Jetex, Rapier powered gliders...?

[[POW]Eagle159]

What are these.... I just found this page and am really interested in these cool little things!

https://www.ffscale.co.uk/page4d.htm
https://www.ffscale.co.uk/rapgal.htm

Can anyone tell more about them, anyone have any?

They are really cool!

 

[dlazarus6660]

Here is one plan I used to build my F-105 Thunderchief.

https://www.ffscale.co.uk/plans14.htm

 

[Gillard]

i've got an old jetex 50 from the 1960s, with new fuel and fuse.
gives a long slow burn, so very suited for Jetex glider.

Jetex disappeared for a while as some naughty people in Ireland used the motor pellets and fuses for different activites, but they are back in production now.

Rapier come in 3 sizes, again long slow burns.

you can pick up plans for the planes on ebay.
boats, cars and planes were made and can be bought on ebay etc.

the original instructions for lighting the fuse said that you were to use a lit cigarette!

 

[shockie]

Aerographics kits mentioned in the article:

https://www.samsmodels.com/acatalog/copy_of_AEROGRAPHICS_KITS.html


Its my understanding that the Rapiers are OOP currently.

hth

Terry Dean

 

[kjohnson]

Terry is correct, they are not being made currently. I've flown a few back when you could get them (in a balsa U-2) and they were a lot of fun. I still have a couple knocking around the motor box.

kj

 

[o1d_dude]

Interested in this kind of thing?

Check www.shortysbasement.com for more info and kits vis a vis the Rapier.

 

[kjohnson]

Yes, that's where you used to be able to get Rapiers.

 

[kjohnson]

Here are a couple of photos of a Rapier L2 next to an Estes A8-3.

kj


Rapier L2 by kevinj73us, on Flickr


Rapier L2 by kevinj73us, on Flickr

 

[[POW]Eagle159]

Wow, they look like mini engines!

 

[MarkII]

Did the Rapiers use the same propellant (guanidine nitrate) as the original Jetex engines? I remember the original Jetex being very popular in the 1960s. I never had any of their engines, but we used Jetex wick as a back-up for the chronically weak carbon-zinc batteries in my Electro-Launch.

 

[kjohnson]

No, I don't believe they were the same.
The last thread in the Rapier forum at jetex.org before the forums were frozen last year is here:
https://www.jetex.org/scripts/yabb2/nph-YaBB.pl?num=1283109111

kj

 

[Initiator001]

About twenty years ago, AeroTech was approached by Polk Hobbies, which had the import/sales rights for Jetex in the United States, to make propellant loads for the Jetex system.

I believe a quote was submitted but Polk never responded.

 

[[POW]Eagle159]

Is there any people that still make engines like these? It would be cool to make some gliders for them!