New X-15 and Buran videos

[burkefj]

Here is a new video I did tonight, was getting dark and foggy, but I wanted to try out my keychain camera on my X-15. This is the latest version I did for an article in Sport Rocketry, used silver sharpie to give it panel lines and upscaled it slightly with a more accurate profile and wing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnzLeTmh8LI

the Buran should also be up shortly at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qvroa3kHQU

 

[RocketManDan]

Frank

That is absolutely amazing!!! You have a lot of talent and building skills. I really like the videos, but you know what would be cool? If you could mount the camera on the X-15 or Shuttle, but point it toward the nose...this way we can get a birds eye view of what it looks like coming in for a landing and see all the surrounding area...that would be so awesome!!

 

[GregGleason]

Nicely done!

Greg

 

[burkefj]

Dan, I did actually do a second flight with the camera facing forward, however because it was so foggy and dark all you really saw was the fog, and only saw the ground as I was making my final turns since I was in a pretty flat glide, once I flared, it was pointing up again. I'll do another flight on a better day so that you can see the horizon. I probably will also mount the camera pointing down and forward slightly so that you see something of the horizon on the way up as well.

I just added the front view in for the heck of it so you can see it now.


Frank

Frank

That is absolutely amazing!!! You have a lot of talent and building skills. I really like the videos, but you know what would be cool? If you could mount the camera on the X-15 or Shuttle, but point it toward the nose...this way we can get a birds eye view of what it looks like coming in for a landing and see all the surrounding area...that would be so awesome!!

 

[burkefj]

Here are another two flights from this morning, I mounted the camera forward and down and rearward and down and you can see a lot more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK0Yn8vdvmQ

Frank

 

[burkefj]

Here are another two flights from this morning, I mounted the camera forward and down and rearward and down and you can see a lot more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK0Yn8vdvmQ

Frank

 

[burkefj]

I got in a bunch of flights today, last two were on an E-11 and an F-12 blackjack. Thanks to John Lyngdal for taking photos, I got the smoke between him and the rocket on a couple of shots.

Frank

 

[burkefj]

One more landing photo....

And I fixed the onboard video link that was broken...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK0Yn8vdvmQ

 

[Cyril's Scribe]

Fantastic flights, what manufacture made the engines, Aerotech I imagine? I loved the movie, and the "go faster" part of me wants to ask what the biggest motor you can safely put in this rocket glider is?

 

[RocketManDan]

Awesome flights Frank! Thanks for sharing!

 

[burkefj]

Yes, Aerotech made the motors, E-6 RC, E-11 RMS, and F-12 RMS. Given that this weighs only 10 ounces(even at 42 inches long) for the F-12 at 4 pounds thrust initially, that is about as hard as I would want to push this. I had an E-15 ready to go, but that is 5 pounds thrust off the pad, and it just isn't needed, and once the speed gets much faster, you have to be really light on the sticks. I just didn't want to risk shredding anything. As for altitude the E-6 gets it about as high as both the E-11 and F-12, due to increased drag at the higher speed, the last two just get it there faster and leave a nice black smoke trail. I wanted to test it out on some different motors to see how versitile it would be, so I've flown it on D-12's, E-9's(estes), E-6, E-11 and F-12's. This version has about 16 flights on it now.

Frank

Fantastic flights, what manufacture made the engines, Aerotech I imagine? I loved the movie, and the "go faster" part of me wants to ask what the biggest motor you can safely put in this rocket glider is?

 

[Leo]

Great stuff Frank. I really like the X-15

 

[DAllen]

That's awesome!