Bomarc Beginnings

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Yep, I'll be there!! I will be bringing my Polecat Honest John. I am hoping to fly it on a K550, but will see how I am doing in the funds department when I get there.

In the meantime, check out this Bomarc, which flew at the first RockStock I ever went to on an M1939: https://www.rocstock.org/photos/pix.rsxix_8.html

-Chris
 
Sweet! Gonna put in the spin motors? Nice shots of the bomarc at ROCstock. That must be the one we heard about last year at PB! I'll pass the link along to the guys!
 
I have the motor housings on, but they are simply molded parts and don't hold actual motors. But they look sweet! I have pics of my level 2 cert flight in another thread in here somewhere..

-Chris
 
Oops.... Houston, we have a problem....

Finally got around to getting a scale and weighing the parts.... We are at 52# and our max dry weight is 53#... and this is not all of the components. Due to a slight miscalculation, we ARE going to need a M class motor to safely launch. Anyone got a spare L3 laying around that I can borrow?;)
 
heh, check with Andy... You buy the motor, he might fly it for you. That, and with a project this size, I am sure there will be plenty of volunteers to get you off the ground!
 
Unfortunately, Chris, it's not gonna happen for the NSL. I have talked to the team and we decided to go back to our original launch window at PB 2005. Better to work out a few minor issues that we are working on than rush it and drop 60 pounds of debris on spectators...:(

I'll keep posting progress pics as they come. Here is a shot of the raceways in progress. Again pseudo-glassed with pantyhose.
 
<doh!> eh well, I plan on being at PB also, so either way I will get to see it. But yeah, better to get all the kinks worked out before flight..

-Chris
 
Alright gang-

After a couple of weeks off to recover from the NSL, the project is getting rolling again. Here are a few pics from today's build session. We cut the airframe to get the wing into position. The section of tube that was removed will be attached to the top of the wing, with the entire section being removable for transport.
 
After getting the wing into position, we got REALLY excited!!! After working on this thing for a looooong time, it finally started to look like the real deal today! We slid the airframe together, duct taped the wing in place and had to hold the ramjets up, but you gotta admit, it looks good!
 
Here's the last one for today. Its a top view, showing the raceway in place as well. This thing is a beast!

Next week we hope to have the wing mounting rails in place as well as the electronics bay mounted in under the wing!
 
Looks nice. BTW, if you can't find an M, than an AT L1500 would probably pick it up safely. 384lbs peak thrust, so it could pick up 75lbs with a 5/1 ratio. Looks great, can't wait to see flight pics.
 
And once again...more pics and a thread bounce!

Here is a shot trimming off the excess fiberglass edging around the tail. We decided to only do edge glassing to keep the fins from delaminating.
 
...to make sure the ramsets were parallel (sp?) with the main airframe, we used PVC tube screwed and epoxied to the supports, sandwiched between two centering rings...
 
...the supports were 3/4" ply so we added half-round moulding to the front and rear to give them a better appearance...
 
...we used paper funnels, filled with expanding foam and "glassed" with pantyhose for the ramjet cones. Here they are being epoxied on.
 
Here's a nice shot of the business end! Two 38mm (probably Pro38 2-3 grain SS) and a central 98mm M! If I fail my L3 flight, we have a current L3 flier to push the button for us!
 
Once again, mostly assembled with all the do-dads dry fit that haven't been permanently adhered yet. This is the build team minus one...
 
And finally for this batch, this is the current form of the graphic from the t-shirt for the team. This may still change a little...it depends on whether or not people think that using the upper part of the bomarc to make the "I" in CIM-10 is understandable or not... Opinions?
 
OMG Todd, that looks awesome! I cannot wait to see it fly at Plaster Blaster!

Are you going for your level 3 then as well? That would be sweet!!



I also have my own special project I am working on for PB... <grin> It's a challenge as it is my first true scratch build. I am building a 6" upscale Pterodactyl Jr. for my Fiancee. It has a central 54mm and 6 29mm motors. I will start a build thread pretty soon for it. I am also heading down to Andy's shop tomorrow to help with the N1. That should be a fun day!!

Man, I am looking forward to seeing that! Nice job thus far!

-Chris
 
Thanks Chris!

It was really a rush when we dry fit it all the first time! Very funny that a bunch of (approaching) middle aged guys got all giddy about something like this! Andy Woerner said that one of us could L3 on the bomarc, but then we would not be able to use motors in the ramjets, which we really want to do... Not really for that much additional thrust, but more for effect. I'm pushing through the assembly of a BSD L3 Horizon and hoping to cert. possibly on Friday of PB... We'll see if can come off without too much stress, otherwise Val Derkach and Andy both said they would push the button!

I'm going to take the bomarc to the DART launch tomorrow and have Andy look it over to make sure that there isn't some fundamental error that we have made so we will still have time to correct it.
 
Here's the latest, most recent rocksim file for the Big Bomarc. The sims look good for a reasonable flight. I also maxed it out, loading all 3 motor tubes and an airstart which took it to almost 12,000 feet!
 
Hmmm... Let me run the sim on that... and see what Andy Woerner has in stock. He says not too many people have bought their motors for Plaster Blaster yet, but many are talking about doing so. Order early or you may loose out!
 
Whoa! That added about another 2K ft and 4 more seconds to apogee! I'd be concerned about the top speed though. Whereas we have over built this thing, I'd really rather not be raining pieces down over the croud....
 
Originally posted by RocketmanTM
Whoa! That added about another 2K ft and 4 more seconds to apogee! I'd be concerned about the top speed though. Whereas we have over built this thing, I'd really rather not be raining pieces down over the croud....

Gee, Todd... pieces raining down over the crowd at Plaster Blaster? I don't think that's ever happened before... ;)

Hope you can get that Horizon done and ready in time!

WW
 
Originally posted by RocketmanTM
Whoa! That added about another 2K ft and 4 more seconds to apogee! I'd be concerned about the top speed though. Whereas we have over built this thing, I'd really rather not be raining pieces down over the croud....

Heh, I too am worried about raining pieces down over the Plaster Blaster crowd.. I plan to fly an L730 in my Honest John, which will be the biggest motor I have personally ever flown. It's going to be absolutely insane! I will probably sand down the fillets and lay some fiberglass in there to try and strengthen that joint and keep the flutter to a minimum, but I am still wondering what will happen.

Anyway, back to your project, I think that M1939 would totally rock! It's going to be an impressibe project!

Have you decided who is going to L3 on it yet?
 
Jesse Blas has said that I shoud do it. Both of the other two team members who might have flown it for a cert. have let their NAR memberships expire for more than a year, so they would have to cert L1, 2 & 3 all in one weekend!

I'm working on putting together the L3 package now. Yikes, am I nervous!

WW- After promting from Andy W., I don't think I'll try to cert on the Horizon, but go for the gusto and do it with the bomarc!
 
We have hit the point of no return... I have purchased the motor... What's Up Hobbies had sold out of my first choice, the M1600T, so we are going for the M2400! I just hope that the components can take the initial spike of thrust!

We are just finishing out the small details. Mounting the electronics, sanding, sanding, sanding, reinforcing the connectors where the airframe is mated together. Gotta get the L3 paperwork together sometime soon too!

Sorry that I don't have any new pics, but there haven't been much in the way of changes visually. I'll get some up after we finish priming and painting.
 
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