The Fractal

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LW Bercini

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I couldn't figure out the proper gallery to post this pic, so I'm putting it here.

I had this brainstorm of a concept of using a curved set of tubes to create 2 fins. My "old-timer's" intuition told me it would be stable, but I had my doubts about the structural integrity during boost. So I create a prototype to test it out.

In that it was a prototype, I concentrated on strengthening the tube assemblies, and did not attempt to make it a really clean build.

Well, the test flights were far better than my expectations. This bird flies as straight as an arrow, and much to my surprise, has no spin during boost. The best adjective I can come up with to describe the flights is "graceful" So, it's a keeper!

So then I had to do what I could to remedy the messy construction, and try to put a decent finish on her.

I named her "The Fractal" because the curves with graduated tube sizes remind me of certain fractal patterns. Besides, that is a much cooler name than "Dueling Pan Pipes"


9449027764_d3b2f30f42_o.jpg
 
Wow. now that is a different look. I love it. and the name is incredible. Well done. I would love to see a plan. What were your angles or did you just eye ball it.
Steve
 
Very nice and quite clever. I was trying to get an idea of size but in your pic I couldn't see anything but the cool rocket to compare it to for scale. Are the wings, made from cardboard tubes? What size motor did you fly it on?
 
Very cool looking! It does look elegant and graceful, so it's not surprising that it flies that way.

I do suggest you reconsider the name, though. If you did a big enough upscale, you could probably get a life-size Zamfir wrap for the airframe:

[video=youtube_share;7ISe0fdoaPs]https://youtu.be/7ISe0fdoaPs[/video]
 
Very nice and quite clever. I was trying to get an idea of size but in your pic I couldn't see anything but the cool rocket to compare it to for scale. Are the wings, made from cardboard tubes? What size motor did you fly it on?

It is made from all low power parts, with a 24mm MMT for C through E impulse. The airframe is 18" of BT-60. Below is a picture I took just after I finished construction, propped up on a sofa, which give you a better idea of size. At this angle, you can't tell that the fins curve, but it does give you a good view of how the fins angle upward.

9264538893_b80d3337f0_o.jpg
 
Wow. now that is a different look. I love it. and the name is incredible. Well done. I would love to see a plan. What were your angles or did you just eye ball it.
Steve

This the closest thing I have for a plan. CAD-meister Gary Byrum, figured out what combination of tube diameters would create a 180* arc around a 4" diameter. I cut all the tubes to length and then laid them side by side around, and up the side of a 4" diameter coffee can. The run of tubes actually ended up taller than the coffee can. I had to run a collar of paper around the can to position the last 4, smallest diameter tubes.

fractal span.jpg

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Bravo on a cool and unique design! I would have guessed that it would have spun in flight.
 
WOW !! That's what I call an original and very creative design. Nicely done my friend :cheers:
 
Oh sure,that will work..nice job! :clap: on
Does it whistle dixie on the way up?
 
Hey, you going to fly that baby again next weekend at Commerce?
 
A very cool, multi-tubular two fined rocket. Paint each tube a color of the rainbow, a blue and white checkerboard body tube, a sparkly red nose cone and call it "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," the chicks will love it! And then they say two fined rockets are dynamically unstable. Toto, we ain't in Kansas anymore!
 
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Hey LW, Ya think I might need to get an up scale drawing started? And just for kicks, have a couple of small forward fracktillian fins? You could use a tomato paste can for those.
 
Dueling Pan Pipes would have been plenty cool, but Fractal....that is outstanding. Very creative idea, congrats.
 
WOW !! That's what I call an original and very creative design. Nicely done my friend :cheers:

Thank you. Ever since beginning the hobby in the late 60s, I have tinkered with different ways to induce stability. Some were quite successful, such as the pyramid rocket. Others, not so much (pinwheels comes to mind).
 
Yes, it flies. I flew it at the Freedom Launch last weekend and Tom Binford got it on video

[video=youtube;zS-OoomC1Ys]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS-OoomC1Ys&list=UUkKBb0dZGp9VBZIEt02q2Ug&index=16[/video]
 
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