EVR Asteroid Killer

[EchoVictor]

As someone could probably guess by my avatar, one of my favorite all-time desgins is the Centuri Satellite Killer. I've always loved the look of this saucer, and wanted to build it or clone it someday. After seeing the high prices of vintage kits, and not wanting to try and clone the fiberboard fins, I've had an idea for a "sequel" of sorts brewing in the back of my mind for a few years now. Sometimes the muse just strikes you....

Instead of the Anti-satellite/Cold War vibe of the original, my new design is a concept of a satellite that would be placed into Earth orbit to search the heavens and defend our planet from any celestial interloper on a collision course with Earth.

The EVR "Asteroid Killer"

Top view;

I'm still working on a structural ring that goes around the body and fuel tanks, and am open to suggestions for any other details.

Thoughts?

Later,
EV

 

[CharlaineC]

nice i cant wait see how this one comes out. also pic mat works well.

 

[Andyd103]

just curious on how you cut your tubes, i use a pipe cutter for mine and it works OK, always looking for a better method

 

[EchoVictor]

For tube cutting I just use a new X-acto blade and a double wrap of painter's tape to create a shoulder to cut against. Nothing fancy.

However, the tubes on this were standard 2.75" pre-cut sections of BT-50 that I buy from Red Arrow Hobbies. I'm a big fan of minimizing cutting, so I use standard length engine tubes (2.75" BT-20s + BT-50s, and 1.75" BT-5s) in almost all of my scratch builds that call for small detail tubes.

Later,
EV

 

[dlazarus6660]

EV,

Structural ring?
That idea sounds familiar.
I was thinking of one large ring attaching or linking the three solar panels.
Yes, No.

Daniel

 

[McKailas Dad]

I saw it launched today! :neener::clap: at Bong Rec.Area. The only reason I knew he was 'Echo Victor' is because I recognized his EVR Asteroid Killer.

He was loading it up on the launch pad just as I arrived. Very cool little flyer. I'll let him fill you in on all the flight details...

 

[EchoVictor]

Well, I got to fly this one on Saturday, and the results were very interesing...

Not being sure about how the flight profile would look, I hedged my bets putting this one together. It has a standard chute under that Mars Lander nose cone, but in case the flight wound up with the body turning over, I left the motor tube loose so that I can easily convert to rear ejection if I want.

Good jump off the pad with a C6-3, and it corkscrewed a little bit on the way up. I was worried about getting sufficient height due to the drag of the solar panels, but she climbed nicely. Sure enough, after boost phase was done, she flipped over and headed straight down until the ejection charge popped the cone and the 'chute.

I'll definitely be converting this to rear eject.....

Later,
EV

 

[dragon_rider10]

I saw it launched today! :neener::clap: at Bong Rec.Area. The only reason I knew he was 'Echo Victor' is because I recognized his EVR Asteroid Killer.

He was loading it up on the launch pad just as I arrived. Very cool little flyer. I'll let him fill you in on all the flight details...

That's kind of cool, you didn't plan it?

 

[EchoVictor]

Crap.

I finally got this converted to rear-eject and wound up getting a chance to fly this past Sunday at the HUVARS launch. Since we were on a smaller field, I loaded it with a B instead of the usual C. Unfortunately, I mistakenly put a B6-4 into it instead of my intended B6-2

The result? A nice flight, but once the boost ended and she arced over, the long delay allowed it to get within a foot off the deck before the ejection charge fired. The resulting force slammed it into the ground and broke two of the three wing spars off.

Fortunately they were clean breaks, and they've already been repaired. She'll fly again this weekend at WOOSH's big event, and definitely on a C. This time I think I might try to have the engine pod recover separately, and see how the body does on simple drag recovery....

Later,
EV