Leaving them flat on the first flight didn't give me the straight up flight I was looking for. I tweeked them up another degree or two for the 3rd & 4th flights so I believe without measuring the model (Stored in the Shed at the moment) the boost elevator stop screws are set at 12° now which gave this particular model a very nice nearly staight up flight.

This is good to know. How high does the model go with which motor?

[Micromeister]

C6-3 ONLY
about 275feet

[dtomko]

Yes, a C6-3 is the only one you can use. This was made for the C5-3, but you can't get those anymore. I still have a few packs stashed away.

[kjohnson]

Yes, a C6-3 is the only one you can use. This was made for the C5-3, but you can't get those anymore. I still have a few packs stashed away.

I would add that you don't want to use a Quest long burn C6-3.

kj

[dtomko]

After the second coat of primer, most of which I'll sand off, like the first. Still not sure of a scheme, and I will probably fly it before final painting, so I don't waste the paint if it doesn't make it! I added winglets to the booster's wings.

Drew

[hornet driver]

I like the winglets--they'll make a difference--What are they made of ?they look delicate. Also, the pics look like you have 2 different nose cones--is that so or is it an optical. Nice build so far , looking forward to the finished product .

[dtomko]

Winglets are balsa, sanded a bit thin. They are delicate. Same nose cone, but the booster and orbiter cone shapes are slightly different.
They both glide pretty nicely, by the way, when hand launched.

[dtomko]

And the cardstock cockpits added. If it ever stops raining I can paint the top coats. I have some decals I think I can put to good use with this.

Drew

[dtomko]

Finally painted. White upper surfaces on both. The orbiter bottom is black and the booster's is silver. I'll get better photos tomorrow.

Drew

[dtomko]

Better photos.

[hornet driver]

Really like what you've done so far !! What's the green stuff in the background? We don't have any of that in Dallas.lol

[dtomko]

Decals.

[hornet driver]

OK--Very cool !!

[Micromeister]

Very Nicely done!
Great new look for a wonderful old design:)

[Fred22]

Very Nicely done!
Great new look for a wonderful old design:)

I agree:)
Cheers
fred