Estes Leo Space Train

[Scott_650]

I wonder if someone could try this:

Glide recovery: have the engine bay kick back or kick out with its own streamer. While gluing up the kit I'll glue in the engine bay last just to see if possible.

2 Engines! I didn't check the tube sizes but perhaps another engine could fit in the helper booster. To make this change however, the wings and the helper booster need to be realigned (so no scorching) so may need a lot of testing in RS.

thoughts?

It would take a bit of fiddling around to get the CG shift needed for the LEO to glide, I’m not sure just rigging a pop pod would be enough. Maybe adding weight to the faux second stage then having it pop off at recovery along with the main motor pod? Building one without a motor mount and/or the second stage mini rocket then working on getting it to glide, which will probably take some “up” aileron as well as nose weight, would be a big first step. If it needs variable ailerons that means spring hinges and a retainer to keep the wings/fins neutral during boost or a burn string setup. None of this is undoable but it’s not easy either.

Using the faux second stage/satellite rocket as part of a two engine cluster will probably take some kind of adjustment somewhere to get the thrust lines through the center of mass - maybe not the extreme of a FlisKits Deuce’s Wild - but some degree of offset.

I’ve been noodling this around in my head since the first picture was posted but haven’t done anymore with my kit but open the bag and inventory the parts. It’s an interesting challenge though....

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

P.S. the onboard camera is so interesting. What brand of camera?
Very cool how the space plane levels out. May be neat trying a smaller chute or streamer to get more level film.
I noticed that my Pegasus clone belly flops nicely as well. I really like asymmetrical space plane rockets.

Cube camera (SQ11) attached with masking tape. This is one of my favorite flight videos I've made. With the LPR, weight is a factor so a heftier camera like the Runcam2 would be problematic.

Just spitballing, what it the ejection charge went into the booster pod which would eject a streamer to give it drag? At what point would the LEO glide to the ground? Only one way to find out...

 

[GlenP]

The Boeing space plane has an offset pointed nose, does the kit come with one?

I will build mine in stock configuration.

I wonder if someone could try this:

Glide recovery: have the engine bay kick back or kick out with its own streamer. While gluing up the kit I'll glue in the engine bay last just to see if possible.

2 Engines! I didn't check the tube sizes but perhaps another engine could fit in the helper booster. To make this change however, the wings and the helper booster need to be realigned (so no scorching) so may need a lot of testing in RS.

thoughts?

P.S. the onboard camera is so interesting. What brand of camera?
Very cool how the space plane levels out. May be neat trying a smaller chute or streamer to get more level film.
I noticed that my Pegasus clone belly flops nicely as well. I really like asymmetrical space plane rockets.

Look at how the Estes astron skydart does this. It uses a long through tube with washers near the nose end for rocket stability, that gets rear ejected so you are left with a glider balanced for glide. You might need to make the wings larger than the kit or add more elevator area to pitch the LEO space plane enough for a good nose up glide. Sounds like a good idea.

PS-I did a similar conversion of the jetliner into a glider, pretty sure you could do the same with this kit too.

 

[BABAR]

Cube camera (SQ11) attached with masking tape. This is one of my favorite flight videos I've made. With the LPR, weight is a factor so a heftier camera like the Runcam2 would be problematic.

Just spitballing, what it the ejection charge went into the booster pod which would eject a streamer to give it drag? At what point would the LEO glide to the ground? Only one way to find out...

Enjoyed the video. Was surprised, watching it, near the end when they say “you‘re over the numbers” of the runway, I am saying, “gear down...........gear down........gear DOWN........GEAR DOWN!!!!!!” Surprised how they reeeeeaaally held off until the last moment to drop the gear. i guess if it hadn’t come down they couldn’t have changed anything anyway (not like you can do a go-around) but still i expected them to have everything landing ready much earlier in approach. Probably wanted to minimize air speed stress on the gear, I dunno.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Enjoyed the video. Was surprised, watching it, near the end when they say “you‘re over the numbers” of the runway, I am saying, “gear down...........gear down........gear DOWN........GEAR DOWN!!!!!!” Surprised how they reeeeeaaally held off until the last moment to drop the gear. i guess if it hadn’t come down they couldn’t have changed anything anyway (not like you can do a go-around) but still i expected them to have everything landing ready much earlier in approach. Probably wanted to minimize air speed stress on the gear, I dunno.

My son asked why NASA didn't crash a few shuttles in the 70s before it's first manned flight. I think it's because the technology had already been proven with the rockets in the 60s and airplane mechanics for decades. The part they weren't sure about were the boosters and the wing tiles.

Meanwhile, I'm watching the cleanup in Texas.



How the eff does this happen?

 

[cbwho]

The Leo is an interesting build.

Right now I am gluing up the big wing. I tried papering it while gluing the individual pieces together which failed badly due to bubbles. Luckily white glue allows do overs. So instead of papering I went with smear white glue as sealer, but now I have a bit of a bow vertically. The tab below the nozzle Ducktails a bit. I think I'll sand the bow out.

Indeed the kit has the special nose cone.

I may need to get another as my son wants one.

I hand paint mine and I am thinking of putting re-entry smudges on it. The real thing was meant to be highly reusable. It would not stay shiny for long.
Notice the space shuttle smudges:

The above is only from 3 reuses.

DARPA wanted:
"launching 3,000-lb. (1,360 kilograms) satellites into orbit 10 times in 10 days"

 

[BABAR]

The Leo is an interesting build.

Right now I am gluing up the big wing. I tried papering it while gluing the individual pieces together which failed badly due to bubbles. Luckily white glue allows do overs. So instead of papering I went with smear white glue as sealer, but now I have a bit of a bow vertically. The tab below the nozzle Ducktails a bit. I think I'll sand the bow out.

Indeed the kit has the special nose cone.

I may need to get another as my son wants one.

I hand paint mine and I am thinking of putting re-entry smudges on it. The real thing was meant to be highly reusable. It would not stay shiny for long.
Notice the space shuttle smudges:
View attachment 450470View attachment 450471
The above is only from 3 reuses.

DARPA wanted:
"launching 3,000-lb. (1,360 kilograms) satellites into orbit 10 times in 10 days"

@rklapp got nice flights on the C5-3.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

@rklapp got nice flights on the C5-3.

Yeah, I find the C5-3 works great on wide wing rockets like the SST and Cobra. Not so much on traditional rockets like Nike-x and Nike Smoke.

 

[cbwho]

Yeah, I find the C5-3 works great on wide wing rockets like the SST and Cobra. Not so much on traditional rockets like Nike-x and Nike Smoke.

I see that the C5-3 has double the lift!
Estimated Max Lift Weight
8.0 oz (227)
I may have to get those.

So provides more oomph but for a shorter amount of time. So for the Nike ones, simply lower altitude?

 

[Scott_650]

I see that the C5-3 has double the lift!
Estimated Max Lift Weight
8.0 oz (227)
I may have to get those.

So provides more oomph but for a shorter amount of time. So for the Nike ones, simply lower altitude?

The delay is too short - probably needs another second or so, that way the chute’s not coming out while the rocket is going a bit too fast.

 

[BABAR]

The delay is too short - probably needs another second or so, that way the chute’s not coming out while the rocket is going a bit too fast.

How have people fared with the recommended C6-3?

 

[cbwho]

Here is my dirty Leo.
I used pencil grinding to mimic the soot of a many times flown space shuttle. I prefer the less is more look when it comes to decals and paint colors. I cannot imagine a big Lion etc on it. It is supposed to be a work horse.

I ordered another one to build again based on what I learned. I will paper both sides and cover the etching as the etching introduces weakness as my 4 year son proved (broken wing from playing with it).

P.S. I don't and won't fill the tube curve lines.

 

[Huxter]

I have never filled tube spirals either! I would quite this hobby first!

Here's mine in pristine condition. Painted separately before assembly. Pretty fun build. May have to get another one too. There's rockets in line ahead of this extra one tho - Super Mars Snooper for one!

 

[SCooke123]

I like the colors on your LEO - really nice job! Have you flown it yet?

 

[modeltrains]

Oh, I know the perfect non-standard color scheme for this one!
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/267694/

 

[Scott_650]

Oh, I know the perfect non-standard color scheme for this one!
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/267694/

I like it! A LEO done up in a commercial workhorse locomotive style livery would be pretty nifty

 

[Huxter]

I have not flown for over a year! I really need to make time... I need to validate my build techniques! I really liked the C5-3 video! I need to get some of those motors!

My LEO came in at 99.5 grams - 3.1 g over - the balsa auto filler added to that. I clear coated the decals too.

 

[cbwho]

Mine flew fine on a C6-3. It was a windy snowy day so weathercocking but maintained an upward trend. The only issue is that even with a functioning parachute, wing broke on touch down caused by the stress point due to the fake flaps. On my next Leo build, I will fill those in and paper over.

C6-3

 

[DeWain]

I have not flown for over a year! I really need to make time... I need to validate my build techniques! I really liked the C5-3 video! I need to get some of those motors!

My LEO came in at 99.5 grams - 3.1 g over - the balsa auto filler added to that. I clear coated the decals too.

View attachment 451730

Love the collection of SF paperbacks in the background! Nice finish on the rocket too!

 

[frognbuff2.0]

Just finished my LEO Space Train, considering I've built fewer than 15 model rockets I think it looks pretty good. Couldn't find the right shade of gray but I made do with what I could find

 

[cbwho]

Super nice job!

Whatever shade of gray you have us the correct one. It's your rocket!

Not to mention this is actually a Boeing Phantom Express...

 

[nosecone]

Hello, Can someone let me know the exact length of the piggyback rocket ?
Thank you

 

[cbwho]

Total length of piggyback rocket is 5 5/8 inches.

Here is my Mark 2 Leo Space plane. I deleted "Train" as I didn't like the sound of it. My first one was ate by a tree.

For this rocket, I papered the body tube with adhesive gloss paper. I'm not sure how much white glue penetrates into it, so I won't use it on future builds. My preferred method is the Astrobright paper and that's what I am using for the black and very pleased with it. The trick for getting strong flat wings is to glue them up along the seams per instructions then let dry. Then wall paper them by putting glue on the paper then lay that paper on. After that dries under a books for 24 hours then air dried for another day you'll still get a warp. But then use a clothes iron to perfectly flat.

Before papering, I filled the flaps cut outs as that's a major weak point.

I'm thinking of making a third version but based on a modified flipped upside Top Secret.

This is a cool kit.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Total length of piggyback rocket is 5 5/8 inches.

Here is my Mark 2 Leo Space plane. I deleted "Train" as I didn't like the sound of it. My first one was ate by a tree.

For this rocket, I papered the body tube with adhesive gloss paper. I'm not sure how much white glue penetrates into it, so I won't use it on future builds. My preferred method is the Astrobright paper and that's what I am using for the black and very pleased with it. The trick for getting strong flat wings is to glue them up along the seams per instructions then let dry. Then wall paper them by putting glue on the paper then lay that paper on. After that dries under a books for 24 hours then air dried for another day you'll still get a warp. But then use a clothes iron to perfectly flat.

Before papering, I filled the flaps cut outs as that's a major weak point.

I'm thinking of making a third version but based on a modified flipped upside Top Secret.

This is a cool kit.

Nice job painting underneath the pod. Here's my best video of the LEO. I should try it again, maybe with a C12.

 

[cbwho]

There is no paint. It's all papered. (There is some black and gold touch up paint in a few spots.)

 

[Warren Baker]

Just finished my LEO Space Train, considering I've built fewer than 15 model rockets I think it looks pretty good. Couldn't find the right shade of gray but I made do with what I could find
View attachment 454156View attachment 454157View attachment 454158

It looks great. Sometimes I like to make them similar and sometimes not. My nose cone is aluminum right now. It's not done yet so I may change it but so far...