Energia/Buran

Vince and all,

Sorry, NERRF is NEXT weekend!

Drew

DOH! (smacks forehead)

I should have remembered that, since it was the same weekend as my wife's bday - I was away all weekend and had ECRM-33 (another launch I wanted to make but couldn't) confused with NERFF.

Drew, what day will you be at NERRF? Please say Saturday! I would LOVE to see the Buran fly as well as your other awesome models. Maybe get a glamour pic of my 1284 Space Shuttle next to your Buran even....

Glenn

Glenn,

I am going to try to be there part of all three days. Saturday, however, is the trickiest for me. I coach both of my kids' soccer teams and I have 10 am and 2 pm games on Saturday. That pretty much wipes out the main part of the day. I would like to try to get there by say 4 on Saturday (I live only about 15 min from the field), so a late afternoon launch of the Energia/Buran is possible. Certainly there will be time for photo ops

I'm also itching to fly my Gemini Titan, and maybe even (gulp) my still-unflown Mercury Atlas.

Drew

That means I may get to see that beauty! Did I hear something about a G-T dragrace with Planet Andy?

See you there!

Yes, indeed, there will be a GT drag race! I'd offer one between the Energia and the Estes Space Shuttle, but with D power it wouldn't be fair

Drew

Actually, I am planning on flying the Space Shuttle on an Aerotech D21-4T, so it could happen. But I will only fly it in minimal wind even on that motor. The 2 flights on it thus far were on C6-3 power, which was, shall we say, uninspiring.

Don't know if we'll see you Drew, as we will probably be leaving around 4. Hope we do though, as I would love to see your awesome works "in the flesh" so to speak! When did you complete your Mercury Atlas? I have one on the bench now that I'm about a third of the way through, taking my sweet time as usual.

Glenn

Glenn,

I hope I make it there in time to catch you. A U.S./Soviet shuttle drag race would be awesome!

I finished the Merc Atlas, um, about 4 years ago, but haven't had the guts to fly it!

Drew

Just got back from day 2 at NERRF and had a nice flight of the Energia. Beautiful straight up boost this time, fins stayed on (one popped off on landing, though). The Buran fluttered in this time, probably because one of the outer elevon bottom pieces got knocked off just before launch. I taped it back on, but I think it wasn't really steady. Anyway, there were a bunch of witnesses this time! Sadly, I thought I had my camera on continuous shoot, but didn't, so I only got a launch shot, which is a beauty. There was again a lot of scorching on the outer upper BT; I think it will need a repaint, but otherwise she's still holding up!

Drew

Close up.

Great job Drew! Congrats on another good flight.

Maybe with all the witnesses there will be some more pics to post!

I flew my Dr. Zooch shuttle today and got a layer of soot around the upper body tube. It wipes off pretty easily for me. Is that what you mean by scorching?

Jason

Originally posted by dtomko
Close up.

Click to expand...

I love seeing the ignitor falling away!

High-fives again Drew!

The plastic fins look great! With the smoke helping, you can't even tell they're there!

Thanks again, guys! BTW, that's Glenn W's Space Shuttle also on the pad. He was trying to fly it with an 18mm Aerotech motor, but it wouldn't light.

The E-B really had an awesome boost and I am really bummed about the camera. I am going to check over at the NERRF site to see if anyone else got photos; I think a few people had cameras out.

Checking the orbiter closely tonight, both outer elevons came loose and were really pitched up, so that explains the stalling flight. I was toying with the idea of a quick repair tonight and another flight tomorrow. We'll see, though.

Jason,
It was a layer of soot all around the top of the BT on the outside, as if there was blowback as the nose cone popped out. I cleaned it with a wet paper towel and some dish detergent, but after two flights it is starting to look weathered.

Drew

Drew,

I get that same layer of soot on the Zooch shuttle and on my Outlander...Not really on other models, just those. It makes it look like an authentic flight, like the SRB's have sep'd, and I can see where it would take away from the looks of a super-fine model like yours.

And as for flying tomorrow...If you need some advice, I say "DO IT!".

Jason

Jason,
Yes, it's getting that Soviet era grunge look!

Here's another shot of it on the pad today.

Drew

Originally posted by dtomko
Thanks again, guys! BTW, that's Glenn W's Space Shuttle also on the pad. He was trying to fly it with an 18mm Aerotech motor, but it wouldn't light.

Click to expand...

Indeed that was mine! Bummer I was trying an old AT D21-4T but couldn't get the igniter in far enough because the nozzle was all blocked up. Will have to try to clear out the path for the igniter and try again.

I have to say that seeing the pics of Drew's Buran do not do it justice, the thing is amazing to see in person and had a great flight even though the orbiter flew about as well as mine, hehe!

Glenn

Glenn,
Thanks, and yeah, the orbiter flew like an Estes shuttle, all right!

Didn't even try it today; the weather was miserable with lots of rain at NERRF. Well, I can repair it more carefully now. It's actually really sturdy so I think I can get lots of flights out of it.

Drew

Drew, any more flights out of that beautiful Energia-Buran lately? Or has that amazing Saturn 1B been taking up all your time?

Vince,

I'm all about the 1B these days!

I may go to the METRA launch next weekend and give the E-B another shot. I'll keep everyone posted and try to get pictures/video.

Drew

Found this after seeing the comments on your 1B thread. Masterpiece. Can't believe the amount of hours that went into this and the fact it actually flew. Remarkable!

Thanks! It was a massive undertaking and I learned a lot about different techniques I had never used before, like vacuum-forming. I am itching to fly it again, but I noticed a hairline crack in the paint around the rudder after the last flight, so I am a little nervous. It's remarkably stable though, and pretty light, so it's a great flyer.

Drew