LTV Scout-D in 1/11.4 scale: a hibernating project coming back to life

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tab28682

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A few of you serious LTV Scout fans might have heard about this unique scale rocket project back around 1999-2001.

Richard Ng, my longtime friend and flying buddy (both RC aircraft and rockets) decided he simply had to do a nice large-ish and light mid power model of the LTV Scout-D....from scratch. He decided to do it at 1/11.4 so that the max diameter of the first stage would be correct when using BT-101 airframe laminated with .015" white styrene plastic. This makes the model a fraction under 80" tall.

He began a correspondence with Mike Dorffler in the late 1990s about this project and Mike was soon helping Richard with his vast store of knowledge and reference materials concerning the Scout-D.

Richards goal was to build a large version of the Scout-D and keep it at or under 3.3 lbs to avoid needing a high power cert and waivered launch to be able to fly it.

Currently the model weighs 33.8 oz without the motor mount, recovery system and the wire tunnels and a few other small scale details. Looks like it would have made weight and flown on a G40 or G80.

The model is a mix of commercial tubes, CNC centering rings and styrene skins and transitions. The front of the payload fairing is CNC-ed Ren-shape tooling board. The fins are cast resin with G10 fiberglass core elements and root tabs.

It helps that Richard is a seriously talented professional model builder with mad skills in tooling and model design.

Richard got about as far along on the model as the picture shows in 2000 and took the model to NARAM in CO that summer and showed it to Mike Dorffler.

The model has hibernated as you see it in the picture since 2001. Over the last couple of weeks, we decided to team up to get this model complete and flying by next year. Richard will complete the wire tunnels and other minor exterior details and I will body work, prime and paint the model (with the styrene skin, no spirals to fill!) install the lower stage motor mount and recovery system.

Notice I said lower stage...:) This model has some seriously unique hidden features.

More details and future plans forthcoming in the next few posts.
 
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Nice Large Scale LTV Scout.

I went the other way, Making a Micro Maxx Powered 1: 142.43875 Scale Scout-B several years ago. Great little model, flies like a shot.
 
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Here is a picture of Richard Ng holding his nicely done Estes LTV Scout for a size comparison with his 1/11.4 Scout D.

It is my understanding that this picture was taken by Mike Dorffler at the NARAM in Pueblo, Co in 2000.
 
That looks so freakin' cool. Can't wait to see this one "in the flesh".
 
That looks so freakin' cool. Can't wait to see this one "in the flesh".

Will be bringing it to a DARS meeting more than once, I bet......:)

Wait until you see its ability to fly it as a single stage model, or a two stage model with pop out fins on the second stage....;)
 
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Richard designed this Scout-D to be able to fly as a two stage model, with an air started 29mm motor in the second stage. He created a very nifty folding fin assembly that also serves as the interstate coupler. Fins are spring loaded and deploy instantly.

My mindsim thinks the folding fins are a touch on the small side, but will do some simming in OR to see if it will work. One option might be to add some small spin tabs to the folding fins to add some spin stability.

The interstage coupler assembly and upper stage motor mount is designed to be removable from the upper stage.

We have decided to make the first flight or two as a single stage model to keep is simple. Motor ejection with altimeter or RC backup and an RC chute sled for dual deploy.

When it gets flown as a two stage model, the plan is to install a Rocketflite Triplefire and use RC for the second stage ignition. Most of you know I am big on RC and the control options it gives you. This gives the ultimate control over staging. If the model is not within 5-10 degrees of vertical, I abort the second stage by not hitting the switch.

Lower stage will have altimeter ejection, with motor backup. Upper stage will have the Triplefire to positively separate the stages with a small charge (not sure about drag separation with this design) and at the same moment, start ignition of the upper stage. Upper stage ejection via altimeter with RC Triplefire backup and RC chute sled dual deploy.

To keep the model fairly light, it will likely fly on 29mm motors in both stages. Leaning towards a 29mm H180 for single and/or first stage, depending on sim results.
 
Anyone out there happen to have an OR file for an LTV Scout? Would be perfectly happy with any version as a starting point.
 
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