Mini Bomarc clone question

[Peartree]

My son bought a Mini Bomarc BMS clone at NARAM-51. We downloaded the instructions from Jimz (after accidentally downloading the instructions for the non-mini-Bomarc) and started building it.

We noticed in the larger model that it is built for glide recovery (although it is known to be a steep glide).

So here's the question: Has anyone built the Mini Bomarc for glide recovery or must it return via parachute or streamer?

Obviously it doesn't come with the ailerons and elastic string, etc. that the larger one comes so I suspect not, but, you all, being an innovative and experimental bunch, has anyone done this?

 

[jbuscaglia]

There was a conversion plan published in the May 1986 issue of American Spacemodeling.

 

[Bravo52]

John, I built the kit I bought the first Saturday of NARAM 51. I flew it the following Friday!. The biggest thing I found was that it was hard to stuff a 12" chute in the BT-20. On a later flight, the chute was "stuffed" a little too hard and when the ejection charge went off, it blew the MM out and started a glide recovery It did that for about a little less than a nano-second before it dropped nose low and lawn-darted. The good news is the rocket is so small and light, it didn't damage it much. I still haven't painted it from the original build so it only scratched up the primer. YMMV

 

[mikeyd]

So here's the question: Has anyone built the Mini Bomarc for glide recovery or must it return via parachute or streamer?

Obviously it doesn't come with the ailerons and elastic string, etc. that the larger one comes so I suspect not, but, you all, being an innovative and experimental bunch, has anyone done this?

I built an original Mini-Bomarc to glide, and it usually glides quite well.

 

[Bravo52]

I built an original Mini-Bomarc to glide, and it usually glides quite well.

Is the wing plan form the same? Seems a little too small to catch much air under glide.

 

[mikeyd]

Is the wing plan form the same? Seems a little too small to catch much air under glide.

I can't speak to the size of the clone wing, but this was using stock parts from an original Mini-Bomarc, I just built a pop pod, put a "plug" in the front of the BT, so it was sealed, and I could still disconnect the Nose, hollowed out the Balsa Nose, so I could manage weight with clay, to fine tune the glide. I split the tail wing, at the center point to create an elevator, and only have it move about 3/32 of an inch up, when the pod is ejected. The starting balance point for glide is about 1/2 inch back from the front of the front wing, and the flight CG, with the pop pod is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in front of the front wing. I recently had to replace the pop pod, and have been having trouble getting its weight right, now it tends to "fly" off of the launch rod, instead of straight up.

 

[Micromeister]

I've built a few mini gliding Bomarc's over the years. While they do glide I can't say they glide Quite well. They have about the same glide ratio as the Shuttle about 1:1 LOL. Build as Light as possible you'll get a decent flight.. it does look good on the very short glide down

 

[WillMarchant]

There was a conversion plan published in the May 1986 issue of American Spacemodeling.

That issue is no longer available through NARTS. Has anyone found a scan online?

 

[Micromeister]

If not I'm sure I have it Will.

If you need it drop me a line a the [email protected] e-mail and i'll send a copy.