B29 with X1 rocket.

[ckreef]

I've seen Mac Hodges fly this setup about 10 times now. He puts on a great show.

I was at a rc flyin yesterday and he flew the B29 w/ X1. Later I got to check out the X1 up close and got a great idea on how to hook up the ignitor wires for my FunJet on board ignition. Will post a pic of all that later today. I believe they use a G80 in the X1.

This has probably been posted before but for those who have not seen it check out this video it has a good flight of the X1 and the rest of the video is really kewl too.

[YOUTUBE]S0a-bE8p8Rc[/YOUTUBE]

 

[powderburner]

and I do not want this guy to stop flying his beautiful set of aircraft--

but I do have to wonder how it is that it's OK with the rules/clubs/organizations/govt for model airplane guys to fly rocket-powered designs in horizontal flight (OK, only partly horizontal, mostly climbing), but if a rocketry guy flies a rocket-powered-model with any part of a horizontal trajectory, it's suddenly a huge no no

Can anybody explain how that works?

 

[Area66]

The RC X1 is a rocket plane ( like the real one) not a rocket, and from the video and especially the landing, the guy know how to control it.

 

[powderburner]

But it is still simply a flying model that is powered by a rocket motor, in the eyes of the govt. They don't care if it is a scale model of an X-1, or of an AGM-65, or if it is a scale model at all.

For some reason, they are terrified of US launching a horrible, dangerous, deadly rocket....but don't seem too worried if the model airplane guys do the exact same thing.

Edit: Remember, these are the geniuses that thought you could pack 500-lb warheads into R/C aircraft.

 

[Area66]

If you ask me the B29 is far more dangerous.

 

[iter]

NAR rules for R/C rocket gliders explicitly permit R/C air starts as long as the glider is above 100' AGL.

Ari.

 

[aerostadt]

The NAR Safety code for R/C models is here:

https://www.nar.org/NARrcrbgsc.html

 

[ckreef]

I'm a "model airplane guy". I fly under AMA insurance. AMA covers all activities including rc model boats, cars, planes, planes w/ rocket motors and class 1 model rockets. For model rockets or planes w/ rocket motors to be covered you have to fly within the NAR guidelines (see iter and aerostadt posts above.)

Us "model airplane guys" don't get any special privileges we still have to fly under "model rocket guys" rules.

And yes I agree the B29 is far more dangerous then the X1 glider but I do know Mac (casually, I live within 90 miles from his hobby shop) and he would ditch the B29 before slamming it into the crowd.

It's all good --- I posted that as a kewl example of the RCBG, and didn't mean to cause a controversy.

 

[powderburner]

Sorry, didn't mean to start a "controversy," just wondering out loud (always dangerous when I start that)

Under model aircraft rules these motors get to be used in a horizontal launch (even if from 100 ft altitude). Under model rocket rules the same motors must be launched within 30 degrees of vertical. Just doesn't seem very consistent to me, that's all.

(And I think I would cry if that beautiful B-29 had to be ditched. Made me sick to see the pix of that B-52 jet-powered model that went in a few years back.)

 

[TheAviator]

The RCRGs have their own set of safety rules. By NAR rules you are allowed to launch a radio controlled glider up to 45 degrees from vertical and to do a horizontal air start so long as you are higher than 100' AGL. Trying an air start in a 45-60 degree climb is actually more dangerous than the horizontal start; the chance of stalling the aircraft means that the nose could be pointed anywhere when the engine lights.

 

[ckreef]

If I'm not mistaken that is actually version 3 of the B-29. Version one the wing ripped off in-flight. Version two he did an inverted low pass down the field and got too low. The tail got ripped off. He doesn't get that low anymore on the inverted passes, but still really low for a 20' wing span.

The X1 has crashed before also. Sometime end of last year (??) the X1 pilot crashed it. He also rebuilt it after he crashed it.

Mac takes that to many different rc events all over the US but especially in the S.E. If you ever get a chance to see it fly it is definitely worth going to the rc show just for that. Unfortunately the club I fly at (100 miles from the B-29/X1's home) is a small field with a rubber mat runway. He is not willing to land the B-29 on the rubber mat as it takes too long to slow down without grass or a really long runway. Sort of a bummer for our airshows but I can understand why.

 

[jd2cylman]

I had to turn the sound down. Couldn't stand the announcer. And why was Yeager riding a house? And how does one jump a house over a gate?
BTW the B29 was super cool.

Adrian

 

[JoeG]

Under model aircraft rules these motors get to be used in a horizontal launch (even if from 100 ft altitude). Under model rocket rules the same motors must be launched within 30 degrees of vertical. Just doesn't seem very consistent to me, that's all.

Actually the rules that state launch angles and altitude for R/C Rocket Gliders (RCRG's) come from NAR. I launch rocket gliders all the time at about a 45 degree as per the NAR safety code. This is the Minimum angle for a ground launch.

I have seen Mac fly the B29 as well and his launches of the X1 are always with an upward angle and away from spectators.

Edit: Remember, these are the geniuses that thought you could pack 500-lb warheads into R/C aircraft.

This comment is like lumping all "the rocket guys" together when you see someone on youtube launching rockets at targets. (Yes, it's on there.)

I'm also one of "the airplane guys." AMA #2610, a member for forty consecutive years and a contest director and RCRG pilot.