Inspired by Virgin Galactic

My humble attempt:

[video=youtube_share;7OCm9WLCwKA]https://youtu.be/7OCm9WLCwKA[/video]

Here are some constructional photos - LINK. Unfortunately all design sketches are not in an electronic form yet. I'm planning to scan them at some point later next week. The model also need decals and a paint job, which may take a bit longer.

The best motor for this model is C6-7. The delayed deployment allows her to glide nearly horizontally after reaching the apogee. It also is a bit unpredictable with regard to direction she goes after leaving the launch pad. All and all it is the most exiting and interesting to fly model I have designed so far.

Wow! Great job. You got some mad skills my friend.

Checking out your link to the Sky Dart site got me looking at some other builds. On the Project 2011-04 build, what is that red and yellow material used to make the nose cones?

vigilante said:

Wow! Great job. You got some mad skills my friend.

Checking out your link to the Sky Dart site got me looking at some other builds. On the Project 2011-04 build, what is that red and yellow material used to make the nose cones?

Click to expand...

Thank you, but my skills are not extrasensory of course.
.
The red and yellow material is paper. A kind of tracing-paper I found in a local hobby shop. A single page weights about 6.25 grams. Unfortunately I did not manage to find out who manufactures it and how exactly it is called. There are more details of the design here.

I would love to see the whole flight. It is very unusual that a rocket glider can be a both a rocket and glider without activating some kind of flaps to transition the flight. Now that I look at the construction I see that I might be wrong. It looks like there is a kevlar string, so may be the late ejection charge of the C6-7 pops the nose cone and you have a short glide before ejection.

aerostadt said:

I would love to see the whole flight. It is very unusual that a rocket glider can be a both a rocket and glider without activating some kind of flaps to transition the flight. Now that I look at the construction I see that I might be wrong. It looks like there is a kevlar string, so may be the late ejection charge of the C6-7 pops the nose cone and you have a short glide before ejection.

Click to expand...

Launched straight up and in windless conditions it'll be a rocket. Launch a bit off the vertical (lets say 5 degrease) or/and in presence of wind it'll be a rocket going a bit ballistic pretending to be a glider.
CG is kept in front of a position it would be at in a proper glider and there is no any change in surface configuration. Not in this model any way.

aerostadt said:

It looks like there is a kevlar string, so may be the late ejection charge of the C6-7 pops the nose cone and you have a short glide before ejection.

Click to expand...

I was sorting out videos and photos on my PC and found out another launch video and a bit blurry shot of the recovery.
[video=youtube_share;zMuZ_CyW8cY]https://youtu.be/zMuZ_CyW8cY[/video]

Finally, before starting the new season I'd managed to paint the model.


Here is the launch video. Motor - Estes C6-7.

[video=youtube_share;DMJLNFHc8tU]https://youtu.be/DMJLNFHc8tU[/video]

Unfortunately, I misjudged the wind strength and forgot how high this model can fly. As the result she was lost to the rocket eating crops some 1000 meters down-range.

Looking good!

Looked good to be precise.
I did like this model very much. I've already decided to rebuild it.

JNUK said:

Looked good to be precise.
I did like this model very much. I've already decided to rebuild it.

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That`s too bloody bad mate ,she was a fine looking piece of kit ! Looked to be a nice straight flyer and very nice design ,glad you shall build another.

Upscaled would be pretty awesome also !

Cheers



Paul T