George, did you just happen to come across all the info you know about the SS while gathering data for your scale models, or are you just a general fan of the shuttle system? It's cool, nonetheless.
Both, a fan of the shuttle and from gathering info for scale models. I think that most builders of scale models HAVE to be a fan of the vehicle they are modeling, to put their best efforts into it.
However, when the shuttle was first being developed in the mid 1970’s, I never expected that I could build a GOOD scale model of a shuttle someday. I did not have the scale building skills, and did not know how to fly R/C. And some of the technology that would be key to the ultimate model, like the onboard flight computer, did not exist (heck, home computers were only just on the verge of coming out).
My first model was just an orbiter, built the day after Enterprise’s first drop test glide flight in August 1977. About 1/80 scale very crude orbiter, piggybacked on a long rocket. A full stack shuttle model at about 1/110 scale, still very crude orbiter type and very crude model, in 1979.
In 1983, I made an R/C 1/72 scale R/C orbiter, based on a plan from Model Aviation magazine, though I made my own mods to make it as lightweight as possible (I think 7.5 ounces with 3-channels of radio gear). That one did look more like the real one since I used Monokote, decals, and vac-formed OMS pods and main engines.
In 1984, a boilerplate 1/72 shuttle with ET and SRB’s, and a boilerplate orbiter that has flown many times on other ET/SRB combos. The idea of that boilerplate was to prove out a version that someone on the U.S. Team might fly at the World Championships one day (such as Matt Steele and John Pursley, while my scale skills were still WAY behind the curve). But, nobody else picked it up and ran with it, at least not at 1/72, for an R/C gliding orbiter (Rob Justis did fly a 1/100 shuttle at the 1983 WSMC in Poland, but it crashed. He never built a boilerplate for it, and it was never going to fly stably the way he did it).
And, many on again and off again attempts to work out an improved shuttle boilerplate thru the years, including experimenting with some other scales like 1/87 and 1/96, and trying other tricks like SRB sep. Also for Sport flying, made a 1/60 piggyback orbiter in 1992, to boost on a very customized rocket powered by the Aerotech 32mm RC Reload (G12 power).
Also thru the years, my scale building improved. First with Juno-I models and a Delta 3920. Actually, in 1985 or so I was deeply researching the Mercury Redstone for an all-scratchbuilt model (2.6” diameter), but after some fabrication R&D tests I came to realize my modeling skills were not up to the task of making a GOOD Mercury capsule (with all of those dimples in the shingles), so I switched to the Juno-I. Then in 1990 with the Little Joe-II where I started using more new methods, plus casting parts for a Little Joe-II in 1991 (using RTV molds and Alumilite resin).
The boilerplate testing resumed for the 1/72 model, notably again around 1994, but there were more setbacks so it floundered again. Finally, in 1998 there were new incentives to try it again and new technology (the flight computer using two Basic Stamp microcontrollers, built and programmed by Jay Marsh as a modified versions of a flight computer he had made for his FAI Saturn-IB models). Worked out all of the bugs in that boilerplate, and had many successful flights in fall of 1998. Including sepping the SRB’s, and little wind-up timers onboard the SRB’s to deploy the SRB chutes.
So that opened the door to finally building a “serious” scale model in 1999, which was flown at NARAM-42, and won easily (well, the first flight had a problem and DQ’ed but it as fixed and the second flight flew well). Also flew it at the WSMC in 2002, where for some reason the flight computer did not eject the ET chutes. Then flew it at the 2002 WSMC, where it worked great. It may only have come in about 10th out of 20 entries there, but it got the loudest crowd reaction of the day when it flew successfully.
Oh, yeah, also some personal experiences with the shuttle. March 1978, saw Enterprise flown into MSFC in Huntsville on the 747. 3 weeks later, MSFC had an “Open House” with Enterprise, SRB segments, and an ET on display (wish I still had the photos I shot). August 1978, NARAM was in California. One day, (while others did the Disneyland thing), some of us toured the Rockwell plant in Palmdale, where the orbiters were built. Saw and went inside of a full size mock-up of an orbiter. Did not get to go into where the orbiters were built, but DID see what turned out to be Columbia being built, from a distance, seen thru an open hangar door. Tried to see a shuttle launch of Challenger (STS-7 IIRC) in 1983, but a delay ruined that (fortunately I went there mainly for a rocket contest, so the shuttle launch was going to be a “bonus”
. Finally in 1992, the stars aligned, when I went to Melbourne Florida for the FAI WSMC being held there that year, STS-47 was launched on the ideal calendar date to see it being flown while I was down there. So that is the one and only time I saw a shuttle launch.
BTW - Link to the shuttle section on my website I still need to get my whole website completed. It has been “under construction” for nearly a year since AOL killed everybody’s AOL web pages.
https://homepage.mac.com/georgegassaway/GRP/Scale/SHUTTLE.htm
Photo captions:
New photo of old 1/110 orbiter built in 1979. My first orbiter, 1/80, in August 1977, was built exactly the same way.
Launch of 1979 shuttle stack at NARAM-21 in Houston (using the 1/110 orbiter).
1984 shuttle boilerplate at 1/72 scale.
1986 flight of the boilerplate using the old Aerotech F 15 motor (tiny point of light offset in ET aft dome). That flight proved out the stability when using a single fin on each SRB at 45 degrees (when enough noseweight was used in the ET nose).
Myself doing some wishful thinking with a large display model at MSFC, in 1988.
- George Gassaway